Progress in Acquiring DAS VSPs in Vertical Exploration Wells

Rafael Guerra; Haroon Bajwa; Peter MacLeod; Rigelesaiyin Ji; Bosung Lim

doi:10.3997/1365-2397.fb2025001

ISSN: 0263-5046
E-ISSN: 1365-2397

Progress in Acquiring DAS VSPs in Vertical Exploration Wells
Authors Rafael Guerra¹, Haroon Bajwa¹, Peter MacLeod¹, Rigelesaiyin Ji¹ and Bosung Lim²
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Affiliations: ¹ SLB ² Dana Petroleum
Source: First Break, Volume 43, Issue 1, Jan 2025, p. 35 - 41
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3997/1365-2397.fb2025001
- Published online: 01 Jan 2025

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Abstract

The applications of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) in the energy sector are extensive and multi-disciplinary, including surface and borehole seismic. In the case of vertical seismic profiles (VSPs), DAS may replace geophones when 3-component data is not critical, thereby offering efficiency, safety and cost saving benefits. Nevertheless, one enduring challenge associated with these measurements during wireline logging operations in vertical wells is the assurance that the fibre optics cable is properly coupled to the borehole wall. This study documents the significant progress made in this most challenging data acquisition scenario. By monitoring the low-frequency DAS strain as the wireline cable is slackened or de-tensioned to buckle and improve its coupling, we can determine when it has returned to a steady state. Finite element analysis is used to determine the amount of de-tensioning required and the location of the cable buckling within the wellbore, thereby ensuring accurate depth corrections when de-tension is applied. A successful VSP survey recorded in a vertical well offshore UK demonstrates the effectiveness of the new procedures. A comparison between the DAS VSP and the sonic log and synthetic seismograms, showed that accurate DAS depth, time-depth velocities and reflectivity response of the formations drilled were obtained, thus validating the new methodology including DAS strain monitoring and numerical modelling.

EAGE Publications BV

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Progress in Acquiring DAS VSPs in Vertical Exploration Wells

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Progress in Acquiring DAS VSPs in Vertical Exploration Wells

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