fibre optic sensors for oil recovery
https://www.photon-control.com/
Photon commissions fibre optic sensors for oil recovery
2008-10-21 09:44 ET - News Release
Mr. Ivan Melnyk reports
PHOTON CONTROL COMMISSIONS FIRST SET OF DOWNHOLE FIBER OPTIC SENSORS FOR HEAVY OIL 
Photon Control Inc. has successfully commissioned its first commercial set of downhole fibre optic sensors for heavy oil production in Alberta. The set was ordered by a leading oil producer for installation in a large oil sand operation with heavy oil recovery based on steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). The set of downhole fibre optic sensors was installed in September, 2008, and provides data on temperature and pressure from hundreds of metres below the surface. The data from the Photon processing unit are transferred to the producer's data collecting system (DCS) via ModBus and are further processed remotely. The producer is reporting to Photon it is pleased with the performance of Photon technology. The producer spent a number of years with other providers of fibre optic sensors; however, technical issues did not allow commissioning of the counterpart solutions.
SAGD is the most advanced process for heavy oil recovery used in Canada and its use is rapidly expanding in other countries. A number of SAGD wells have been already drilled and hundreds of new wells are completed every year in Canada alone.
The producer provided heavy installation equipment, machinery and personnel needed for deployment and operation of the sensors in the harsh SAGD environment. It was the absence of this logistical support which hindered Photon's attempts in penetrating the oil production business in the past.
Ivan Melnyk, the company's chief technology officer, commented: "This first commercial installation of our fibre optic sensors for a downhole application is a critical step for entry into the massive downhole instrumentation market. We have spent considerable time developing superior technology that overcomes technical challenges such as long-distance, temperature drift and the hydrogen aging effect."
Photon's technology is capable of measuring extremely high pressure, over 20,000 pounds per square inch, at very high temperatures and depths of many kilometres. This can be used for controlling parameters and monitoring of processes in oil and gas production, exploration, drilling, and well testing. Photon brings the advantage of its technology into the energy sector in the same fashion as it achieved in the semiconductor capital equipment business which has benefited from Photon technology for over four years.
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