Hosted on September 19, 2024
Dana Jurick, Chief Operating Officer of Neubrex Energy Services US LLC. discussed the collection, analysis and interpretation of strain measurements utilizing fiber optic cables.
Abstract
Rayleigh Frequency Shift Distributed Strain Sensing (RFS-DSS) is a powerful technique for measuring strain changes along the entire length of an optical fiber. It utilizes the Rayleigh backscatter phenomenon, where light pulses sent through the fiber are scattered back by microscopic refractive index variations within the core. Those variations are natural variations in the glass optical fiber inside the fiber optic cable that is clamped to outside of casing string, cemented in the annulus and thus coupled to the formation and wellbore structure.
Overall, RFS-DSS is a versatile and powerful technique for distributed strain sensing, offering high spatial resolution, long sensing range, and real-time monitoring capabilities. Its advantages of cost-effectiveness, ease of installation, and immunity to electromagnetic interference make it a valuable tool for various applications in infrastructure monitoring, geotechnical engineering, and the Energy exploration, production and development industries.