Abstract: A technique facilitates formation of communication line connections in a well environment. An electro-optic splitter enables communication line connections which comprise electrical conductor connections and optical fiber connections. The electro-optic splitter comprises a universal block which enables the electrical conductor and optical fiber to pass through the universal block while also enabling splitting of at least one of the electrical conductor and optical fiber for additional connection to one or more downhole gauges or other devices.

Abstract: An apparatus that is usable with a well includes an operator and a generator. The operator is disposed in the well and configured to respond to a differential pressure between hydraulically isolated zones of the well to produce mechanical motion. The generator is disposed in the well to convert the mechanical motion into electricity. A method that is usable with a well is provided including maintaining hydraulic isolation between a first and second zone of a well. While maintaining the hydraulic isolation, the method further includes producing a mechanical motion in response to a differential pressure between the first and second zones and generating electricity in response to the mechanical motion.

Abstract: A tilt meter includes a housing structure defining an inner chamber sealed from an environment outside the housing structure. First and second optical fiber sections are provided in the inner chamber. The second optical fiber section is optically coupled to the first optical fiber section, with the second optical fiber section rotated azimuthally with respect to the first optical fiber section. The first and second optical fiber sections are arranged to receive light transmitted from a remote light source, and a tilt of the housing structure induces a differential pressure within the inner chamber to be detected by the first and second optical fiber sections.

Abstract: A downhole measurement system may comprise an optional fluid inlet section configured to accommodate fluid flow between a well and a zone surrounding the well. The system may further comprise a flow conditioning section configured to receive the fluid from the fluid inlet section. The flow conditioning section may be configured to produce a substantially homogenized fluid flow. In addition, a measuring section may be provided and configured to measure at least a portion of the fluid flow from the flow conditioning section. The measuring section characterizes a parameter of the fluid flow. In other embodiments, there may be a method for characterizing a parameter of a fluid flow comprising the steps of directing the fluid flow to a flow conditioning section. Other steps may be conditioning the fluid flow to a substantially homogeneous state and measuring a parameter for at least a portion of the fluid flow.

Abstract: A gravel pack service tool is lowered into a well. At least one sensor proximate a well region to be gravel packed measures at least one characteristic of the well, where the measuring is performed during a gravel pack operation by the gravel pack service tool. The gravel pack service tool is removed from the well after the gravel pack operation.

Abstract: A technique enables failsafe control over actuators used to actuate downhole tools. The technique may utilize a well system having a tool with an adjustable member. An actuation mechanism serves as a fail-as-is mechanism and works in cooperation with the adjustable member. The actuation member is shiftable upon receiving a predetermined input; however the actuation member does not move the adjustable member upon each shift. Once the actuation member has been shifted the requisite number of times to move the adjustable member to another position, at least one subsequent shift of the actuation member is not able to cause movement of the adjustable member. The result is a fail-as-is technique for ensuring the tool is not inadvertently actuated to another operational position.

Abstract: A completion system for use in the well includes a liner for lining the well, where the liner has a first inductive coupler portion. An electric cable extends outside an inner passage of the liner. The completion system further includes a second inductive coupler portion and an electrical device inside the liner and electrically connected to the second inductive coupler portion. The first and second inductive coupler portions enable power to be provided from the electric cable outside the inner passage of the liner to the electrical device inside the liner.

Abstract: A wireless communication system for use in well, subsea, and oilfield-related environments employs one or more wireless network devices that offer short-range wireless communication between devices without the need for a central network which may have a device using a BLUETOOTH protocol. The system may be used for telemetry, depth correlation, guidance systems, actuating tools, among other uses.

Abstract: A technique facilitates control over one or more well tools coupled to one or more corresponding control modules. Actuation of the control modules and the well tools may be achieved with three control lines connected to the one or more control modules. Transitioning of the control modules to sequential stages and the consequent actuation of the corresponding well tools is achieved by applying a single pressure level selectively through the three control lines.

Abstract: A sensing system including a sensor having an enclosure that defines a chamber, a fiber optic segment extending from outside the enclosure into the chamber, and a sequence of optical processing elements within the chamber. The elements include a fiber Bragg grating, a polarizer, a side hole fiber, and a mirror. A light source is arranged to direct light to the sensor(s). A spectral analyzer is arranged to detect light reflected back from the sensor(s). The fiber Bragg grating substantially reflects a first spectral envelope while transmitting the remainder of the optical spectrum to the polarizer and side hole fiber. The polarizer, side hole fiber, and mirror cooperate to return an optical signal within a second spectral envelope. The characteristic wavelength of a peak in the first spectral envelope is highly sensitive to temperature and relatively weakly sensitive to pressure.

