We are excited to announce a recent publication by our group in Journal Name (ScienceDirect), titled “Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing for in‑well hydraulic fracture monitoring”. This study showcases the use of distributed fiber‑optic sensing (DFOS) technology to improve the real-time monitoring and characterization of hydraulic fractures within horizontal wells in unconventional reservoirs.
Highlights of the study include:
- Real-world deployment of fiber‑optic cables along the wellbore, enabling continuous, high‑resolution detection of temperature and strain.
- Real-time fracture mapping, allowing identification of fracture initiation points, propagation paths, and closure behavior during stimulation.
- Enhanced reservoir insight, including fracture height growth, fracture footprint, and completion effectiveness—crucial for optimizing well performance and reducing environmental impact.
- Validation with conventional methods, showing that DFOS complements or surpasses standard microseismic and pressure-based monitoring for comprehensive fracture assessment.
By integrating DFOS into field operations, this work advances our ability to monitor subsurface processes live and at scale. It demonstrates how emerging sensing technologies—led by researchers including Zhichao Zhang and Professor Kenichi Soga—can transform hydraulic fracturing design, reduce uncertainty, and support safer, more efficient energy extraction.