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Published on: November 20, 2014
Investigation on Wellbore Multileakage Point Detection Technology Based on Excitation Pressure Waves
Ao Yang1, Zhongxi Zhu1, Kun Zhao2
1School of Petroleum Engineering, National Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, China.
ACS Omega
|August 14, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a new method for detecting multiple simultaneous leaks during drilling operations. The technique accurately pinpoints leak locations, enhancing drilling safety and reducing costs in complex formations.
Area of Science:
- Drilling Engineering
- Geophysical Signal Processing
Background:
- Accurate thief zone localization is crucial for drilling safety and lost circulation control.
- Existing methods often fail to address simultaneous leaks from multiple formations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for detecting multiple simultaneous leakage points in drilling operations.
- To improve the accuracy and reliability of thief zone identification in complex geological conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of time-domain pressure wave features using the water hammer effect.
- A novel CVMP denoising framework combining Central Collision Optimization (CCO) and Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD).
- Adaptive-threshold wavelet modulus maxima for leakage feature extraction.
Main Results:
- The proposed method accurately identifies multiple leak locations with a localization error of 2.95%.
- Effective suppression of inherent noise in pressure signals was achieved.
- Demonstrated excellent detection accuracy under multipoint leakage conditions.
Conclusions:
- The developed method provides a robust solution for simultaneous multilayer leak detection.
- Offers significant technical support for safe drilling, lost circulation management, and cost reduction.
- Enhances plugging efficiency in challenging formations.
