New, Real-time Fiber-optic Downhole Instrumentation Systems Designed for Permanent Installation.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2002 Sabeus Sensor Systems Introduces Ultra-robust, Real-time Pressure-Temperature-Vibration and Real-time Distributed Temperature Sensing Systems Sabeus Sensor Systems, the newly-announced division of Sabeus Photonics, Inc., today launched the LightSense 3C(TM) pressure-temperature-vibration sensing system, and LightSense 400(TM) real-time distributed temperature sensing Distributed temperature sensing systems (DTS) are optoelectronic devices which measure temperatures by means of optical fibres functioning as linear sensors. Temperatures are recorded along the optical sensor cable, thus not at points, but as a continuous profile. system, each intended for permanent downhole installation in wells to 12 km. Both systems utilize a new type of ultra-reliable fiber-optic "Fiber Bragg Grating A short length of optical fiber that filters out a particular wavelength. Periodically spaced zones in the fiber core are altered to have different refractive indexes slightly higher than the core. " sensor designed by Sabeus to provide operational longevity in excess of 10 years in the most extreme downhole environments. The turnkey systems come complete with the sensor/telemetry cables and the topside interrogation interrogation In criminal law, process of formally and systematically questioning a suspect in order to elicit incriminating responses. The process is largely outside the governance of law, though in the U.S. electronics. The announcement was made at the International Exposition and 72nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (or SEG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the science of geophysics and the education of exploration geophysicists. (SEG n. 1. (Bot.) Sedge. 2. The gladen, and other species of Iris. 1. A castrated bull. ) that began here yesterday. Field trials of the technology have been performed at Vaquero Energy's Brite 68X-16 well in Arvin, CA, and other locations. "This is a significant announcement for the oil industry," commented Lodwrick M. Cook, Pacific Capital Group, Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. , and former chairman of Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), now part of BP Amoco. "Ultra-reliable, real-time or near-real-time, continuous monitoring of the downhole environment, regardless of how extreme, offers producers the best opportunity of managing and exploiting the full potential of their reservoirs. Sabeus has applied its unique and proprietary fiber-optic expertise in producing the first production systems that promise to attain this difficult goal." Fiber-optic downhole sensing systems, which are based upon specially-prepared fiber-optic cables that act both as a sensor array A sensor array is a set of several sensors that an information gathering device uses to gather information (usually directional in nature) that cannot be gathered from a single source for a central processing unit. and the telemetry telemetry Highly automated communications process by which data are collected from instruments located at remote or inaccessible points and transmitted to receiving equipment for measurement, monitoring, display, and recording. data path to the surface, have a tremendous advantage over electronics-based systems. There are no downhole electronics modules to fail, and deployment of the single, stainless-steel jacketed optical fiber is relatively straightforward. Additionally, if the fiber/sensor is robust enough, it can be permanently installed in shallow or deep wells regardless of the downhole environments. Unfortunately, some early attempts by other companies at fiber-based sensors have proven disappointing in seismic applications, with systems failing in the field. The weak link has been, amazingly, the fiber itself. While virgin optical fiber is extremely durable, and with the right coating quite immune to environmental effects to 20,000 psi and 250C, fiber transformed into classical Fiber Bragg Gratings-based sensors is quite fragile and comparatively unreliable. The standard method of creating these sensors is to inscribe in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. or "write" microscopic patterns called Bragg Gratings into the core of a fiber, typically with a laser. To do so without melting the polymer coating of the fiber, that coating must physically be stripped off, and then later re-added. Studies have shown that fiber so treated loses over 75% of its intrinsic strength, and that the grating sites themselves become points of failure. Sabeus Cold Writing Solution Sabeus has invented, perfected and patented a technique for creating arbitrarily long Fiber Bragg Grating arrays in a continuous, unbroken optical fiber, without the need to strip and recoat the fiber. The technique, called Cold Writing(TM), writes the grating patterns directly through the protective coating of a continuous fiber, and the resulting sensor is identical in strength and reliability to virgin fiber. Sabeus recognized that sensors produced with this technique would represent a breakthrough in oilfield downhole sensing technology, as well as in sensing applications in other fields such as composite structures, or military surveillance. They brought together a team of experienced oil & gas, sensor, and photonics technologists to realize this vision. The products being announced today are the first results of that collaboration. The LightSense 3C Real-time Production Downhole Pressure, Temperature and Vibration Sensing System The Sabeus Sensor Systems' LightSense 3C Real-time Pressure, Temperature and Vibration Sensing System is a production turnkey, fiber-optic sensing system intended for permanent installation and continuous operation within well bores. The system, which can be equipped with one, two or three separate fiber optic sensors, can be configured in various combinations of temperature, pressure and vibration. The system develops pressure readings, accurate to 0.1% of full scale, once per second (1 Hz). Vibration may be monitored up to 4,000 Hz. The stainless-steel jacketed sensor