Monitoring wellbore fluids using metal ions from tracers

Inventors

Fripp, Michael Linley • GLAESMAN, Chad W. • Greci, Stephen Michael

Abstract

A wellbore tracer system can include a first tracer including a first type of metal ions, a second tracer including a second type of metal ions, and a detector positioned proximate to a surface of the wellbore. The first tracer can be positioned at a different section of the wellbore than the second tracer. The detector can analyze a sample of produced wellbore fluid to identify the section of the wellbore that is a source of the produced wellbore fluid based on determining which of the first type of metal ions or the second type of metal ions is present in the sample.

Core Innovation

A wellbore tracer system uses a first tracer and a second tracer deployed at different production zones of a wellbore. The first tracer includes a first layer of a first type of metal ions positioned atop a second layer of a second type of metal ions, and is configured to release at least one of the metal-ion types into produced wellbore fluid. The second tracer is positionable at a second production zone different from the first production zone and is configured to release at least one of the first type of metal ions, the second type of metal ions, or a third type of metal ions into the produced wellbore fluid.

A detector is positioned proximate to a surface of the wellbore and is configured to analyze a sample of the produced wellbore fluid. The detector identifies whether the first production zone or the second production zone is the source of the produced wellbore fluid based on determining which of the first type of metal ions, the second type of metal ions, or the third type of metal ions is present in the sample. In this way, the system links zone identification to metal-ion presence in produced wellbore fluid.

The system further provides tracer constructions that include metal ions in dissolvable or erodible binders, including polymers, to support release into produced wellbore fluid. The disclosed tracer architecture supports using layered or homogeneous arrangements of metal-ion sources, including delay barrier concepts, to provide more unique zone identification. The detector configuration described includes filtration, an energy source for generating plasma, and an emission spectrometer that detects metal-specific wavelength emissions, which can optionally be used to derive flow rate.

Claims Coverage

The document includes one independent claim defining a wellbore tracer system for identifying production-zone sources using stacked metal-ion tracer layers and surface-proximate metal-ion detection. Dependent claims further refine detector architecture and outputs, tracer packaging/binder materials, and a hydraulic fracturing use context.

Across the independent claim, the inventive concept centers on deploying tracers with zone-specific metal-ion release at different production zones and using a surface-proximate detector analyzing produced wellbore fluid to identify the producing zone by which metal ions are present in the sample.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications