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Completion Tool Company

Ernest O Sodich

Edward T Wood

Disclosed is an apparatus for generating seismic waves in a well bore, which apparatus includes a tubular expandable and contractible outer anchor wall, a seslf-contained anchor setting hydraulic system to expand the anchor into anchored position in the bore hole, a self-contained vibrator hydraulic system operable to cycle pressure impulses to the interior of the tubular expandable and contractible outer anchor wall effective to produce and radiate seismic waves, a cable including electric lines for locating the apparatus in the well bore, and switch means at the surface for controlling the operation of the apparatus. The apparatus is useful for geophysical investigation including vertical seismic profiling and cross hole tomography.

Apparatus for generating seismic waves

A valve system for use in inflating packers mounted on mandrels is disclosed. The valve system uses one valve to permit, through the use of seals, the flow of fluid from the interior of a tubular mandrel to the interior of the inflatable packer when pressure applied in the mandrel exceeds at least a minimum pressure.

Packer valve arrangement

In generating seismic waves in earth a generator having a generally elongate, tubular expandable and contractible outer wall portion closed at its upper and lower ends by rigid strength members having separate input and return pressure lines is placed in a well bore, a hydraulic coupling pressure is applied through the input line which causes the expandable wall portion to engage and remain coupled with and in direct contact with the earth wall in the well bore and hydraulic pressure impulses are then cycled through the input and return lines at pressures greater than the coupling pressure to cause further expansion of the expandable wall portion, thereby generating and radiating seismic waves in the earth upon application of each impulse while maintaining the hydraulic coupling pressure sufficient to effectively maintain the outer wall anchored to the wall of the bore hole. The coupling pressure should be sufficient to anchor and couple the transducer to the well bore without any additional anchoring. The pressure impulses should be sufficiently higher than the coupling pressure to create motion in the earth within the earth's elastic range. In marsh or marine waters, the coupling pressure is omitted and the generator is placed in the water above the earth.

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Caldwell, TX, United States of America

Ernest O Sodich