MX2008011685A

MX2008011685A - Method and apparatus for hydraulic fracturing and monitoring.

Info

Publication number: MX2008011685A
Application number: MX2008011685A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Les Nutt; Theodore Lafferty Jr; William Underhill; Alejandro Martinez
Original assignee: Schlumberger Technology Bv
Priority date: 2006-03-14
Filing date: 2007-03-13
Publication date: 2008-10-17
Also published as: EP1996792B1; EA013610B1; BRPI0708792A2; US20070215345A1; EA200870355A1; EP1996792A2; WO2007105167A3; ATE539232T1; CN101460703B; PL1996792T3; WO2007105167A2; CA2645351A1; CN101460703A

Abstract

A technique that is usable with a well includes deploying an assembly into a wellbore. The assembly includes at least one sensor. A fracturing fluid is injected under pressure into the wellbore to hydraulically fracture a subterranean formation of interest. The technique includes isolating the sensor from the fracturing and measuring acoustical energy that is generated by the hydraulic fracturing using the sensor(s).

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND MONITORING ANTECEDENT The subject of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for hydraulic fracturing and monitoring.

Hydraulic fracturing is used to increase the conductivity of an underground formation for the recovery or production of hydrocarbons and to allow the injection of fluids into the underground formation or into the injection wells. In a normal hydraulic fracturing operation, a fracturing fluid is injected under pressure into the formation through the hole. The particulate material known as sustaining agent can be added to the fracturing fluid and deposited into the fracture as it is formed to keep the fracture open after hydraulic fracturing pressure is released.

As the hydraulic fracturing fluid is delivered from the surface to the underground formation through the hole, it is important that the pressurized fluid for fracturing be directed towards the formation or formations of interest. Normally, the underground formation or formations are hydraulically fractured either through boreholes in a cased hole or in an isolated section of the openhole hole. An important consideration for fracturing for hydrocarbon production or disposal of waste is to direct the fracture towards a desired formation. The orientation of the hydraulic fracture is controlled by the characteristics of the formation and the traction regime in the formation. It is important to monitor the fracture as it is being formed to ensure that it does not extend beyond the proposed area and has the desired extension and orientation.

It is known that the hydraulic fracturing operations in a hole generate significant seismic activity as a result of the growth of the fracture towards an underground formation. The fluid injected under pressure into an underground formation causes an increase in pressure until in-situ traction is exceeded in an underground formation, resulting in fractures in the formation extending some distance from the hole. This fracturing of the formation creates a series of small "micro-earthquakes" known as micro earthquakes These localized, distinct micro-earthquakes occur during the growth of the fractures, and the amplitude of the seismic or acoustic energy (compression waves ("P") and shear waves ("S")) are generated with sufficient significant amplitude to be detected by remote sensors. Therefore, by 'detecting and recording the P and S waves and their respective arrival times to each of the sensors, the acoustic signals can be processed according to known methodology of monitoring earthquakes or earthquakes to determine the position of the micro-earthquakes. .. A method for determining the orientation of fractures resulting from hydraulic fracturing operations is described in the US Patent No. 6,985,816, incorporated herein by reference.

A known method for monitoring the location and size of a hydraulic fracture is called a micro seismic tracing. In this method, a second counterbore is used to monitor hydraulic fracturing activities in the treatment or primary injection of the well. In the micro seismic tracing, a plurality of acoustic sensors (eg, geophones) are placed in a counterbore well that is to be fractured. These sensors in the counterbore are used to record signals that They result from the micro-earthquakes caused by the induced traction in the underground surface formations by increasing the pressure of the hydraulic fracture fluid in the well being treated or injected.

