| 摘要 |
1. A method for monitoring physical characteristics of fluids in the pore spaces of an underground formation (3) surrounding a wellbore (1), the method comprising creating in the wellbore (1) a measuring chamber (8) which is in fluid communication with the pore spaces of the formation (3), and measuring physical characteristics of the fluid in the chamber (8) by means of a sensor (11) that is arranged within the chamber (8), characterized in that the measurement is carried out by a string of capacitive sensors (11) which are permanently mounted in the chamber (8), hydraulically isolated from the rest of the wellbore (1) by means of a fluid tight sleeve (5) and a pair of axially spaced with respect to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore (1), ) and which sensors (11) are connected to fluid level monitoring equipment which is adapted to identify the presence and location of an interface between different fluids, such as water, crude oil and/or natural gas in the measuring chamber (8). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring chamber (8) is an annular chamber which is isolated from the rest of the wellbore (1) by means of a fluid tight sleeve (5) and a pair of axially spaced packers (6) that are arranged between the sleeve (5) and an inner surface (7) of the wellbore (1). 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the well (1) is an oil and/or gas production well and a plurality of axially spaced measuring chambers (8) are created at various locations in the well (1). 4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the well is a slimhole side-track well (22) which is apart from the measuring chamber (27) substantially filled with a body of cement (29) to prevent production of fluids via the side-track well. 5. A device for monitoring physical characteristic of fluids in the pore spaces of an underground formation (3) surrounding a wellbore (1), the device comprising a sleeve (5) and a packer (6) ) thereby creating a body of substantially stagnant fluid in the chamber (8), thereby creating in the wellbore (1) a measuring chamber (8) which is in fluid communication with the pore spaces of the formation (3), and a measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of the fluid in the chamber (8), characterized in that a series of capacitive sensors (11) is permanently mounted in the chamber (8) which sensors are axially spaced with respect to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore (1) and are connectible to fluid level monitoring equipment which is adapted to identify the presence and location of an interface between different fluids, such as water, crude oil and/or natural gas in the measuring chamber (8). |
