OptaSense Expands Global Hydraulic Fracturing Offering

Real-time Operations Centers Opened in US, UK and Canada

OptaSense, a QinetiQ company, has opened a network of Real Time Operations Centres (RTOC) to deliver advanced frac monitoring services. The new centres are based in Houston, US; Calgary, CA; and Winfrith, UK; will provide second by second information to assist oil and gas companies in optimising their fracing operations.

The service comprises the world’s first bespoke Fibre Optic Data Acquisition Units capable of monitoring multiple wells simultaneously. The service combines Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and pump data to provide a holistic image of performance throughout the fracing process, giving operators a unique view into the frac processes happening deep underground.

Information is also fed live into customer’ operation centres, with OptaSense experts advising on data analysis and interpretation, providing stage by stage reports on fluid placement volumes throughout the well completion process. The data is also used to help design the frac process for future well completions.

The Calgary facility, opened by Leo Quinn, QinetiQ CEO, will be the global centre of excellence for OptaSense’s frac monitoring services and will incorporate a dedicated downhole fibre training facility as well as being the engineering control centre for operations throughout North America.

Magnus McEwen-King, Managing Director of OptaSense commented that: “The investment builds on our global services framework agreement with Shell announced earlier in the year and is testimony to our confidence in providing services to the global shale market, where monitoring operations is so important to operators.

“These new operational facilities enable us to put a wide range of data into our customers’ hands immediately. Our fleet of state-of-the-art fibre optic data acquisition units enable us to provide our customers with a full service with respect to all fibre sensing requirements. We are committed to putting data in our customer’s hands to enable them to increase yields, improve safety and reduce operational costs.”

The OptaSense DAS system is providing a new window on in-well treatments. The hydraulic fracture monitoring service provides real-time monitoring of fracture fluid injection locations and provides an estimate of the volume of water and propellant uptake at these locations. With real-time monitoring of the operation at the treatment zone, operators are able to improve and streamline the hydraulic fracturing process in a safe and reliable way.