Examples for micro seismic monitoring are described in the patent E.U.A. No. 5, 771,170 by Withers, et al. And the Patent E.U.A. No. 5,996,726 of Sorrels and Warpinski. In these methods, the location of fractures within an injection well is monitored in monitoring wells with separate instruments using acoustic signals resulting from micro seismic events caused by the fracturing activity in the injection well. Separate specialized monitoring wells, however, add significant costs to these methods. Limited efforts have been made to use devices deployed in treated or injection wells for micro seismic monitoring in treated or injected wells. In the patent E.U.A. No. 6,935,424, a method is described for mitigating the risk of adverse effect on hydrocarbon productivity (ie sifting) during fracturing by monitoring the fracturing process. The method uses tilt meters coupled to the lining or wall of the hole in the well subjected to hydraulic fracture to mechanically measure the deformation, the measurement of the deformation is used to deduce the dimensions of the fracture. In this method however the coupling of the tilt gauges is less than desirable in the coating or wall of the hole significantly impact the accuracy of the deduced dimensions. In the patent E.U.A. No. 5,503,225 acoustic sensors are deployed in an injection well for micro seismic monitoring. The sensors are isolated in the ring of the residual injection well, with the sensors in general being attached to the pipe string. In that configuration, however, the acoustic noise in the downhole pipe caused by the injection of fluid will be detected by a system and will probably significantly mask any detected micro seismic episode. Although these methods eliminate the need and cost of specialized monitoring wells, the limitations of each prevent their use to accurately distinguish micro seismic episodes.

In this way, there is a continuing need for better ways to reliably and accurately monitor hydraulic fracturing and injection operations.

COMPENDIUM In one embodiment of the invention, a technique that is useful with a well includes deploying a unit in a hole. The unit includes at least one sensor. A fracturing fluid is injected under pressure into the hole to hydraulically fracture an underground formation of interest. The technique includes measuring the acoustic energy that is generated by hydraulic fracturing using the sensor (s).

In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for use in a well includes a unit having a tool body with at least one acoustic energy sensor that is placed therein. The unit also includes an isolation device to isolate the acoustic energy sensor from a hydraulic fracturing operation.

The advantages and other features of the invention will be apparent in the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a well according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a sensor probe according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a flow chart depicting a technique for monitoring the acoustic energy that is generated by hydraulic fracturing according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a flow chart depicting a technique for performing hydraulic fracturing in different zones of a well and monitoring fracturing according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a flow chart depicting a technique for monitoring the acoustic energy that is generated by hydraulic fracturing according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention, a well 8 includes acoustic energy sensors 160 that are located downstream for the purpose of monitoring the acoustic energy that is generated by hydraulic fracturing. The sensors 160 may be isolated from a formation of interest 60 in which hydraulic fracturing occurs. Due to the isolation, the flow noise attributable to the fracturing operation does not affect the measurements of the sensors 160, and in addition, the sensors 160 are protected from the impact of the fracture treatment.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the sensors 160 are part of the sensor probes 120 (the sensor probes 120i, 1202, and 1203, being shown as examples in FIG. 1) of a hole monitoring unit 10 of a downhole hole unit 100. In addition to the hole monitoring unit 10, the hole unit 100 optionally includes an isolation device, such as an insulation device 50 (a compressor-adjusted packer, a tight packer mechanically, a hydraulically adjusted packer, a packer adjusted for weight, inflatable bladder, obturator, etc., are just some examples), with the purpose of isolating sensor sensors 120 (and thus, sensors 160) from the fracturing operation.

The unit of the hole 100 can be run into the well 8 using one of the many transport mechanisms, such as a tubular string 30 which is depicted in Fig. 1. As a more specific example, the string 30 can be a pipe rolled up.

In general, a surface acquisition system 80 may be in communication with the hole monitoring unit 100 by means of a communication line 40, such as a wireline, slickline, fiber optic or fiber optic belt. The fiber optic belt refers to optical fibers deployed within a protective cover or small diameter protective pipe. An example of a system for processing and receiving data that can serve as the surface acquisition system 80 is described in US Patent E.U.A. No. 6, 552, 665, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. The communication line 40 may be contained or displayed in the string 30 to provide communication from the control system of the surface to the hole monitoring unit 100 or communication from the hole monitoring unit 100 to the surface control system or both. Communication and / or energy can be provided by communication lines 40, depending on the particular mode of the invention.

