Application of Printable Electronics to Improve Tubular Integrity Monitoring

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Abstract

With the development of the oil and gas industry, the health of the wells always stays in focus. Well, integrity is a critical matter throughout the entire well life cycle. The failure of the wellbore integrity can result in not only adverse financial outcomes and stability of an organization but also significant environmental consequences, including the pollution of groundwater, the release of gas into the atmosphere, and leakage and spillage of fluids on the surface. Tubular monitoring, in terms of well integrity, enables early detection of potential damage, especially in ageing wells. The structural integrity of wells may deteriorate over a certain period, increasing the likelihood of tubular failure. During the well production phase, tubulars are most susceptible to cyclic loads (axial loads, radial loads, bending loads), corrosion, temperature, pressure changes, etc. For instance, external casing corrosion is a common problem in the oil and gas industry, which can compromise the safety and productivity of the well. However, predicting the corrosion rate can be difficult due to the uncertainty of various factors. Since the accuracy of theoretical models to indicate the corrosion rate is questionable, inspection tools are frequently utilized to monitor the remaining wall thickness of the casing to prevent potential leaks and other hazardous incidents. However, different logging tools and sensors have some limitations when it comes to continuous measurements. Wireline logging jobs are periodic operations and can only be used when the well is in a shut-in state and when the tubing has been removed to enable logging in the casing string. On the other hand, fiber optic sensors are commonly utilized for acoustic, temperature, and strain measurements. These types of measurements are not capable of identifying localized corrosion types, and they come with high costs. A similar situation is identified in the tubular surface applications (pipeline). The pipeline inspection tools provide periodical health information and other monitoring technologies primarily based on existing leak detection. The thesis work aims to investigate mechanical changes in tubular, which are subjected to high pressures, temperatures, and exposure to corrosive fluids causing mechanical stress and deformation over time. To address the limitations of conventional logging tools and fiber optic sensors, the study proposes using new strain sensors for detecting tubular mechanical deformations. The proposed research aims to compare existing strain measurement technologies from a market point of view and define the most suitable applications for tubular integrity monitoring within the oil and gas industry.

Details

Translated title of the contributionAnwendung von druckbarer Elektronik zur Verbesserung der Überwachung der Integrität von Rohren
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDipl.-Ing.
Awarding Institution
Supervisors/Advisors
Award date28 Jun 2024
Publication statusPublished - 2024