MONITORING, CONTROLLING AND ENHANCING PROCESSES WHILE STIMULATING A FLUID-FILLED BOREHOLE

摘要

Tubewaves are used for detection and monitoring of feature state to enhance stimulation operations and remediate failure conditions. For example, proper sealing of perforations may be confirmed based on lack of a reflection of a tubewave by the perforations. Alternatively, at least one of amplitude, frequency, attenuation, dispersion and travel time associated with a tubewave and reflection may be used to determine feature state. If a sealant fails during treatment then the failure condition is indicated by appearance of a tubewave reflection. Consequently, the stimulation operation can be stopped in a timely manner, and remediation by means, for example, of pumping diversion fluid or dropping of balls, can be reinitiated until the difference between the expected responses and responses measured by the instrument along the segment to be stimulated confirm that sealing has taken place and that stimulation of the intended zone can resume. Further, specific remediation steps may be selected based on response of the borehole system to tubewaves. The efficacy of the selected remediation steps may also be determined by response of the borehole system to tubewaves during or after execution of those steps.