The hole monitoring unit 10 can be any unit or tool, which is suitable for monitoring acoustic signals in a hole. According to some embodiments of the invention, each probe 120 of the hole monitoring unit 10 can be a sensor similar to the probe described in US Pat. No. 6, 170, 601, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Fig. 2 represents an exemplary embodiment of the probe 120 according to some embodiments of the invention. In general, the probe 120 includes a tool saucer 124, which has a cavity 120 in an opening in the wall of the tool body 124. The cavity 124 receives an acoustic energy sensing package 140, which is placed in the cavity 130. and is mounted on resilient mounts 150 (springs, for example) to press the acoustic sensor pack 140 against the wall of the hole (or coating string 22, if the well is coated), isolating the sensors 160 of the package 16 from the pressure transitions carried by fluid. The probe 120 may include three of the sensors 160, each of which detects acoustic energy along a different axis (axes x, y or z). Referring to Fig. 2 together with Fig. 1, the probe 120 may also include an arm 136 which is activated to press the soda 120 against the wall of the hole (or coating string 22, if the well 10 is coated) with the purpose of placing the sensors 160 in the vicinity of the covering hole or string 22.

Referring again to Fig. 1, as noted above, the well 8 can be coated (by means of the coating string 22) or uncoated, depending on the particular embodiment of the invention, if installed, the coating string. 22 may extend from the surface along the entire length of a well hole 20, or only along a portion of the hole in the well 20. In addition, according to other embodiments of the invention, the wellbore 20 in which the unit of the hole 100 is deployed can be in a side hole or side hole. In some modalities in a well hole laterally or deviated, a tractor may be used to deploy the hole unit 100. In addition, the well 10 may be an underground or submarine well, depending on the particular embodiment of the invention. In this way, many variations are possible and are within the scope of the appended claims.

In the state of the well shown in Fig. 1, the well 8 has been drilled in a previous trip by means of a perforating gun to form the corresponding perforations in the pipe string 22 and the corresponding drilling tunnels 61, which extend towards the formation of interest 60.

The hole unit 100 is deployed in the well for the purpose of hydraulically fracturing and monitoring the fracture. Hydraulic fracturing may be desired or performed for a variety of purposes, such as but not limited to increasing or improving hydrocarbon recovery from the formation of interest or fluid injection, such as water, produced water, recovery fluids. of oil, or gas to the formation of interest 60. The term "fracture fluid" as used herein includes any fluid injected for the purpose of fracture training and includes but is not limited to treatment fluids, improved recovery fluids, and waste fluids. In Fig. 1, only one underground formation of interest 60 is shown for the purpose of demonstration. It is contemplated that there may be multiple underground formations of interest 60 in any wellbore 20; and these multiple formations can be hydraulically fractured separately, together, or in various combinations as desired by the operator.

The insulation device 50 is also deployed towards the well hole in a string 30, as part of the hole unit 100. More specifically, the isolation device 50 can be placed along the string 30 above the unit. 10 hole monitoring.

The sensors 160 form an array of sensors and can be selected from any suitable detection device such as geophones, hydrophones, or accelerometers, and various combinations that generate signals in response to the received acoustic energy. Any type of acoustic energy sensor or a combination of type can be used. The acoustic energy sensor or sensors must have good sensitivity to the acoustic energy in the micro-frequency frequency band greater than 30 Hz. This band can be extended up to 4 kiloHertz (kHz), as an example.

More than one acoustic energy sensor can be used in combination with other acoustic sensors to form a package of acoustic energy sensors. The embodiments may contain a plurality of tri-axial geophones (orthogonal 3) to provide detection capabilities in three directions. These acoustic sensor packages may be spaced at desired intervals (e.g., 50 feet) along the hole in the well 20. The acoustic sensor packages may be coupled to the wall or liner of the wellbore 22 by means of a system fastening for seismic tools of the needle.

