Last week, AIMOLI participated in the 2026 China International Oil and Gas Exploration Technology Annual Conference. During the exhibition, our products attracted widespread attention from customers at home and abroad. Among them, KEN, an engineer from an African oil company, expressed a clear intention to include our products in their procurement plan after learning about the AML920.
KEN stayed at our booth for quite a long time. After carefully watching the demonstration video of the AML920, he asked me a question:
“The water is so turbid. How can you clearly see the groundwater flow direction?”
It was a very straightforward question, and it addressed a practical challenge in groundwater flow direction measurement.
What was shown in the video was not clean water prepared in a laboratory, but actual raw water from underground, containing mud and sand. It was almost impossible to see what was happening inside the water with the naked eye. However, on the AML920 screen, particle movement in the water was clearly visible, and the flow direction could also be continuously captured.
This is exactly the problem we wanted to solve when developing this groundwater flow direction meter: whether the underground water is clear or turbid, we must be able to obtain actual groundwater velocity and flow direction data in a direct and intuitive way, rather than simply relying on indirect calculations to produce a result.
1. Why Is Groundwater Flow Direction Measurement So Important?
During oil and gas field exploration and development, groundwater velocity and groundwater flow direction are important parameters that must be monitored.
Whether it involves well location planning, oil and gas extraction, injection-production relationship analysis, or water invasion monitoring, accurate judgment of groundwater flow patterns is essential.
If groundwater flow direction is determined inaccurately, subsequent engineering decisions may be based on incorrect geological assumptions. If problems such as water invasion or ground subsidence occur during development, investigating the groundwater flow pathways afterward will cost much more than a single monitoring expense.
In 2026, China Petroleum and Chemical News reported a field test conducted by Gas Production Plant No. 3 of Sinopec Southwest Oil and Gas Company. After researchers injected a tracer, they detected the same components in a neighboring well 2.3 kilometers away, eight days later. This demonstrated that underground fracture connectivity existed between the two wells.
This test illustrates a very important issue: groundwater may spread rapidly along fractures, thereby affecting natural gas reservoir development. It may even cause large quantities of natural gas to become blocked by water, reducing the recoverable reserves of the entire area.
Therefore, groundwater flow direction is not simply a directional parameter. It is an important basis for oil and gas field development, safety monitoring, and engineering decision-making.
Our development of the AML920 groundwater flow direction meter is intended to make the groundwater movement process directly observable, continuously recordable, and quantitatively analyzable, providing field engineers with more intuitive measurement data.
2. Groundwater Flow Direction Measurement in Oil and Gas Wells Must Solve Three Major Challenges
In actual oil and gas field environments, groundwater flow direction measurement is not as simple as monitoring ordinary environmental wells. We believe that at least three key problems must be addressed.
1. Measurement Depth: Ordinary Equipment Cannot Meet Deep-Well Requirements
Ordinary environmental monitoring wells are usually only tens to hundreds of meters deep, while oil and gas exploration wells can easily reach thousands of meters.
This means that a groundwater flow direction meter must not only have sufficient lowering depth but must also consider cable configuration, pressure resistance, and the impact of downhole conditions on the equipment.
Currently, mainstream imported colloidal pipeline cameras mainly use optical lenses to observe particles in water. According to their published specifications, their maximum working depth is 305 meters (1,000 feet). If deeper wells need to be accessed, customization is required, and both procurement prices and delivery times will increase accordingly.
For deep-well measurements in oil and gas fields, 305 meters is clearly insufficient for all application requirements.
The conventional working depth of AML920 is approximately 1,000 meters, and it can be customized to reach 3,000 meters for deep wells. The specific configuration is subject to the technical agreement.
2. Complex Working Conditions: Both Water That Is Too Clear and Water That Is Too Turbid Can Affect Measurement
The underground environment in oil and gas wells is relatively complex. Oil, gas, and water may exist simultaneously, and different well conditions may also involve high-temperature or low-temperature environments.
Traditional colloidal pipeline cameras have certain requirements for water conditions. According to publicly available information, their minimum identifiable particle size is 10 micrometers.
There is a practical problem here:
- When the water is too clear, there are insufficient trackable particles in the field of view, making it difficult for the equipment to obtain effective particle movement information.
- When the water is too turbid, suspended matter causes light scattering, affecting particle identification and imaging.
In other words, excessively high or low water transparency may affect the performance of traditional optical measurement equipment.
It is important to clarify that the turbid water we refer to contains suspended particles, making it impossible to see the bottom of the water with the naked eye, but it still has certain optical observation conditions. If the suspended particle concentration is so high that light cannot effectively pass through the observation window, this is a different working condition that requires a separate evaluation.
The AML920 groundwater flow direction meter adopts a different approach:
In turbid water environments, suspended particles in the water are used as natural tracer particles. In clear water environments, our independently developed contrast agent is used to make particle movement identifiable.
