Fiber optic sensing systems and methods

Abstract

Fiber optic sensing systems and methods. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic sensing system includes an optical fiber transmitting energy to a chemical vapor deposited diamond material proximate a substance in a well. The diamond material is deposited as a coating on a substrate. The substrate and coating are heated when the energy is transmitted by the optical fiber. This heats the substance in the well, which is detected to determine a property of the substance. In another embodiment, light energy is transmitted through the diamond material.

1 - 65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . A fiber optic sensing system for use in detecting at least one property of a substance in a subterranean well, the sensing system comprising:
 a sensor surface configured for transmitting energy to the substance in the well;   an optical fiber for transmitting light energy to the sensor surface, the light energy being transmitted from the optical fiber through the sensor surface and to the substance; and   the light energy causing a response in the substance.   
     
     
         67 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , further comprising a sensor for detecting the substance response. 
     
     
         68 . The sensing system according to  claim 67 , wherein the sensor is a spectrometer. 
     
     
         69 . The sensing system according to  claim 67 , wherein the sensor is a fluoroscope. 
     
     
         70 . The sensing system according to  claim 67 , wherein the substance response is transmitted through the optical fiber to the sensor. 
     
     
         71 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the light energy excites the substance to give off a spectrum indicative of an elemental composition of the substance. 
     
     
         72 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the light energy causes at least a portion of the substance to fluoresce. 
     
     
         73 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the light energy heats the substance. 
     
     
         74 . The sensing system according to  claim 73 , wherein the substance undergoes a phase change when the light energy heats the substance. 
     
     
         75 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensor surface is formed on a diamond material. 
     
     
         76 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensor surface is formed on a chemical vapor deposited coating. 
     
     
         77 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , further comprising a laser positioned in the well transmitting the light energy through the optical fiber. 
     
     
         78 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , further comprising a laser positioned at the earth's surface transmitting the light energy through the optical fiber. 
     
     
         79 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid within a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         80 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid external to a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         81 . The sensing system according to  claim 80 , wherein the fluid is disposed in an annulus between the tubular string and casing in the well. 
     
     
         82 . The sensing system according to  claim 80 , wherein the tubular string is casing, and wherein the fluid is formation fluid. 
     
     
         83 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned in an annulus between a wellbore and casing in the well. 
     
     
         84 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a formation intersected by a wellbore of the well. 
     
     
         85 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a solid structure in the well. 
     
     
         86 . The sensing system according to  claim 85 , wherein the structure is a tubular string. 
     
     
         87 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed circumferentially about a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         88 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a level of an interface between different fluids flowing through a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         89 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed longitudinally along a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         90 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a level of an interface between different fluids in a formation intersected by the well. 
     
     
         91 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material installed external to a tubular string in the well, and wherein the sensing system detects a quality of installation of the hardenable material. 
     
     
         92 . The sensing system according to  claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a fluid in the hardenable material. 
     
     
         93 . The sensing system according to  claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a void in the hardenable material. 
     
     
         94 . The sensing system according to  claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a crack in the hardenable material. 
     
     
         95 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a direction of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         96 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a rate of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well. 
     
     
         97 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects an identity of the substance in the well. 
     
     
         98 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a chemical composition of the substance in the well. 
     
     
         99 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a phase change in the substance in the well. 
     
     
         100 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects fluorescence of the substance in the well. 
     
     
         101 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a ratio between different fluids included in the substance in the well. 
     
     
         102 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material. 
     
     
         103 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a formation, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the formation. 
     
     
         104 . The sensing system according to  claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of a fluid in the formation. 
     
     
         105 . The sensing system according to  claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fluid in the formation. 
     
     
         106 . The sensing system according to  claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a fracture in the formation. 
     
     
         107 . The sensing system according to  claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fracture in the formation. 
     
     
         108 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned external to a tubular string, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the hardenable material. 
     
     
         109 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material. 
     
     
         110 . The sensing system according to  claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid in the well, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the fluid. 
     
     
         111 - 122 . (canceled) 
     
     
         123 . A method of detecting at least one property of a substance in a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a sensor surface in the well proximate the substance;   transmitting light energy through an optical fiber to the sensor surface;   transmitting the light energy through the sensor surface to the substance; and   detecting a response of the substance to the transmitted light energy.   
     
     
         124 . The method according to  claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a temperature change in at least one of the substance and the sensor surface. 
     
     
         125 . The method according to  claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a spectral emission from the substance. 
     
     
         126 . The method according to  claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a fluorescence of at least a portion of the substance. 
     
     
         127 . The method according to  claim 123 , further comprising the step of forming the sensor surface on a diamond material. 
     
     
         128 . The method according to  claim 127 , wherein the forming step further comprises chemical vapor depositing the diamond material. 
     
     
         129 - 140 . (canceled)