Placement of a sufficient volume of acid in all desired zones is critical for a successful acid stimulation treatment. Particularly in thick, highly heterogeneous carbonate formations, the acid distribution is crucial for optimal stimulation results. A variety of diversion methods are applied in acidizing treatments to evenly place acid along the well, but the effectiveness of these diversion methods is generally only inferred from the rate and pressure behavior during the treatment, and is not known with any certainty. Recently, distributed temperature sensing technology has enabled us to observe dynamic temperature profiles along the wellbore during and immediately following an acid treatment. This technology allows us to monitor and evaluate treatments and diversion methods in real-time and to capture a sequence of temperature profiles at different times during and after acid injection. We developed a transient thermal model for reservoir, coupled with a wormhole penetration model. Then the reservoir model is combined with a vertical well temperature model as the forward model, which can predict the temperature behavior inside formation and wellbore during and after a treatment. We applied the forward model in a synthetic two-layer example, and it shows that the temperature increase caused by the reaction between acid and carbonate rock indicates the acid distribution. An inversion model was also developed to analyze the temperature data measured after treatments to obtain the acid flow profile for a vertical well. The inversion method applied in this work is Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, which is a stochastic method to search globally for possible results. We discuss the approach to realize the inversion procedure and to make the inversion more efficient. We also applied the comprehensive thermal model for hypothetical cases and field cases. The results from the inverse model give us quantitative understanding of acid distribution, which helps us to confirm the success of the acid treatment and diversion methods.

No description available.

The decline of easily accessible reserves pushes the oil and gas industry to explore deeper wells, where the ambient temperature often exceeds 210 °C. The need for high temperature operation, combined with the need for real-time data logging has created a growing demand for robust, high temperature RF electronics. This thesis presents the design of an intermediate frequency (IF) variable gain amplifier (VGA) for downhole communications, which can operate up to an ambient temperature of 230 °C. The proposed VGA is designed using 0.25 μm GaN on SiC high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology. Measured results at 230 °C show that the VGA has a peak gain of 27dB at center frequency of 97.5 MHz, and a gain control range of 29.4 dB. At maximum gain, the input P1dB is -11.57 dBm at 230 °C (-3.63 dBm at 25 °C). Input return loss is below 19 dB, and output return loss is below 12 dB across the entire gain control range from 25 °C to 230 °C. The variation with temperature (25 °C to 230 °C) is 1 dB for maximum gain, and 4.7 dB for gain control range. The total power dissipation is 176 mW for maximum gain at 230 °C. / Master of Science

Decreasing reserves of natural resources drives the oil and gas industry to drill deeper and deeper to reach unexploited wells. Coupled with the demand for substantial real-time data transmission, the need for high speed electronics able to operating in harsher ambient environment is quickly on the rise. This paper presents a high temperature VCO for downhole communication system. The proposed VCO is designed and prototyped using 0.25 μm GaN on SiC RF transistor which has extremely high junction temperature capability. Measurements show that the proposed VCO can operate reliably under ambient temperature from 25 °C up to 230 °C and is tunable from 328 MHz to 353 Mhz. The measured output power is 18 dBm with ±1 dB variations over entire covered temperature and frequency range. Measured phase noise at 230 °C is from -121 dBc/Hz to -109 dBc/Hz at 100 KHz offset. / Master of Science

As the oil and gas industry continues to explore higher temperature environments, electronics that operate at those temperatures without additional cooling become critical. Additionally, current communications systems cannot support the higher data-rates being offered by advancements in sensor technology. An RF modem would be capable of supplying the necessary bandwidth to support the higher data-rate. A voltage-controlled oscillator is an essential part of an RF modem. This thesis presents a 2.336-2.402 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator constructed with 0.25 μm GaN-on-SiC technology high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs). The measured operating temperature range was from 25°C to 225°C. A minimum tuning range of 66 MHz, less than 20% variation in output power, and harmonics more than 20 dB down from the fundamental is observed. The phase noise is between -88 and -101 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset at 225°C. This is the highest frequency oscillator that operates simultaneously at high temperatures reported in literature. / Master of Science / The oil and gas industry require communications systems to transmit data collected from sensors in deep wells to the surface. However, the temperatures of these wells can be more than 210 °C. Traditional Silicon based circuits are unable to operate at these temperatures for a prolonged period. Advancements in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices enable entrance into this realm of high temperature electronics. One such WBG technology is Gallium Nitride (GaN) which offers simultaneous high temperature and high frequency performance. These properties make GaN an ideal technology for a high temperature RF modem. A voltage-controlled oscillator is an essential part of a RF modem. This thesis demonstrates a GaN-based 2.36 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) whose performance has been measured over a temperature range of 25°C-225°C. This is the highest frequency oscillator that operates simultaneously at high temperatures reported in literature.