Turbid water relies on suspended particles, while clear water relies on our self-developed contrast agent. What we solve is the problem of observing groundwater flow direction in water bodies with different levels of transparency.
3. Monitoring Costs: Traditional Inter-Well Tracer Tests Require Coordination Between Multiple Wells
At present, inter-well tracer testing remains a commonly used method in traditional groundwater flow research.
The basic process is to inject a tracer into one well and then arrange for regular sampling from multiple surrounding wells. By detecting changes in tracer concentration, the groundwater migration pathways and flow conditions are inferred.
In actual projects, coordinated monitoring involving three to five wells is not uncommon, and the entire process usually takes several days.
Shallow-well projects may still be able to bear these costs, but when deep wells are involved, drilling, sampling, personnel, and time costs all increase significantly.
The AML920 groundwater flow direction meter, however, adopts a single-well real-time continuous measurement method. It does not rely on coordination between multiple wells to obtain information about the local flow field inside a single well.
Comparison of Three Groundwater Flow Direction Measurement Solutions
| Comparison Dimension | Imported Colloidal Pipeline Camera | Inter-Well Tracer Test | AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement Principle | Uses optical lenses to observe particles in water | Injects tracers, collects samples from neighboring wells, and infers concentration curves | Particle tracer imaging, with its own invention patent CN120027865B |
| Working Depth | 305 meters (1,000 feet); deeper applications require customization | Depends on the number of wells; deep-well costs increase sharply | Approximately 1,000 meters conventionally; customizable to 3,000 meters for deep wells, subject to the technical agreement |
| Turbid Water Adaptability | Too clear means insufficient particles; too turbid causes light scattering. Both conditions can affect performance | Not affected by water transparency | Uses suspended particles in turbid water and a self-developed contrast agent in clear water |
| Measurement Method | Optical particle observation | Multi-well sampling and analysis | Single-well real-time continuous measurement |
| Cost and Duration | Deep-depth customization increases prices and delivery times | Usually requires coordination between three to five wells, with a duration measured in days | Does not require multi-well coordination to obtain the local flow field of a single well |
The comparison of these three solutions shows that they follow different technical approaches to solving groundwater flow direction measurement problems.
Our development of AML920 is not simply about increasing the observation distance of the equipment. Instead, it addresses practical problems from three aspects: water adaptability, measurement depth, and the acquisition of three-dimensional flow field information within a single well.
3. How Can the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter Still See Through Such Turbid Water?
When many customers first hear that particle imaging can also be performed in turbid water, their first thought is: Does the equipment simply have an especially powerful illumination light?
In fact, that is not the case.
Particle tracer imaging does not measure the water far away. Instead, it measures a very thin layer of water directly in front of the probe’s observation window.
We use a particle movement tracking method rather than relying on powerful light to penetrate an entire body of turbid water.
Specifically:
First, suspended particles in turbid water can themselves serve as natural tracer particles.
Second, through the illumination system and CCD image acquisition system, particles within the observation area are continuously photographed.
Third, by analyzing changes in particle positions between two adjacent image frames, the flow velocity is calculated based on the particle movement distance and the time interval.
Fourth, the geomagnetic compass is used to determine direction. The movement trajectories of multiple particles are then combined to obtain flow field information within the observation area.
This is the basic measurement principle of the AML920 groundwater flow direction meter.
For clear water, since there are insufficient natural suspended particles in the water, we use our independently developed contrast agent to make previously difficult-to-identify particle movements observable.
Therefore, different tracer methods are used for clear water and turbid water, but the ultimate objective is the same: to obtain groundwater velocity and flow direction information.
Technical Differences Between AML920 and Traditional Colloidal Pipeline Cameras
It is important to make an objective clarification. According to the publicly available information on imported colloidal pipeline cameras, their minimum identifiable particle size is also 10 micrometers. We do not claim that AML920 has superior particle identification capabilities in this particular specification.
The real differences lie in water adaptability and measurement results.
Traditional colloidal pipeline cameras may be affected when the water is either too clear or too turbid. AML920 addresses particle tracing in both turbid and clear water environments through natural suspended particles and our independently developed contrast agent, respectively.
At the same time, AML920 can measure not only horizontal flow velocity and flow direction but also vertical seepage information. Through a three-dimensional vector algorithm, it reconstructs the flow field inside the well.
This is also an important technical direction behind our independent development of this groundwater flow direction meter.
Independent Invention Patent: CN120027865B
The particle tracer imaging technology adopted by AML920 is protected by our own invention patent, with the authorized publication number CN120027865B.
This patent protects the structure used for measuring velocity and flow direction through downhole particle imaging.
