The United States of America as Represented by the United States

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Energy

University of Arkansas

Seismic Recovery, LLC

Jack Howard Cole

Dennis Ray Wilson

James F Brett

Will J Myers

David M Weinberg

Michael W Dacus

Samuel Scott Lovin

Joey Earl Turner, Jr

Robert Victor Westermark

Yong Fong Tay

A gerotor and bearing apparatus for a whirling mass orbital vibrator which generates vibration in a borehole. The apparatus includes a gerotor with an inner gear rotated by a shaft having one less lobe than an outer gear. A whirling mass is attached to the shaft. At least one bearing is attached to the shaft so that the bearing engages at least one sleeve. A mechanism is provided to rotate the inner gear, the mass and the bearing in a selected rotational direction in order to cause the mass, the inner gear, and the bearing to backwards whirl in an opposite rotational direction. The backwards whirling mass creates seismic vibrations.

Gerotor and bearing system for whirling mass orbital vibrator

Methods of performing down hole operations in a wellbore. A vibrational source is positioned within a tubular member such that an annulus is formed between the vibrational source and an interior surface of the tubular member. A fluid medium, such as high bulk modulus drilling mud, is disposed within the annulus. The vibrational source forms a fluid coupling with the tubular member through the fluid medium to transfer vibrational energy to the tubular member. The vibrational energy may be used, for example, to free a stuck tubular, consolidate a cement slurry and/or detect voids within a cement slurry prior to the curing thereof.

Methods of performing downhole operations using orbital vibrator energy sources

The pump has a fixed gear axis eccentricity and varies displacement by moving controlling elements linearly along the drive shaft. A pressure compensator may be employed to displace the controlling elements. The pump includes a housing penetrated by a drive shaft rotating internal elements. The internal components slide along the longitudinal axis established by the drive shaft to vary the fluid displacement of the pump. The axially-moving elements include the drive shaft, inner gerotor element, port plug, thrust bearing and retainer sleeve. The drive shaft includes an internal flanged forming a piston. The outward face of the piston is in contact with fluid at system pressure. The internal gerotor element and port plug are retained against the piston by a thrust bearing that slides over the drive shaft and is held in place by a retainer sleeve. The port plug has a rear face that also functions as a piston and this face is the same size as the flanged piston. Thus, the outward piston face and rear face of the port plug can push the assembly in the housing along the longitudinal axis established by the driveshaft. A pressure compensator senses the system pressure and then displaces the axially-moving elements to produce the required displacement. The compensator is controlled by pressure operating against a return spring. The pressure compensator may either be external or integral with the pump.

Pressure compensated variable displacement internal gear pumps

The density of the fluid flowing through a tubular member may be measured by a device comprising a rotor assembly suspended within the tubular member, a fluid bearing medium for the rotor assembly shaft, independent fluid flow lines to each bearing chamber, and a scheme for detection of any difference between the upstream and downstream bearing fluid pressures. The rotor assembly reacts to fluid flow both by rotation and axial displacement; therefore concurrent measurements may be made of the velocity of blade rotation and also bearing pressure changes, where the pressure changes may be equated to the fluid momentum flux imparted to the rotor blades. From these parameters the flow velocity and density of the fluid may be deduced.

Pressure balanced drag turbine mass flow meter

A device for measuring the fluid density of a two-phase mixture flowing through a tubular member. A rotor assembly is rotatively supported within the tubular member so that it can also move axially within the tubular member. The rotor assembly is balanced against a pair of springs which exert an axial force in the opposite direction upon the rotor assembly. As a two-phase mixture flows through the tubular member it contacts the rotor assembly causing it to rotate about its axis. The rotor assembly is forced against and partially compresses the springs. Means are provided to measure the rotational speed of the rotor assembly and the linear displacement of the rotor assembly. From these measurements the fluid density of the two-phase mixture is calculated.

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Fayetteville, AR, United States of America

Jack Howard Cole