O estudo do comportamento mecânico dos solos é muitas vezes feito por meio de ensaios de campo, cujos resultados permitem a definição do perfil estratigráfico, posição do nível d\'água e estimativa realista dos parâmetros dos materiais envolvidos, bem como a avaliação de sua variabilidade. Os solos tropicais apresentam comportamento peculiar, devido aos processos geológicos e/ou pedológicos inerentes a sua formação e sua condição não saturada. Por isso, a Mecânica dos Solos Clássica apresenta limitações para prever seu comportamento, principalmente quando se leva em conta a variabilidade sazonal. Neste contexto, este trabalho tem como objetivo estudar o comportamento não convencional de perfis de solos tropicais não saturados, com ênfase a influência da variabilidade sazonal na estimativa de parâmetros geotécnicos considerando o efeito da sucção. Os ensaios de campo realizados foram os de Cone (CPT) e de Dilatômetro (DMT), em conjunto com sísmica downhole. Os locais estudados foram os Campos Experimentais da USP de São Carlos e da Unesp de Bauru. Resultados desses ensaios foram reavaliados com o intuito de melhor compreender a variabilidade espaçotemporal. Foi possível verificar que as variações sazonais nos perfis de umidade, e consequentemente da sucção, afetaram os resultados dos ensaios de campo, destacando a importância de considerar a variabilidade sazonal na interpretação dos mesmos. Novas campanhas de ensaios de campo, sempre com a determinação de perfis de umidade e curvas de retenção de água no solo para a estimativa de sucção foram realizadas nesses dois campos experimentais. A interpretação dos resultados desses ensaios considerando o efeito da sucção e microestrutura presentes nos solos tropicais possibilitou avaliar a aplicabilidade das metodologias existentes para a definição do perfil estratigráfico e, em especial, para a estimativa de parâmetros geotécnicos de projeto. Os perfis de qc, KD e ED foram normalizados considerando o efeito da sucção nas tensões efetivas, o que possibilitou uma avaliação mais adequada dos perfis de solo estudados. Concluiu-se que para o entendimento do comportamento mecânico desses solos tropicais é necessário compreender a influência da variabilidade sazonal, bem como identificar a presença de microestrutura nos mesmos. O emprego de técnicas híbridas, como o SCPT e o SDMT, em conjunto com perfis de umidade e curvas de retenção de água no solo permitiram uma melhor caracterização dos perfis investigados. / The study of the mechanical behavior of tropical soils is quite often carried out by in-situ tests. In-situ test data allow defining the stratigraphic profile, position of the ground water level and a realistic estimative of the geomaterials parameters, as well as assessing their variability. Tropical soils present a peculiar behavior due to the geological and/or pedological processes inherent to their formation and to its unsaturated condition. For this reason, the Classical Soil Mechanics has limitations to predict such behavior. In this context, this work aims to study the unusual behavior of unsaturated tropical soils with emphasis on the influence of the time-spatial variability in the estimative of geotechnical parameters caused by soil suction. The in-situ tests were the Cone (CPT) and Dilatometer (DMT) together with downhole seismic tests. The experimental research sites are the Unesp-Bauru and USP-São Carlos. CPT, DMT and downhole seismic tests data were reinterpreted for better understanding the time-spatial variability. It was possible to verify that the seasonal variations in the water content profiles, and consequently on the soil suction, caused changes in the in-situ test data. As a result, the seasonal variability should be considered in the interpretation of the in-situ tests carried out in unsaturated tropical soils. Further in-situ test campaigns, always together with water content profiles determination and soil water retention curves, were carried out in both research sites. The interpretation of the tests data considering the influence of the soil suction and cementation effects in tropical soils allows evaluating the applicability of the classical methodologies for the definition of the stratigraphic profile and the estimative of geotechnical parameters. The qc, KD e ED were normalized considering the soil suction influence on the effective stresses. This procedure allowed a proper site characterization of the studied soil profiles. It was concluded that for the understanding of the mechanical behavior of the studied tropical soils it is necessary to figure out the influence of the seasonal variability, as well as identifying the presence of microstructure on these soils. The use of hybrid techniques, such as SCPT and SDMT, together with moisture content profiles and soil water retention curves allowed a better site characterization of the investigated soil profiles.

