Sensing apparatus for sensing pressure or temperature in oil wells, including transmitter relaying pressure or temperature information to a remote control point

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus for measuring pressure, which comprises a pressure communicating device ( 3 ) for location at a point ( 4 ) at which pressure is to be measured, a primary tube ( 1 ) containing a fluid for linking the pressure communicating device ( 3 ) to a control point ( 9 ) where the pressure information is required, a sealing device for sealing the primary tube ( 1 ) so as to form a closed system when the pressure communicating device ( 3 ) is closed, a pressure control device ( 6 ) for changing the pressure of the fluid within the primary tube ( 1 ), a volume measuring device ( 8 ) for measuring changes in the volume of the fluid within the primary tube ( 1 ) as the pressure of the fluid is varied, a pressure measuring device ( 7 ) for measuring the pressure of the fluid at some point within the fluid, and device remote from the control point ( 9 ), and a transmitter device for transmitting pressure information from the pressure measuring device to the control point ( 9 ).

I claim:  
     
       1. Apparatus for measuring pressure, which apparatus comprises pressure communicating means for location at a point at which pressure is to be measured, a primary tube containing a fluid for linking the pressure communicating means to a control point where the  pressure information is required, sealing means for sealing the primary tube so as to form a closed system when the pressure communicating means is closed, pressure control means for changing the pressure of the fluid within the primary tube, volume measuring means for measuring changes in the volume of the fluid within the primary tube as the pressure of the fluid is varied, pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure of the fluid at some point within the fluid and remote from the control point, and transmitter means for transmitting pressure information from the pressure measuring means to the control point. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the primary tube is narrow bore hydraulic tubing whose change in dimension with pressure is either small or well-known. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the fluid in the primary tube is a hydraulic oil. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure control means is such as to permit the pressure to be changed from one value to another under an external control. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to  claim 4  in which the pressure control means is an arrangement in which a force acts on a piston inside a cylinder containing the primary tube fluid. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure measuring means is a pressure transducer. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure control means, the volume measuring means and an additional pressure measuring means are all located together at the control point. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and including temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature along the length of the primary tube. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to  claim 8  in which the temperature measuring means is an optical fiber distributed temperature sensor, either outside or inside the primary tube. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure measuring means is a pressure sensing means which is of such a dimension and structure that it is placeable inside the primary tube. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to  claim 10  and including locating means for locating the pressure sensing means at a desired point within the primary tube. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim  1   10 and including means for removing the pressure sensing means. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to  claim 10  and including a secondary tube which connects the furthest point at which the pressure sensing means may be located in the primary tube to the control point, so that a return path for the fluid in the primary tube is provided. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to  claim 13  in which the pressure sensing means is located by means of controlling the flow of fluid through the primary and secondary tubes. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to  claim 14  in which the means of controlling the flow of fluid through the primary and secondary tubes is a pump with a capability of reversible flow. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the transmitter means are optical fibers. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure sensing means is a passive optical fiber sensor. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure sensing means is a polarimetric interferometer optical fiber pressure and temperature sensor. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and including additional pressure communicating means connected at different points along the primary tube, and means of distinguishing which pressure communicating means is in which state when the pressure is changed. 
     
     
       20. Apparatus according to  claim 15  in which the pressure measuring means is a plurality of pressure sensing means, and in which the pressure communicating means is a plurality of pressure communicating means, and in which at least one of the pressure sensing means is located at each pressure communicating means so that it is not necessary to take into account the position of the pressure communicating means by computing a correction. 
     
     
       21. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and including additional pressure communicating means. 
     
     
       22. Apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the pressure communicating means is switched between the ACTIVE state and the ON/OFF state by separate means than the pressure in the primary tube. 
     
     
       23. Apparatus according to  claim 22  in which the pressure communicating means is switched between the ACTIVE state and the ON/OFF state using a slide or rotary valve, a separate hydraulic or electric line, and hydraulic or electric control means. 
     
     
       24. Apparatus according to  claim 22  in which there is no mechanical interface between the fluid in the primary tube and the point at which pressure is to be measured, when the pressure communicating means is in the ACTIVE state. 
     
     
       25. Apparatus according to  claim 24  and including reservoir means for supplying fluid that may be lost through the pressure communicating means. 
     
     
       26. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and including a reference pressure sensor for calibrating the apparatus. 
     
     
       27. A method for sensing at least one physical parameter existing at one or more points which are at a remote location, comprising: 
       
         providing at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being in physical sensing communication with a cable, the at least one sensor being capable of sensing at least one physical parameter;  
       
       
         passing at least portions of the cable along a primary tube;  
       
       
         flowing fluid along the primary tube and cable to move the at least one sensor to at least one of the points; and  
       
       
         sensing sensor information from the at least one sensor.  
       
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 27  and further defined by communicating sensor information along at least one optical fiber forming at least part of the cable.  
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 27  and further defined by flowing fluid along a secondary tube in fluid communication with the primary tube to remove the at least one sensor from the primary tube.  
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 29  and further defined by flowing fluid through the primary tube in a first direction to move the at least one sensor to at least one of the points, and flowing fluid through the primary tube in a second direction opposite the first direction to remove the at least one sensor from the primary tube.  
     
     
       31. A method according to  claim 27  and further defined by providing the sensor information to a control point via the cable.  
     
     
       32. A method according to  claim 27 , and wherein at least one sensor is a pressure sensor, and wherein the method is further defined by providing a pressure communicating means to communicate pressure from at least one of the points to the pressure sensor.  
     
     
       33. A method according to  claim 27  and further defined by measuring temperature along the primary tube.  
     
     
       34. A method according to  claim 33 , and wherein the temperature is measured along the primary tube using an optical fiber temperature sensor.