The signals that are generated by each of the sensors 160 in response to the acoustic energy are digitized and transmitted through the communication line 40 to the acquisition system of the surface 80, on the surface of the well 8. The sensors 160 can provide a digital or optical signal directly to the communication line 40 or a converter can be used to convert the signals acoustics received by the sensors to digital or optical signals for transmission. In some embodiments, the surface acquisition system 80 may employ methods, such as digital filters, to separate the noise from the hydraulic fracturing pumping operations of the generated signals. In some embodiments, the signals generated by each sensor are recorded in one or more memory devices that can be part of the hole monitoring unit 10, the memory devices are generally recoverable with the hole monitoring unit 10. In those modalities using memory devices, the signals can also be transmitted by means of a communication line 40, while in other modalities the signals can not be transmitted by a communication line, since the sensor data is stored in the devices of memory can be recovered after the hole unit 100 is recovered from the well.

As shown in Fig. 1, the hole monitoring unit 10 and the acoustic energy sensors 160 thereof are placed in the hole of the well in a location that is not adjacent to the formation of interest 60. The monitoring unit of hole 10 may be located below the formation of interest 60. In the event that the hole in the well is coated, the hole monitoring unit 10 may be placed in the hole of the well in a location that is not adjacent to the perforated area in the well. the coating. The monitoring unit of the hole 10 can be positioned below the perforated area and thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the probes 120 can be suspended from a cable from a tubular body that is mounted to the isolation device 50. and forms the lower end of the string 30. The isolation device 50 is deployed in the hole of the well 20 to separate the monitoring unit from the hole 10 of the underground formation of interest 60. In this way, the hole monitoring unit 10 is isolated from the hydraulic fracturing or injection activity that takes place in the underground formation of interest.

In some embodiments of the invention, a noise suppression device (s) such as a shock absorber can be provided, being placed between the isolation device 50 and the monitoring unit of the hole 10. In some embodiments, the methods of noise suppression, as It can be the slack of the connector cable between the components, it can be used to reduce the possibility of noise transmission. Noise suppression devices or methods can be used in a similar manner between sensors 160 in an array. In some embodiments of the invention, noise suppression can be performed by digitally processing the signals generated by the measurements made by the acoustic energy sensors.

The hole unit 100 may also include apparatus or features to be used in the hydraulic fracturing process. In case the transportation 30 is the rolled pipe, one of those apparatuses may be a jet nozzle 86 which is placed above the isolation device 50 to allow the fluids to be pumped under the string 30 and out of the nozzle to jet 86 to clean waste such as sand that can accumulate on top of packer 30. Jet nozzle 86 can also be used for the purpose of drilling the coating string 22 and forming the perforation of tunnels 61 instead of a spray gun. drilling. In this aspect, an abrasive fluid may be communicated downstream through the central passage of the string 30, and the fluid The abrasive is directed radially by the jet nozzles 86 to the coating string 22 so that the resulting jets pierce the coating string 22 and form the tunnels towards the surrounding formation.

The hole unit 100 may include a feature such as a cleaning port that can be selectively opened or closed located above the isolation device 50 to allow, if desired, to pump fluid down the ring to reinvert the fluid flow upwardly. of the rolled pipe. Methods such as ball drop or mechanical activation can be used selectively to open or close a cleaning port.

In some embodiments, the hole unit 100 may include one or more additional isolation devices located above the hole monitoring unit 10. The additional isolation devices may be single or multiple fit.

