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Sensors and Sensing Techniques in Petroleum Engineering
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Sensors and Sensing Techniques in Petroleum Engineering

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2025 | Viewed by 1143

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rita Esuru Okoroafor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
Interests: geothermal energy; carbon capture and sequestration; underground hydrogen storage
Prof. Dr. Ding Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
Interests: oil and gas production; performance monitoring; control and optimization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fiber optic sensing technology has played an important role in oil and gas development by assessing formation rocks, field development, well completion, production, and stimulation. This technology has also been successfully applied in geothermal energy exploration and development. This Special Issue collects research on recent advances in field applications and lessons learned from broad aspects of sensing technology applications in the energy industry. Topics of interest include distributed acoustic sensors for microseismic mapping of rock geomechanical evaluation, subsurface flow characterization, well performance evaluation with distributed temperature and acoustic sensors, and fracture diagnosis with low-frequency distributed acoustic sensors, as well as distributed temperature sensors for thermal energy development efficiency in geothermal fields.

Dr. Rita Esuru Okoroafor
Prof. Dr. Ding Zhu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fiber optic sensing
  • distributed acoustic sensing (DAS)
  • distributed temperature sensing (DTS)
  • subsurface monitoring
  • fracture diagnostics

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5071 KB  
Article
Evaluating Fluid Distribution by Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) with Perforation Erosion Effect
by Daichi Oshikata, Ding Zhu and A. D. Hill
Sensors 2025, 25(22), 7037; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25227037 - 18 Nov 2025
Viewed by 287
Abstract
Among the various completion strategies used in multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells, the limited entry design has become one of the most common approaches to promote more uniform slurry distribution. This method involves reducing the number of perforations so that higher perforation [...] Read more.
Among the various completion strategies used in multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells, the limited entry design has become one of the most common approaches to promote more uniform slurry distribution. This method involves reducing the number of perforations so that higher perforation friction is generated at each entry point. The increased pressure drops force fluid and proppant to be diverted across multiple clusters rather than concentrating at only a few, thereby enhancing stimulation efficiency along the lateral. In this study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to investigate how perforation erosion influences acoustic signals measured by Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). Unlike previous studies that assumed perfectly circular perforations, this work uses oval-shaped geometries to better reflect the irregular erosion observed in the field, which provides more realistic modeling. The workflow involved building wellbore and perforation geometries, generating computational meshes, and solving transient turbulent flow using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) coupled with the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic model. Acoustic pressure was then estimated at receiver points and converted into sound pressure level for analysis. The results show that, for a given perforation size, changes in flow rate cause log(q) versus sound pressure level to follow a straight line defined by a constant slope and varying intercept. Even when erosion alters the perforation into an oval shape, the intercept increases logarithmically, resulting in reduced sound amplitude, while the slope remains unchanged. Furthermore, when the cross-sectional area and flow rate are equal, oval perforations produce higher sound amplitudes than circular ones, suggesting that perforation geometry has a measurable influence on the DAS signal. This indicates that even when the same amplitude DAS signal is obtained, assuming circular perforations when estimating the fluid distribution leads to an overestimation if the actual perforation shape is oval. These findings highlight the importance of considering irregular erosion patterns when linking DAS responses to fluid distribution during hydraulic fracturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Sensing Techniques in Petroleum Engineering)
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21 pages, 5209 KB  
Article
Development of a Transient Wellbore Heat Transfer Model Validated with Distributed Temperature Sensing Data
by Rion Nakamoto and Smith Leggett
Sensors 2025, 25(21), 6583; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25216583 - 26 Oct 2025
Viewed by 535
Abstract
Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) has long been employed in the oil and gas industry to characterize reservoirs, optimize production, and extend well life. More recently, its application has expanded to geothermal energy development, where DTS provides critical insights into transient wellbore temperature profiles [...] Read more.
Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) has long been employed in the oil and gas industry to characterize reservoirs, optimize production, and extend well life. More recently, its application has expanded to geothermal energy development, where DTS provides critical insights into transient wellbore temperature profiles and flow behavior. A comprehensive understanding of such field measurements can be achieved by systematically comparing and interpreting DTS data in conjunction with robust numerical models. However, many existing wellbore models rely on steady-state heat transfer assumptions that fail to capture transient dynamics, while fully coupled wellbore–reservoir simulations are often computationally demanding and mathematically complex. This study aims to address this gap by developing a transient wellbore heat transfer model validated with DTS data. The model was formulated using a thermal-analogy approach based on the theoretical framework of Eickmeier et al. and implemented with a finite-difference scheme. Validation was performed by comparing thermal slug velocities predicted by the model with those extracted from DTS measurements. The results demonstrated strong agreement between modeled and measured slug velocities, confirming the model’s reliability. In addition, the modeled thermal slug velocity was lower than the corresponding fluid velocity, indicating that thermal front propagates more slowly than the fluid front. Consequently, this computationally efficient approach enhances the interpretation of DTS data and offers a practical tool for improved monitoring and management of geothermal operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Sensing Techniques in Petroleum Engineering)
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