13.1 Overview of DTS

Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) is a technology where one sensor can collect temperature data that is spatially distributed over many thousands of individual measurement points throughout a facility. DTS requires that the facilities being monitored—for example, wellbores or pipelines—are fitted with fiber optic cable for gathering temperature data along the entire length, instead of using individual gauges.

While still a relatively young technology in the oil and gas industry, DTS and other fiber technologies are offering a lot of promise for improved temperature monitoring and for quickly detecting production-related problems. Research is showing that, in addition to temperature sensing, fiber optic technology can also be used to detect sound, pressure, flow, and fluid composition. For more information about DTS, see 16 Appendix for DTS: Fiber Optic Technology and DTS Measurements .