The hole unit 100 may include one or more additional devices to provide wellbore information. For example, the unit of the hole 100 may further include a pressure or temperature sensor or both. In some embodiments of the invention, a gyroscope can be provided to be used in the orientation sensors 160 or to determine the orientation of the hole monitoring unit 10 to allow subsequent adjustment of data. Alternatively, the sensors can be oriented by methods such as a three-component hodogram analysis that uses the recording of a calibration shot in a nearby well or on the surface. By recording and analyzing one or more of these shots, the orientation of the tool can be calculated using known methods such as using plane geometry and the assumption of a straight beam from the source to the receiver, projecting the beam on a perpendicular plane and rotating the projection through the horizontal polarization angle to give the direction of the sensor of the component x and the relative contact angle or the method to calculate the relative contact angle from the polarization 3C of the direct arrival of the P wave as described in Becquey, M. and Dubesset, M., 1990, Orientation of the three-component probe in a deviated well (short note): Geophysics, Exploration Society, Geophysics, 55, 1386-1388.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the hole unit 100 may include other devices, which are directed to other functions. For example, according to some embodiments of the invention, the hole unit 100 may include a liner collar locator (CCL) 87 which is used for the purpose of accurately locating the well hole unit 100 down or other tool . In this regard, the CCL may be a magnetic sensing device that generates a signal (observed at the well surface) for the purpose of detecting junctions of the sheath 22 for the purpose of accurately locating the unit 100. This may be useful for the purposes of accurately locating the jet nozzle 86 when the jet nozzle 86 pierces the liner 22 and the formation of interest 60. As another example of another potential device of the hole unit 100, according to some embodiments of In the invention, the unit 100 may include a voltage sub 85 which is located below the isolation device 50 and is used to monitor the tension of the cable, which extends to the probes 120. In this regard, the cable or the probes 120 must be housed in the well 8, the corresponding voltage indicative of this episode is detected by the sub voltage 85 and communicated to the surface of the well. Therefore, corrective measures can be taken for the purpose of evacuating probes 120 safely.

As another example, the hole unit may include a supplementary sensor, for example a pressure or temperature sensor, capable of providing a downhole measurement. In this aspect, the measurement obtained using the supplementary sensor can be used in conjunction with or separate from the measurements obtained using sensors 160 to monitor hydraulic fracturing. In some embodiments, the supplementary sensor may be an additional acoustic sensor, such as a hydrophone, useful for measuring noise in the form of acoustic waves from the hole. The supplementary sensor can be an accelerometer. In some embodiments, a plurality of supplementary sensors, specifically acoustic sensors, may be provided. The output of this supplementary sensor can be used to suppress or digitally separate noise by processing sensor measurements or acoustic sensors. This use is different to the use of acoustic sensor measurements in an array to eliminate noise by cumulative processing of measurements as is known for vertical seismic profiles.

The hole unit 100 may also include, according to embodiments of the invention, a remotely activated pin, or connector 90, for the purpose of selectively connecting the hole unit 100 and releasing the unit 100 from the string 30 ( thus leaving the unit 100 well below) when multiple zones are treated, as described below. In this way, many variations are possible and are within the scope of the appended claims.

Hydraulic fracturing and monitoring can proceed as follows according to some embodiments of the invention. The well hole 20 is first completed with the coating 22, and then, the coating 22 is drilled in one or more underground formations of interest 60. According to the embodiments of the invention, the monitoring unit of the hole 10 can be transported towards the well hole 20 in the string 30. The isolation device 50 is transported simultaneously in the well hole 20 on the string 30 in a desired position above the unit 10. The isolation device 50 is adjusted in its place to provide a seal in the ring between string 30 and liner 22, thus isolating the monitoring unit from hole 10 in hole well 20 below the insulation device 50. If additional isolation devices are provided, they can be activated to be adjusted in place to provide more insulation between the hole monitoring unit 10 and the isolation device 50.

The hydraulic fracturing fluid or injection fluid is then pumped under pressure from the ring formed between the transport 30 and the liner 22 or wall of the well bore and into the underground formation of interest 60. The hydraulic fracturing fluid can be any fluid useful for fracturing an underground formation, including but not limited to wellbore treatment fluids, hydrocarbons, water, produced water, discarded water, fluids or sparkling gases, such as natural gas or C02.

