Publications

The need for reliability in Permanent Downhole Monitoring Systems (PDM) has been illustrated by a number of SPE publications and is of great concern for most of major oil producing companies. While many Electronic -based systems have been installed worldwide, they are plagued by continued reliability problems and high cost. The increasing adoption rate of PDM on a global basis emphasizes the need for durable systems with maximum longevity in a variety of operating conditions including high temperature and high pressure. Conventional approaches to PDM incorporate downhole sensors and electronics. This method as documented by Shell, arguably the number one user of the PDM in the industry, has resulted in lower than acceptable reliability.An emerging field proven approach seeks to greatly improve the reliability of PDM through the complete elimination of downhole electronics, the number one source of failures in conventional methods. This paper illustrates the advantages of a non-electronic based system, the main components and features, and demonstrates the superior performance of this technology is various operating conditions.