Fiber optic microseismic sensing systems

• Main Authors: GOLDNER ERIC LEE, BAKER GERALD ROBERT, CHERBETTCHIAN AGOP HYGASOV, BEATSON DAVID T, ANDERSEN JAMES KENGO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.11.2015
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC ORINFRASONIC WAVES; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING

A fiber optic microseismic sensing system is provided. The system includes a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes including a surface portion, an underground portion, and an optical cable extending between the surface portion and the underground portion. The surface portion includes (1) an optical source for transmitting an optical signal along the optical cable to the underground portion, and (2) an optical receiver for receiving a return optical signal propagating along the optical cable from the underground portion. The underground portion includes at least one transducer, each of the at least one transducer including (1) a fixed portion configured to be secured to a body of interest, (2) a moveable portion having a range of motion with respect to the fixed portion, (3) a spring positioned between the fixed portion and the moveable portion, and (4) a mass engaged with the moveable portion. The optical cable includes a length of fiber wound between the fixed portion and the moveable portion of each of the at least one transducer, the length of fiber spanning the spring. In one disclosed aspect of the transducer, the mass envelopes the moveable portion.