The insulation device 50 and if provided, the additional isolation device or devices, the hole monitoring unit lOse for the hydraulic fracturing fluids and the operations performed in the well hole above the insulation device 50. The insulation device It can be any inflatable or mechanical device, packer capable of being held and released that provides sufficient sealing pressure within the wellbore to isolate the monitoring unit from the borehole of hydraulic fracturing fluid under pressure or injection. In embodiments of the invention where the hole monitoring unit 10 is deployed in the wellbore below the isolation device 50, the isolation device 50 includes feed channels to allow the communication line 40 to pass through the device. insulation 50 and wing monitoring unit 10. Some embodiments may include rigid flanges or deployment rods for use in retracting the hole sensor unit 10 into deviated, horizontal or pressurized wells.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention described herein, referring to Fig. 3, a technique 200 can be used to monitor hydraulic fracturing of a particular formation of interest. According to the technique 200, the unit of the hole 100 is run towards the well to its position, according to the block 204, the hole unit contains an acoustic sensor. A hydraulic fracturing operation is then carried out by pumping fracturing fluid to the hole in the pressure well, according to block 206. The one or more acoustic sensors are used to monitor the acoustic energy according to block 208. The monitored acoustic energy can be from fracturing operations, or it can result from fracturing operations in wherein the hydraulic fracturing fluid contains an acoustic signal generating element, such as a noisy supporting agent described in the US Patent No. 7,134,492, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The sensor 160 is used to monitor the operation or signals generated by the acoustic signal generating element.

Although hydraulic fracturing and the monitoring of a single formation of interest, or area, is described herein for the purpose of clarifying certain aspects of the invention, it is noted that other embodiments are possible and fall within the scope of the appended claims. More specifically, according to some embodiments of the invention, the hole unit 100 can be used in conjunction with hydraulic fracturing and monitoring of various zones in the well.

Thus, referring to Fig. 4, according to some embodiments of the invention, a technique 250 includes running (block 254) a downhole drilling device in a well at a particular depth. The perforating device is then used to drill the liner or well hole (block 258). The unit of the hole 1000 is placed in the well, according to block 262. Next, the isolation device 50 is adjusted (block 266) and subsequently a fracturing operation is performed and the sensors 160 are used to monitor the operation, according to block 270. In some modalities, a fracturing model can be established and updated using sensor measurements 160.

After completion of the hydraulic fracturing operation, a determination is made (diamond 274) of whether another zone will be fractured. If not, then the unit of hole 100 is pulled out of the well, according to block 278. If another zone is to be fractured, then the next zone is drilled, according to block 254; and according to blocks 258, 262, 266 and 270, another zone is hydraulically fractured and monitored.

Thus, according to technique 250, the zones can be fractured and monitored in the well as set forth in Fig. 4. It is noted that technique 250 was provided for purposes of examples, since other techniques can be used with the purpose of hydraulically fracturing and monitoring, according to other embodiments of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 5, according to some embodiments of the invention, a technique 300 includes running (block 304) a downhole drilling device in a well at a particular depth desired. The piercing device is then used to pierce the liner or well hole (block 308). The unit of the hole 100 is placed in the well, according to block 312. In some embodiments, the hole unit 100 may contain the piercing device. Subsequently a fracturing operation is performed and sensors 160 are used to monitor the operation, according to block 320.

After the completion of the hydraulic fracturing operation, a determination is made (diamond 324) of whether another zone will be fractured. If it is not, then the hole 100 unit is pulled outside the well, according to block 328. If another zone is to be fractured, then the next zone is fractured, according to block 324; and according to blocks 304, 308, 321, and 320, another zone is hydraulically fractured and monitored.