Its basic principle is as follows: an illumination lamp illuminates colloidal particles, a reflector projects particle images onto the objective lens for imaging, and video analysis is then used to obtain particle movement information. Finally, groundwater velocity and flow direction are calculated.
For us, the significance of this technology is not simply that the equipment can capture images of underground water. More importantly, it converts the groundwater movement process, which was previously difficult to observe directly, into data that can be analyzed and calculated.
4. What Is the Difference Between Seeing Groundwater Movement and Obtaining Only an Indirectly Calculated Number?
I have always believed that groundwater flow direction measurement should not focus only on the final number obtained. We should pay more attention to how that number is derived.
Obtaining an indirectly calculated result through traditional indirect methods and directly observing particle movement on a screen are two different measurement experiences.
Through AML920, field personnel can observe particle movement within the observation area in real time, determine whether the probe is aligned with the water-producing layer, and observe whether the water is flowing horizontally or whether upward or downward seepage exists.
This means that groundwater flow direction measurement is no longer simply a matter of waiting for test results. Instead, analysis can be conducted using real-time images together with calculated data.
Why Must Groundwater Flow Direction Measurement Consider Three-Dimensional Vectors?
Groundwater does not necessarily move only in the horizontal direction.
In actual downhole environments, water may flow horizontally, or it may have vertical seepage moving upward or downward.
If measurement equipment only obtains data from a single plane, vertical movement information may be overlooked, which can affect the judgment of aquifer stratification structures and local flow fields.
AML920 simultaneously captures horizontal flow velocity, horizontal flow direction, and vertical seepage. Through a three-dimensional vector algorithm, it reconstructs the water movement conditions within a single well.
What we focus on is not only which direction groundwater flows but also how it moves in the vertical direction.
This is also an important difference between AML920 and solutions that only provide measurement results for horizontal flow direction.
5. Core Technical Specifications of the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter
For procurement personnel and engineering technicians, product principles are certainly important, but actual purchasing decisions must also consider specific technical specifications.
The following are the published nominal specifications of our AML920 groundwater flow direction meter.
| Parameter | AML920 Technical Specifications |
|---|---|
| Measurement Principle | Particle tracer imaging, with its own invention patent CN120027865B, protecting the structure for measuring downhole particle imaging flow velocity and direction |
| Applicable Water Conditions | Suspended particles are used as natural tracers in turbid water; our self-developed contrast agent is added to visualize particles in clear water |
| Observation Field of View | 2.7 mm × 2 mm |
| Depth of Field | 0.2 mm |
| Magnification | Approximately 130× |
| Minimum Identifiable Particle Size | 10 micrometers |
| Measurement Dimensions | Horizontal flow velocity, horizontal flow direction, and vertical seepage, with three-dimensional vector reconstruction within a single well |
| Data Frequency | Real-time continuous measurement, thousands of data sets per minute, with synchronized image recording |
| Conventional Working Depth | Approximately 1,000 meters |
| Customized Deep-Well Depth | Can be customized to 3,000 meters, subject to the technical agreement |
As can be seen from these specifications, AML920 is not merely a downhole device for observing water. It is a professional instrument developed specifically for measuring groundwater velocity, flow direction, and three-dimensional flow fields.
For customers who need to conduct deep-well groundwater flow direction monitoring, downhole flow field analysis in oil and gas fields, and aquifer seepage research, these specifications can provide a basis for preliminary equipment selection and technical solution design.
6. We Must Also Clearly Explain the Application Boundaries of the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter
Every measurement device has its own applicable range. We will not claim that every working condition can be addressed simply because we need to introduce our product.
For AML920, the following three points must be clarified in advance.
1. The 3,000-meter depth is the upper limit of its customization capability. It does not mean that every well can be directly configured for a depth of 3,000 meters.
In actual applications, evaluation is required based on well diameter, well deviation, well temperature, medium conditions, and cable configuration. The specific solution must be confirmed in the project technical agreement.
2. Single-well measurement results represent the local flow field at the measurement location. They do not represent the groundwater flow field of the entire region.
AML920 can obtain local three-dimensional vector information at the single-well measurement location. However, if it is necessary to determine regional groundwater flow fields, inter-well connectivity, and water invasion pathways, monitoring data from multiple wells must still be considered.
Multi-well tracer testing remains a commonly used method for determining inter-well connectivity and water invasion pathways. The availability of a single-well groundwater flow direction meter does not mean that traditional multi-well tracer methods are no longer necessary.
3. The flow velocity measured inside a well is not equivalent to the Darcy velocity of the aquifer.
AML920 measures the movement velocity of water inside the well. If this value needs to be further converted into the Darcy velocity of the aquifer, corrections must be made based on parameters such as effective porosity and well structure.
We believe that clearly explaining what the equipment can measure and what its measurements cannot directly represent is more important than simply emphasizing product advantages.