cable, available in lengths up to 12 km, can withstand operating pressures up to 10,000 psi, and temperatures from -25C to 200C. Design lifetime is 10 years. The LightSense 3C includes the topside interrogator in·ter·ro·gate tr.v. in·ter·ro·gat·ed, in·ter·ro·gat·ing, in·ter·ro·gates 1. To examine by questioning formally or officially. See Synonyms at ask. 2. electronics, contained in a single 3U rack-mountable enclosure. Communication is via wired or wireless Ethernet The standard for wireless networking within a home or office. Also known as a "Wi-Fi" or "802.11" network, wireless Ethernet is the wireless counterpart to regular, wired Ethernet, which is also the standard for local networks. See 802.11 and wireless LAN. , and the industry-standard SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) A process control application that collects data from sensors and machines on the shop floor or in remote locations and sends them to a central computer for management and control. protocol is supported. The LightSense 400 Real-time Production Downhole Distributed Temperature System The Sabeus Sensor Systems' LightSense 400 Distributed Temperature Sensing System is a production turnkey, fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing system intended for permanent installation within well bores. The self-calibrating, 400-channel (100 channels per fiber), real-time system provides temperature readings at a 1 Hz update rate, giving an aggregate of 400 temperature readings per second. In addition, operators may replace any of the four 100-channel temperature-sensing fibers with a pressure sensor A pressure sensor measures the pressure, typically of gases or fluids. Pressure is an expression of the force required to stop a gas or fluid from expanding, and is usually stated in terms of force per unit area. A pressure sensor generates a signal related to the pressure imposed. fiber, to create a hybrid temperature-pressure system. Temperature resolution is 0.25C with absolute accuracy at 0.5C. The stainless-steel jacketed sensor cables, available in lengths up to 12 km, are rated to 20,000 psi, and temperatures from -25C to 250C. Design lifetime is 10 years. The LightSense 400 includes the topside interrogator electronics, contained in a single 3U rack-mountable enclosure, with data storage available for several months of standalone operation. Communication is via wired or wireless Ethernet, and the industry-standard SCADA protocol is supported. Additional product data is available at http://www.sabeus.com. About Sabeus Sensor Systems Sabeus Sensor Systems, a division of Sabeus Photonics, Inc, is the inventor of a breakthrough family of seismic sensor systems for oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) based upon the company's unique and proprietary high concept optical fiber technology. Sabeus has overcome the historical problems with instrumenting the borehole bore·hole n. A hole that is drilled into the earth, as in exploratory well drilling or in building construction. of oil and gas wells by developing a family of reliable, accurate, real-time fiber-optic sensor Fiber-optic sensor A sensor that uses thin optical fibers to carry light to and from a location to be probed. In performing the sensing, light can be lost from the fibers or modified in velocity by the action of the phenomena on the fiber. systems that are capable of withstanding, over long service lives, both repeated rough handling and extremes of pressure and temperature. To date, Sabeus Sensor Systems has announced a distributed temperature sensing system, with up to 400 channels, and a 4000 Hz pressure-temperature-vibration sensor system. Both systems are complete, turn-key products that include a robust, stainless-steel-jacketed fiber sensor/telemetry cable, and topside interrogation electronics. About Sabeus Photonics, Inc. Sabeus Photonics is the leader in the design and manufacture of high-concept optical systems and devices for leading-edge communications, oil & gas, defense/homeland security, and structural sensor applications. The company was founded in 1998 by a small team of internationally-recognized U.S. and European scientists, engineers and manufacturing technologists who co-developed the company's breakthrough communications products as well as its sophisticated manufacturing software The following list of software modules are the manufacturing components of Baan's ERP (BaanERP) system, acquired by SSA Global in 2003 and subsequently by Infor at the end of 2006. It is listed here because it provides a comprehensive overview of the required software. See MES. . The company's components have been adopted by over 30 leading companies. In October 2002, Sabeus announced the formation of Sabeus Sensor Systems, a new division created to bring the company's unique fiber optic expertise to remote sensing applications A remote sensing application is a software application that processes remote sensing data. Remote sensing applications are similar to graphics software, but they enable generating geographic information from satellite and airborne sensor data. , particularly for oil and gas exploration and completion. Sabeus Photonics, Inc. has its main office and 50,000 square foot ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 9001-certified manufacturing facility in Chatsworth, CA. Investors include Agere Systems Agere Systems Inc. was an integrated circuit components company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States. Effective April 2, 2007, it was merged into LSI Corporation. , Inc., TL Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Digital Coast Ventures, Credit Suisse First Boston Credit Suisse First Boston was originally the trading name of the Financière Crédit Suisse-First Boston, a London-based 50-50 investment banking joint venture formed in 1978 between the First Boston Corporation and Credit Suisse. , and Lexington Ventures. Total equity investment to date is $26 million. Editors' Note: All trademarks and registered trademarks are those of their respective companies. Additional background information is available at www.roeder-johnson.com. |
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