In this way, according to the technique 300, the zones can be fractured and monitored in the well as set forth in Fig. 5. It is noted that technique 300 is provided for example purposes, since other techniques can be used to the purposes of hydraulic fracturing and monitoring, according to other embodiments of the invention.

The hole monitoring unit 100 and the techniques described herein may offer one or more advantages and / or improvements over the normal hydraulic fracturing techniques and devices. In particular, the placement of the hole monitoring unit in the injection well instead of a separate monitoring well reduces the time and expense necessary for drilling a separate well. Placing the acoustic sensors under the packer isolates the sensors from the fracturing fluid and reduces the risk of damage to the sensors by the liquid fracturing as it is pumped down the hole in the well. Similarly, by placing the communication line 40 inside the string 30 it isolates it from the fracturing liquid pumped down from the ring and significantly reduces the possibility of erosion or damage to the communication line. In addition, the placement of the sensors 1 60 below the isolation device 50 has the effect of providing isolation of the noise induced by the flow.

Prior to the present invention, the noise generated by pumping the fracturing fluid into a wellbore has inhibited the ability to make successful micro seismic measurements in the injection well. Various elements have been used individually or in combination in the present invention to isolate and attenuate wellbore noise. Placing the acoustic energy sensor or sensors below the isolation device 50 provides a barrier to direct the noise of the flow. The insulation device 50 is designed to efficiently allow adjustment / misalignment, cleaning the sand deposited on top, and facilitating noise isolation techniques (eg, clearance). Configure the sensors 1 60 in a pack of acoustic energy sensors and Mechanically isolating the sensor package 140 (see Fig. 2) from the tool body 124 can be used to attenuate the noise (known as piped-in waves) propagated in the wellbore fluid. The clearance of the communication line 40 can be used to attenuate the propagation of noise along the communication line 40 or the monitoring unit of the hole 10. The isolation device 50 can contain a compression adjustment that is operated in a downward movement that accommodates the clearance of the communication line 40.

Shock absorbers designed to attenuate the propagated noise in the bottom unit of the hole can be inserted between the isolation device 50 and the acoustic sensors. Digital filtering can be used to identify upward and downward noise propagation with different distinguishing characteristics of micro-earthquakes. These digital filtering techniques, such as adaptive beam formation or filtering at speed, can be used to attenuate noise. A sub-array of hydrophobes placed within an array of geophones or accelerometers can be useful for identifying and separating the waves from the propagation fluid (tube). Additionally, the pumped noise it is at low frequencies (<20Hz) well below the normal micro seismic band and can be considerably separated by conventional high-pass filters.

The hole unit 100 may also include other measuring devices such as pressure, temperature, gyroscopes, or any other device useful for measuring indications of fracture characteristics. The hole unit 100 may also include fracturing tools placed above the insulation device 50 for use in the hydraulic fracturing process, such as jet nozzle, cleaning port, etc. In addition, the hole unit 100 may include a single or multiple adjustment isolation device above the measuring devices to protect it from the impact of the fracturing treatment.

