Intelligent well system and method

Abstract

An intelligent well system and method has a sand face completion and a monitoring system to monitor application of a well operation. Various equipment and services may be used. In another aspect, the invention provides a monitoring system for determining placement of a well treatment. Yet another aspect of the invention is an instrumented sand screen. Another aspect is a connector for routing control lines. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring an operation in a well, comprising:
 injecting a material into the well;   monitoring a characteristic in the well by using a sensor positioned in the well; and   determining a placement position of the material in the well from the monitored characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of a gravel slurry, a proppant, a fracturing fluid, a chemical treatment, a cement, and a well fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a fiber optic line. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor measures one or more of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, compaction, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor measures one or more of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, compaction, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitored characteristic is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the monitored characteristic is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the monitored characteristic is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a remedial action based upon the placement position. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising performing a remedial action based upon the placement position. 
     
     
         11 . A method for monitoring an operation in a well, comprising:
 injecting a material into the well;   monitoring a characteristic in the well by using a sensor positioned in the well, the sensor being a fiber optic line; and   determining a placement position of the material in the well from the monitored characteristic, wherein the fiber optic line provides a distributed measurement.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed temperature measurement. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed pressure measurement. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed stress measurement. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed strain measurement. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed sand detection measurement. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the distributed measurement provided by the fiber optic line is a distributed seismic measurement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of a gravel slurry, a proppant, a fracturing fluid, a chemical treatment, a cement, and a well fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the monitored characteristic is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, flow, stress, strain, sand detection, and seismic measurements. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising performing a remedial action based upon the placement position.