Accurately predicting surface ground motions is critical for many earthquake engineering applications. Equivalent-linear (EQL) site response analysis is a numerical technique used to compute surface ground motions from input motions at bedrock using the site-specific dynamic soil properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of EQL site response analysis for stiff soil sites by comparing computed and observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification. The Kiban Kyoshin network (KiK-net) in Japan is a seismograph network consisting of downhole array sites with strong-motion accelerometers located at the ground surface and at depth. Recorded motions and shear wave velocity profiles are available for most sites. Observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification were computed for 930 individual seismic recordings at 11 stiff soil KiK-net sites. Computed transfer functions and response spectral amplification were calculated from EQL site response analysis by specifying the KiK-net base sensor motion as the input motion. Sites were characterized using the measured shear wave velocity profiles and nonlinear soil properties estimated from empirical models. Computed and observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification were compared at different levels of strain for each site. The average difference between the observed and computed response spectral amplification across the 11 sites were compared at different levels of strain. Overall, there is reasonable agreement between the computed and observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification. There is agreement between the computed and observed site periods, but with over-prediction of the computed response at the observed site periods. Higher modes often computed by the theoretical model were not always observed by the recordings. There is very good agreement between the computed and observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification for periods larger than the site periods. There is less agreement between the computed and observed transfer functions and response spectral amplification for periods less than the site periods. There is mostly over-prediction of the response spectral amplification at these periods, although some under-prediction also occurred. Across all 11 sites the predicted spectral amplification is within +/-20% at shear strains less than 0.01%. At shear strains between approximately 0.01 and 0.03%, the spectral amplification is over-predicted for these sites, in some instances by as little as 5% and in other instances by a factor of 2 or more. / text

Gas injection, the fastest growing tertiary oil recovery technique, holds the promise of significant recoveries from those depleted oil reservoirs around the world which fall into a pressure range of (50-200) bar mainly. However, its application with the usual techniques is restricted by the need for various surface facilities such as enormous gas supply and storage. The only surface facility that downhole gasification of hydrocarbons (DHG) requires, on the other hand, is a portable electricity generator. DHG consists in producing inert gases, H2, CO, CO2 and CH4 through the steam reforming reaction of a part of the produced oil in a gasifier-reformer reactor positioned alongside the producer well in the reservoir. The gases, mainly H2 -the most effective displacing gas among produced gases- are injected into a gas cap above the oil formation, to increase oil recovery through a gas displacement drive mechanism. So far, DHG has only been tested under laboratory conditions using methane, pentane/reservoir gas and naphtha/reservoir gas as feedstock at conditions of reservoir pressure up to 130 bar. The studies varied reaction temperature, steam to carbon (S/C) ratio, catalyst types and catalyst loading in the gasifier-reformer reactor of a small pilot scale rig. These experimental studies demonstrated that pressure is one of the main factors influencing the effectiveness of the DHG process. From this starting point, the present investigation was directed at extending the pressure range up to 160 bar in the gasifier-reformer reactor using a naphtha fraction as feedstock in order to investigate whether the conversion and H2 concentration in produced dry gas can be maintained at acceptable levels under conditions of high pressure. To this end, experimental studies were carried out within the laboratory using the existing DHG rig on the small pilot scale, which was successfully commissioned and revamped for the purposes of this study. Initially, the investigation focused on exploring operating conditions, namely, steam to carbon (S/C) ratio, length of the gasifier-reformer reactor tube/ catalyst loading and the relative performance of two different catalysts. Subsequently, experiments on shutdown/start up cycles followed by variation of temperature were performed to simulate the effect of sudden electrical disruptions that usually occur in field operations. Experimental results using naphtha at pressure from 80 to 160 bar at 650 ºC, S/C= 6 achieved total feedstock conversion, no coke deposits and, most importantly, high H2 concentration in the produced dry gas (56-63 vol. % plus other gases). The best result was obtained with a crushed HiFUEL R110 catalyst (40-60 wt. % of NiO/CaO.Al2O3) and a reactor tube length of 72 cm, but the results with a C11-PR catalyst (40 wt. % of NiO/MgO.Al2O3) and a reactor tube length of 30 cm were similarly favourable. These results were supported by results of a numerical DHG model which indicated total feedstock conversion and values of H2 around 67 vol. % (using n-heptane as model surrogate). The results suggest that the DHG process is technically feasible at the pressure values studied, perhaps up to 200 bar where there are many hundreds of depleted, light oil reservoirs, especially in North America and other parts of the world below that pressure value.

