Automatic Data Acquisition System Installed in Offshore Canadian Arctic Well; Monitoring Precise Temperatures By Acoustic Telemetry

A methodology has been developed to instrument an offshore petroleum exploration well for long term downhole temperature observations. A demonstration deployment was completed successfully in May, 1985 at a well in 244m of water in the Canadian Arctic. The data acquisition system acquired well temperatures to 800m below the sea floor at 4 hour intervals for most of the first year following system deployment and well abandonment. Data was transmitted acoustically through the water to a recording package left on the sea ice. The concept has application in monitoring temperatures and other parameters in abandoned holes and in production wells. The recording package could be mounted in a buoy for open sea areas.