Interrogating subterranean hydraulic fractures using magnetoelastic resonators

US10287877B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US
• SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY · SA

Inventors

• Yogesh B. Gianchandani · Madison, US
• Scott Green · Maumee, US
• Kamal Sarabandi · Ann Arbor, US
• Mazen Y. Kanj · Dhahran, SA
• Howard K. Schmidt · Dhahran, SA
• Jun TANG · Ann Arbor, US
• Jiangfeng Wu · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 26, 2015
• Grant date: May 14, 2019
• Expiry date: Aug 19, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01V3/38
• WIPO field: Civil engineering
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A fracture interrogation system includes an antenna adapted for placement in a subterranean wellbore and a plurality of pseudoparticles adapted for distribution with a proppant material into hydraulic fractures along the wellbore. The presence of the pseudoparticles in the hydraulic fractures is detectable by the antenna. The pseudoparticles can include a magnetoelastic resonator having a resonant frequency. An interrogation field excites the resonators at the resonant frequency for detection by the antenna. The same or a different antenna can act as the interrogation field source, and the system can be configured to operate in a talk-and-listen mode to better separate the response signal from the interrogation signal. Electromagnetic, mechanical, or acoustic impulses can be used to excite resonators of the pseudoparticles.