Applications of Fiber-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) in the Energy Industry

Fiber-optic distributed sensing (DAS) technology has the potential to replace conventional discrete electronic-based sensors, for applications where multivariable measurements, low-power system, fine spatial resolution, and harsh (extreme temperature and/or pressure) operational environment are key factors in choosing the type of sensors used. For geotechnical applications, fiber-optic cables are used as spatial distributed sensors for sensing ground motion. Unlike traditional geophones, a fiber-optic cable itself functions as continuous array of seismic sensors with fine spatial resolution (~ 1 meter). In contrast to conventional geophones, fiber-optic cables are resilient to various environment constraints, and economical in terms of field-deployment. CO2 storage monitoring in the borehole, locating seismic events during hydraulic fracturing, and probing integrity of existing mines and support structures are some of the geophysical applications of the fiber-optic DAS system