In this study, a novel concept for a downhole flywheel energy storage module to be embedded in a bottom-hole-assembly (BHA) is presented and modeled, as an alternative power source to existing lithium-ion battery packs currently deployed in measurement-while-drilling (MWD) or logging-while-drilling (LWD) operations. Lithium-ion batteries disadvantages include deteriorated performance in high temperature, limited lifetime that necessitates frequent replacement which elevates operational costs, and environmental disposal. Extreme and harsh downhole conditions necessitate that the flywheel module withstands temperatures and pressures exceeding 300 ?F and 20 kpsi, respectively, as well as violent vibrations encountered during drilling. Moreover, the flywheel module should adhere to the geometric constraints of the wellbore and its corresponding BHA. Hence, a flywheel sizing procedure was developed that takes into consideration the required energy to be stored, the surrounding environmental conditions, and the geometric constraints. A five-axis magnetic levitation control system was implemented and tuned to maintain continuous suspension of the flywheel under the harsh lateral, axial and torsional drilling vibrations of the BHA. Thus, an integrated finite element model was developed that included the rotordynamic behavior of the flywheel and the BHA, the component dynamics of the magnetic levitation control system, and the cutting dynamics of the drillbit for both PDC and tricone types. The model also included a newly developed coupling between lateral, axial and torsional vibrations. It was demonstrated through simulations conducted by numerical integration that the flywheel maintains levitation due to all different types of external vibration as well as its own lateral vibration due to mass unbalance. Moreover, a passive proof-mass-damper (PPMD) was developed that suppresses axial bit-bounce vibrations as well as torsional vibrations, and was extended to also mitigate lateral vibrations. Optimized values of the mass, stiffness and damping values of the PPMD were obtained by the hybrid analytical-numerical Chebyshev spectral method that was superior in computational efficiency to iterative numerical integration. This also enabled the fine-plotting of an operating stability chart indicating stability regions where bit-bounce and stick-slip are avoided. The proof-mass-damping concept was extended to the flywheel to be an active proof-mass-damper (APMD) where simulations indicated functionality for a light-weight BHA.

This dissertation investigates the use of advanced acoustical communication techniques for wireless downhole telemetry systems. Using acoustic waves for downhole telemetry systems is investigated in order to replace the wired communication systems currently being used in oil and gas wells. While the acoustic technology offers great benefits, a clear understanding of its propagation aspects inside the wells is lacking. This dissertation describes a testbed that was designed to study the propagation of acoustic waves over production pipes. The wireless communication system was built using an acoustic transmitter, five connected segments of seven inch production pipes, and an acoustic receiver. The propagation experiments that were conducted on this testbed in order to characterize the channel behavior are explained as well. Moreover, the large scale statistics of the acoustic waves along the pipe string are described. Results of this work indicate that acoustic waves experience a frequency- dependent attenuation and dispersion over the pipe string. In addition, the testbed was modified by encasing one pipe segment in concrete in order to study the effect of concrete on wave propagation. The concrete was found to filter out many of the signal harmonics; accordingly, the acoustic waves experienced extra attenuation and dispersion. Signal processing techniques are also investigated to address the effects of multipaths and attenuation in the acoustic channel; results show great enhancements in signal qualities and the usefulness of these algorithms for downhole communication systems. Furthermore, to explore an alternative to vibrating the body of a cemented pipe string, a testbed was designed to investigate the propagation aspects of sound waves inside the interior of the production pipes. Results indicate that some low-frequency sound waves can travel for thousands of feet inside a cemented pipe string and can still be detected reliably.