Texaco Inc.

Halliburton Company

Halliburton Logging Services, Inc.

Other

Physics, Inc.

Dan M Arnold

Hans J Paap

Harry D Smith, Jr

Harold E Peelman

Robert W Pitts, Jr

Ward E Schultz

Hubert D Scott

Donald J Dowling

Wilbur Leslie Dublin, Jr

Larry L Gadeken

Albert P Richter

Wayne F Warren

Irwin R Supernaw

Obie M Langford

Richard A Meador

Carl A Robbins

Michael P Smith

Hugh E Hall, Jr

Kenneth James Smith

Arthur Jurgen Link

This invention is directed toward a bearing system for a rotating element, and more particularly directed toward an bearing system which provides an auxiliary bearing system if the primary bearing fails. Transfer of load from the failing primary bearing to one or more auxiliary bearings is initiated by conditions generated by the failing primary bearing such as abnormal heat generation or abnormal torque impulses. Alternately, the invention can be used to prevent primary bearing failure by transferring load to the secondary bearing system if the primary bearing is overloaded. The transfer of load is completely automatic requiring no human intervention. A signal or warning is, however, emitted by the bearing system to notify that loading has been transferred to one or more auxiliary bearings. The invention is directed toward an auxiliary bearing system for tapered roller bearings used in rail cars. In railroad applications, the auxiliary bearing system allows time for the train to be safely stopped in the event of roller bearing failure, thereby significantly reducing the number of catastrophic bearing failures which often lead to hazardous and costly train derailments.

Auxiliary bearing system

The present invention is directed toward the determination of moisture content per unit volume of material penetrated by a gas filled borehole. An alternate application of the invention is the detection of fractures and vugular cavities in the immediate vicinity of a liquid filled borehole. The apparatus comprises a probe which is conveyed along the borehole. The probe contains a source of neutrons and an epithermal neutron detector at essentially zero longitudinal spacing from the neutron source along the axis of the borehole. In the preferred embodiment, the neutron source is Californium-252 and the epithermal neutron detector comprises a glass scintillator. The response of the system is independent of the thermal neutron absorption properties of the material and the fluid within the borehole.

Zero-spaced epithermal neutron moisture detection system

A method for measuring the linear flow velocity, radial position, direction, and the flow rate of water flowing within and behind a well borehole casing. A logging tool containing a source of essentially monoenergetic 14 MeV neutrons and at least one gamma ray detector is positioned within the well borehole opposite the zone in which water flow measurements are desired. The neutron source is turned on thereby irradiating any flowing water and other areas in the vicinity of the well borehole with high energy neutrons. After a predetermined irradiation time, the neutron source is turned off. Following a quiescent period of several milliseconds to allow thermal capture gamma radiation to decay to a negligible level, the gamma ray detector is turned on and the count rate from the N-16 induced within the flowing water is recorded as a function of time. The linear flow velocity, the Full Width Half Maximum time period, and the total count are determined directly from the resulting count rate curve. The radial position and the flow rate are determined using the predetermined relationship between the Full Width Half Maximum time period, radial position, and linear flow velocity, and the predetermined relationship between linear flow velocity, radial position, and the ratio of the flow rate to the total count for the logging tool. The direction of flow is determined by sensing the presence or absence of flowing N-16 above or below the source.

Oxygen activation method for quantitative water flow measurements within

Formation fluid flows in earth formations (37) opposite a perforated (40) wellbore (15) zone are measured and monitored by injecting radioactive tracers (50) into the perforations (40), blocking the perforations to retain the tracers (50) in the formation (37), monitoring the apparent decay rates (58) of the injected tracers (50), and then determining the rate at which the tracers are being carrier away by fluid movements in the formation (37). From this the flow rate (60) of the fluids in the earth formations (37) adjacent the borehole interval is inferred.

Method and apparatus for measuring horizontal fluid flow in downhole

A fluid flow and simultaneous fluid density measuring device is set forth. The preferred embodiment incorporates a sonde having a lower inlet port, an upper outlet port, a lengthwise tube extending through the sonde and connected with the ports. A packer provides external isolation to direct all fluid flow into the tube. A float within the tube is buoyantly raised primarily as a function of fluid velocity and fluid density, and the position of the float is measured by placing a radioactive source in the float and measuring the count rate at spaced detectors to ascertain float location. Fluid is simultaneously measured by determining the radiation count rate attenuation of the fluid. With other fixed parameters and measurement of the float position and fluid density, the fluid flow rate can be determined. Both method and apparatus are set forth.