Although the direction and terms of orientation, such as "vertical," "up," "down," etc. have been used for reasons of convenience in the foregoing description, it is understood that those directions and orientations are not necessary to practice the invention. For example, according to other embodiments of the invention, the hole unit 100 can be used in a well hole side. Therefore, many variations are considered and are within the scope of the appended claims.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of modalities, persons having experience in the art, having the benefit of this description, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations thereof. It is intended that the appended claims cover all modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit and field of this present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS A method that is useful with a well includes: deploying a unit to a hole, the unit contains at least one sensor; injecting a fracturing fluid under pressure into the hole to hydraulically fracture an underground formation of interest; isolate the fracture sensor; and measure the acoustic energy generated by hydraulic fracturing using at least one sensor. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulation consists of adjusting a packer of the unit. The method according to claim 2, further comprises: placing the at least one sensor below the packer. The method according to claim 2, further comprises: releasing the packer; replace the hole unit in the well hole; and repeat the injection and isolation. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the deployment consists of deploying the unit in a string, the method further consists of placing a communication line inside the string to establish communication between the at least one sensor and the surface from the well. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor contains a plurality of sensors, the method further consists of: space the sensors along the hole of the well. The method according to claim 1, further consists of: recovering the unit from the hole in the well. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measurement occurs concurrently with the injection. The method according to claim 1 further comprises: storing data indicative of the acoustic energy measured by the at least one sensor in a unit memory; and recover the data from the memory after the unit is recovered from the well. A method to monitor hydraulic fracturing that consists of: a) deploying a unit of the hole towards the well hole in a coiled pipeline that has a communication line placed on it, the hole unit consists of a hole monitoring unit placed under a packer, the hole monitoring unit contains at least one acoustic energy sensor; b) place the hole unit under an underground formation of interest; c) adjust the packer below the underground formation of interest; d) injecting a fracturing fluid under pressure down the ring, thus hydraulically fracturing the underground formation of interest; Y e) use the acoustic energy sensor to make a measurement of the acoustic energy generated by hydraulic fracturing. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that the communication line is selected from the group consisting of wireline, slickline, fiber optic and fiber optic belt. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that the hole monitoring unit contains more than one sensor, the sensors are spaced along the hole of the well, the sensors are separated from the underground formation by the packer. The method according to claim 10, further contains the steps (f) of releasing the packer and (g) moving the unit of the hole in the hole of the well, where the steps (b) to (f) are repeated. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the measurement of acoustic energy It contains communication through the communication line. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that the step of injecting fracturing fluid contains modification based on the measurement of acoustic energy. The method according to claim 10 further comprises recovering the hole unit from the hole in the well. The method according to claim 10 further comprises establishing a fracturing model and updating the fracturing model using at least one acoustic energy measurement. A hole apparatus for hydraulic fracture monitoring consisting of a hole unit deployed in the coiled tubing, the unit has a tool body with at least one acoustic energy sensor placed in it, an isolation device, and at least one washing port adjacent to the isolation device, The unit connected to the coiled tubing has a communication line placed on it. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the at least one acoustic energy sensor is selected from the group consisting of geophones, hydrophones, and accelerometers. 20. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the isolation device contains a packer. 21. The apparatus according to claim 18 further contains means for processing acoustic energy sensor data. An apparatus that is useful with a well, consists of: a tool body; an isolation device placed in the tool cue; at least one acoustic sensor placed in the tool body to monitor hydraulic fracturing. The apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that at least one acoustic sensor contains at least one of the following; a geophone, hydrophobe and accelerometer. The apparatus according to claim 22 further comprises: a string for transporting the isolation device and the at least one acoustic sensor downstream as a unit. The apparatus according to claim 22 further comprises: a remote activated connector for selectively connecting the isolation device to a tubular string. The apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that the isolation device contains a packer. The apparatus according to claim 22 further comprises: a memory connected to and deployed downhole with the tool body for storing data provided by the at least one sensor so that the data is retrieved from the memory after the apparatus is recovered from the well. A method to monitor hydraulic fracturing that consists of: a. deploying a hole unit to a well hole, the hole unit contains a hole monitoring unit that has at least one acoustic energy sensor. b. injecting a fracturing fluid under pressure, thus fracturing hydraulically an underground formation of interest; and c. use the acoustic energy sensor to make a measurement of the acoustic energy. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that the hole unit also contains a supplementary sensor. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that the fracturing fluid contains an element that generates acoustic energy. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that the fracturing fluid contains a noisy supporting agent. The method according to claim 28, further consists of the steps (e) of moving the unit of the hole in the well hole, where steps (b) to (c) are repeated. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that the supplementary sensor is an acoustic energy sensor. The method according to claim 33 further comprises the step of using the output of the supplementary sensor to process the acoustic energy measurement. The method according to claim 28, further consists of the orientation of the needle unit.