Only when the measurement boundaries are clearly defined can the resulting data truly be used for engineering analysis.
7. Frequently Asked Questions About Groundwater Flow Direction Meters (FAQ)
FAQ 1: Can Groundwater Flow Direction Still Be Measured When the Water Is Extremely Turbid?
Yes, but an evaluation must be conducted based on the actual suspended particle concentration and optical conditions of the water.
In turbid water environments, AML920 can use suspended particles as natural tracer particles. It does not need to penetrate an entire body of turbid water to observe objects in the distance.
Its measurement focuses on local particle movement directly in front of the probe’s observation window. Actual measurement performance is related to suspended particle concentration, illumination conditions, particle distribution, and algorithm parameters.
If the suspended particle concentration is too high, preventing light from effectively passing through the observation window, the specific well conditions must be evaluated.
FAQ 2: What If the Groundwater Is Too Clear and Contains No Suspended Particles?
For clear water environments with insufficient suspended particles, AML920 can use our independently developed contrast agent for visualization.
Therefore, natural suspended particles can be used in turbid water, while a contrast agent can provide additional tracing conditions in clear water. This addresses the problem of observing groundwater flow direction in two different water environments.
FAQ 3: How Deep Can the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter Measure?
The conventional working depth of AML920 is approximately 1,000 meters. For deep-well projects, it can be customized to reach 3,000 meters according to actual working conditions.
The 3,000-meter depth represents the upper limit of its customization capability. Whether it can be applied to a specific well must be determined based on well diameter, well deviation, well temperature, medium conditions, and cable configuration. The final specifications are subject to the technical agreement.
FAQ 4: Can the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter Measure Water Flow in Both Horizontal and Vertical Directions?
Yes.
AML920 can measure not only horizontal flow velocity and flow direction but also capture vertical seepage information. Through a three-dimensional vector algorithm, it reconstructs the local water movement conditions within a single well.
This has practical significance for studying aquifer stratification structures and complex downhole flow fields.
FAQ 5: Is Thousands of Data Sets Per Minute an Exclusive Technical Advantage of AML920?
No.
Thousands of data sets per minute is a data acquisition capability that this type of particle imaging equipment can achieve. We will not present it as an exclusive technology.
The features of AML920 that deserve greater attention are its ability to obtain horizontal and vertical flow information within a single well, generate three-dimensional vector results, and simultaneously preserve image records.
FAQ 6: Can AML920 Completely Replace Traditional Inter-Well Tracer Tests?
This cannot be understood in such a simple way.
AML920 mainly addresses the real-time measurement of local flow fields inside a single well, while traditional inter-well tracer tests can be used to study connectivity between different wells and water migration pathways.
The measurement objectives and application ranges of these two methods are different. In actual oil and gas field projects, they can be selected according to research objectives or used together.
FAQ 7: What Application Scenarios Is the AML920 Groundwater Flow Direction Meter Suitable For?
It is mainly designed for application scenarios that require downhole groundwater velocity, flow direction, and local three-dimensional flow field information, including:
- Downhole flow field monitoring during oil and gas field exploration and development.
- Groundwater flow direction and velocity measurement.
- Deep-well groundwater seepage research.
- Aquifer stratification structure analysis.
- Downhole horizontal flow and vertical seepage monitoring.
- Groundwater migration pattern research and related hydrogeological studies.
Specific applicability must be determined according to well conditions and project technical requirements.
8. Making Groundwater Flow Direction Measurement No Longer a Matter of Luck
Before the exhibition ended, I had another conversation with KEN.
He said that they also frequently encountered similar problems during oil exploration work. Some wells had complex downhole water conditions, making it difficult for conventional methods to directly observe groundwater movement. Sometimes, they could only rely on experience and other indirect data to make judgments.
This is actually one of the practical problems we had been focusing on before developing AML920.
The fact that groundwater cannot be seen does not mean that its movement patterns cannot be measured.
Through particle tracer imaging technology, we hope to make the movement of underground water observable, recordable, and analyzable.
When the water is clear, our self-developed contrast agent can be used for tracing. When the water is turbid, natural suspended particles can be used for measurement.
The conventional well depth is approximately 1,000 meters, and deep wells can be customized to 3,000 meters. The equipment can obtain not only horizontal flow velocity and flow direction but also simultaneously analyze vertical seepage.
We develop groundwater flow direction meters not to make customers buy another piece of equipment, but to make the previously invisible groundwater movement process something that can truly be measured.
Groundwater velocity and flow direction are important data in oil and gas field exploration and development. Critical judgments should no longer be left to luck.
If your project also faces challenges involving turbid water measurement, deep-well monitoring, or three-dimensional groundwater flow field measurement, please feel free to contact us. We can provide AML920 technical specifications, applicability assessments, and customized solutions based on your specific well conditions.
