Opsens to Develop System for PTRC

Fiber optic sensor supplier, Opsens Inc., has been chosen by the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) to design and construct a state-of-the-art transient pressure testing system for the assessment of well integrity in existing wellbores.

Opsens is to develop and produce a portable multipacker coiled tubing deployable tool to measure pressure and to test and assess well integrity in existing wellbores. The tool consists of four independently controlled inflation packers, high-resolution pressure sensors and systems to apply pressure pulses within the wellbore.

Opsens’ selection was directed by the PTRC, as manager of the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas (IEAGHG) Program sponsored by the Weyburn-Midale CO2 Storage and Monitoring Project.

“Opsens Solutions is proud of having been chosen by project sponsors and the research team at PTRC,” said its president, Darren Wiltse. ”It is in recognition of our team’s expertise and capabilities to provide a comprehensive engineered downhole tool solution to a complex technical challenge. Our mandate is to design and put together a completely new product to perform pressure measurement at high precision levels and to assess the hydraulic integrity of wellbores, one of the most critical issues related to the geological storage of CO2.”

In many fields contemplated for the geological storage of CO2, hundreds and even thousands of wellbore penetrations may exist. Effective CO2 storage requires understanding of the hydraulic properties of these wellbores and of their response to CO2 exposure, adequate tools for monitoring their performance, and knowledge of appropriate remediation options.

The tool developed by Opsens Solutions Inc., based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, will be used in a field program that will quantify the hydraulic properties of the cemented annulus within selected wells.

In the thermal recovery market, Opsens’ OPP-W fiber optic sensor system provides oil sands producers with reliable real-time downhole pressure and temperature information about their steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) wells during operation.

The ability to accurately control bottomhole pressure at high temperatures for artificial lift systems such as electrical submersible pumps allows SAGD operators to improve steam/oil ratios and to reduce operating and lifting costs. For multiple well operations, this can provide millions of dollars in savings by reducing water treatment costs, optimizing natural gas consumption as it pertains to steam generation and enhancing the run time of artificial lift systems.

Opsens Solutions also has an ongoing commitment to the development of reservoir surveillance solutions and for CO2 enhanced oil recovery, geological storage of CO2, and unconventional gas projects.

Opsens develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of fiber optic sensors and associated signal conditioners based on proprietary patented and patent pending technologies. Its sensors provide long-term accuracy and reliability in the harshest environments. The company provides sensors to measure pressure, temperature, strain and displacement to original equipment manufacturers and end-users in the oil and gas, medical, and laboratory fields.

For more information, visit: www.opsens.com