US 11,725,507 B2
Generating tube waves within a wellbore using an electrohydraulic discharge source
Peter A. Gordon, Yardley, PA (US); Yibing Zhang, Annandale, NJ (US); and Limin Song, West Windsor, NJ (US)
Assigned to ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Spring, TX (US)
Filed by ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Spring, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/181,007.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/035,457, filed on Jun. 5, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/001,040, filed on Mar. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0301657 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. E21B 49/00 (2006.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01); G01V 1/46 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 49/008 (2013.01) [E21B 43/26 (2013.01); G01V 1/46 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hydrocarbon well, comprising:
a wellbore comprising a casing string and a fluid column that is defined by the casing string;
an electro-hydraulic discharge (EHD) source that is configured to generate tube waves that propagate within the fluid column, wherein at least a portion of the generated tube waves interact with acoustic impedance boundaries that act as reflectors within the wellbore, creating reflected tube waves that propagate within the fluid column; wherein a capacitor of the EHD source comprises an initial stored energy of between 1 joule and 10 kilojoules, wherein the initial stored energy of the capacitor is adjusted to control the waveform of the generated tube waves, and wherein an upper limit for the initial stored energy of the capacitor is determined such that the generated tube waves do not damage the wellbore; and
a receiver that is configured to record data corresponding to the generated tube waves and the reflected tube waves, wherein the recorded data relate to characteristics of the reflectors within the wellbore.