Abstract: A technique enables efficient deployment of instrumentation gauges in a wellbore. The technique comprises preparing offline a plurality of assemblies having a combined packer and gauge mandrel with an associated gauge. Each assembly is combined with a segment or length of instrumentation cable that is fully spliced with the gauge during offline assembly time. Various splice halves also can be assembled during offline assembly time.

Abstract: Plural sensors are deployed into a well, and measurement data regarding at least one property of the well is received from the sensors. Based on the measurement data, a first of the plural sensors that measures the at least one property in a region having an annular fluid flow is identified, and a second of the plural sensors that measures the at least one property in a region outside the region having the annular fluid flow is identified. Based on the identifying, the measurement data from selected one or more of the plural sensors is used to produce a target output.

Abstract: Systems and methods for downhole completions. A downhole running tool can have a body having a bore formed therethrough. A latch member can be disposed on a first portion of the body. A reset member can be disposed on a second portion of the body. A conduit can be formed within a sidewall of the body. The conduit can be located between the first and second portions of the body. A pressure relief port can be disposed at a first end of the conduit; and a first flow port can be disposed at a second end of the conduit. The pressure relief port and first flow port can be in communication with an outer diameter of the body.

Abstract: A system that is usable with a well includes a tubing string that extends into an isolated zone of the well and a plurality of chokes modules that are disposed in the isolated zone to control communication between a passageway of the tubing string and the zone. Each choke module includes an associated choke, which is removable from the choke module without disassembly of the tubing string. Each choke module is independently controllable relative to the other choke module(s) to selectively enable and disable flow through the associated choke.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor assembly for use on a sub-sea pipeline. The fiber optic sensor assembly is coupled to remotely located equipment by fiber optic cable(s) which extend outside of the pipeline. The fiber optic sensor assembly is affixed to a mounting point on the pipeline. The mounting point is a pipe section having an internal conduit and at least one layer that surrounds the internal conduit for protection and insulation of the internal conduit. A segment of the pipe section has a portion of such layer(s) removed or omitted to define an annular recess. When installed, the assembly has two semi-cylindrical halves that are positioned with the annular recess and coupled together to thereby surround and embrace the segment of the pipe section. The assembly houses a length of optical fiber that is coupled to at least one externally accessible fiber optic connector.

Abstract: To assemble a sensor array having plural sections, the sections of the sensor array are sealably attached, where the sections include sensors and cable segments. An inert gas is flowed through at least one inner fluid path inside the sensor array when the sections of the sensor array are being sealably attached.

Abstract: A method of determining the inflow profile of an injection wellbore, comprising stopping injection of fluid into a formation, the formation intersected by a wellbore having a section uphole of the formation and a section within the formation, monitoring temperature at least partially along the uphole section of the wellbore and at least partially along the formation section of the wellbore, injecting fluid into the formation once the temperature in the uphole section of the wellbore increases, and monitoring the movement of the increased temperature fluid as it moves from the uphole section of the wellbore along the formation section of the wellbore. The monitoring may be performed using a distributed temperature sensing system.

Abstract: A method for measuring Brillouin backscattering from an optical fiber, includes frequency mixing a first signal with a frequency representative of the Brillouin frequency shift in backscattered light received from a deployed optical fiber with a second signal at a frequency that varies in time in the same manner as a Brillouin shift previously measured from the fiber to produce a difference signal with a difference frequency that has a nominally constant value corresponding to the situation where the received light has a Brillouin shift that matches the previously measured shift. The difference signal is acquired and processed to determine properties of the Brillouin shift and corresponding physical parameters producing the shift. The frequency mixing can be carried out optically or electrically. Techniques for acquisition of the difference signal include the use of parallel frequency measurement channels and fast rate digital sampling.

Abstract: A technique that is usable with a well includes changing the temperature of a local environment of a distributed temperature sensor, which is deployed in a region of the well and using the sensor to acquire measurements of a temperature versus depth profile. The region contains at least two different well fluid layers, and the technique includes determining the depth of a boundary of at least one of the well fluid layers based at least in part on a response of the temperature versus depth profile to the changing of the temperature.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of characterizing a well using a series of measurements taken along the sandface of that well in order to optimize a well model. The method may comprise providing a well model with a plurality of adjustable physical parameters, providing a data set made up of a plurality of sandface measurements, and running the well model with different combinations of adjustable physical parameters so that the results of the well model substantially match the results of the sandface measurements. In one embodiment, the method may comprise creating a communication pathway between the surface and the sandface including an inductive coupler. A further step may include pre-processing the plurality of the sandface measurements. In addition, a further step may be to establish or set at least one control device in order to change the flow characteristics of the production fluid in the well.