Simultaneous fluid flow and fluid density measurements using rotameter

This disclosure is directed to a scintillation crystal surrounded by a sleeve and having a window formed therein. The scintillation crystal has end located first and second photomultiplier tubes which provide output signals. A scintillation event observed in the crystal is seen by both photomultiplier tubes and both form output signals. The output signals have a relationship determining the point of impingement along the length of crystal of the photon gamma radiation; in turn, that photon is located relative to a surrounding shield having a helical window formed therein so that the relative angle of impingement can be determined. The relative angle is then converted into the absolute angle relative to the well borehole by referencing a north seeking gyroscope supported by the sonde. The output signals are also used to determine the energy of the impinging gamma radiation using well known pulse height analysis spectroscopy techniques.

Directional gamma ray spectrometer

A tracer injection method is set forth and is practiced by using spaced end located injectors on a sonde having spaced detectors along the length of the sonde. The injectors inject radioactive isotopes which are distinguishable from one another at the detectors. The method contemplates simultaneous injection of different isotopes, making measurements to determine fluid flow velocity in the casing, and selecting peaks to obtain measurements of the fluid flow velocity in leaks through the casing into external channels along the casing.

Tracer injection method

A method and apparatus (43) are disclosed for natural gamma ray spectral logging of a well borehole (41) to determine the abundances of uranium (U), potassium (K), and thorium (Th) gamma rays in the earth formations (46) adjacent to the borehole (41), and for compensating for borehole attenuation effects upon such gamma photons caused by scattering and absorption phenomena in the materials (42) within the borehole.

Gamma ray borehole logging method and apparatus having compensation for

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for logging a borehole. A sonde having a source of penetrating radiation and at least two longitudinally-spaced radiation detectors is passed within a borehole. Count rate data is produced by each of the detectors and is continuously compared to predetermined count rate relationships which may be obtained from detectors operating in reference standard boreholes. In accordance with this count rate data comparison, the suitability of either the 'ratio' or 'spine/rib' analytical method is determined and the appropriate technique is automatically applied to produce an indication of a logged parameter such as formation porosity, selectively compensated for a borehole environmental condition such as variations in borehole diameter.

Method and apparatus for logging a borehole employing dual radiation

A multi-function compensated spectral natural gamma ray logging method provides for determining formation and borehole characteristics directly from naturally occurring formation radiation. The method, which measures formation lithology in open holes and mean casing thickness in cased wells, incorporates active compensation for differences in borehole conditions when calculating relative elemental formation abundancies or concentrations of potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (T).

Multi-function natural gamma ray logging system

The disclosure relates to a well logging method which is capable of providing an indication of salinity and water fraction of the production fluid of a borehole. This indication of borehole parameters may be obtained through the use of a conventional gamma ray logging system that detects gamma rays produced by isotopes created from neutron activation of oxygen, sodium, and chlorine that may be present in the production fluid. A logging sonde is passed twice through a portion of interest in the borehole at two different logging speeds. The fluid velocity relative to the sonde may be determined using these two logging speeds and a displacement distance which reflects the time required for a detector associated with the sonde to reach fluid activated by neutrons produced by the sonde. From these measurements and knowledge of the flow cross-section and parameters of the sonde, the fraction of water in the production fluid and the salinity of the water may be determined for each portion of interest of the borehole.

Method for logging fluid flow rate, water fraction, and/or salinity of

A method for measuring formation density is disclosed. It provides a corrected gamma gamma-type density log having a correction for the adverse effects of gamma radiation from thorium, uranium and potassium ore bodies. The adjacent formation is irradiated with gamma radiation preferably from a cesium (Cs.sup.137) source which emits gamma radiation at 0.663 Mev. Two differently longitudinally spaced detectors are used, a short spaced detector and a long spaced detector. A gamma ray spectrum observed at one of the detectors is broken down into four energy windows across the spectrum and count rate signals are determined and corrected to separate the naturally occurring gamma radiation from the scattered gamma radiation. This information may then be combined with count rate information from the other detector, thereby yielding a compensated density log corrected from naturally occurring gamma rays.

Borehole compensated density logs corrected for naturally occurring

Formations adjacent a well borehole are activated with neutrons from a pulsed neutron source in a sonde at an energy level, such as 14 MeV, to energize oxygen present in the formation and borehole, giving rise to gamma radiation from O.sup.16 (n,p)N.sup.16 reaction. Gamma radiation in the energy windows 3.25-4.00 MeV and 4.75-7.20 MeV is detected in a time gated detector and counted. Count rate contributions from the borehole and from the formation are differentiated on the basis of radial distance from the center of the sonde. In this manner, compensation for adverse effects of borehole oxygen activation on formation oxygen activation measurements of interest is achieved. Further, the neutron output intensity of the pulse neutron source may also be measured.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Dan M Arnold