Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Jerome Allen Truax

Weijun Guo

Paul F Rodney

Daniel David Gleitman

James Elmer Galford

Daniel Francois Dorffer

Ronald L Spross

Larry Alan Jacobson

Dingding Chen

Gordon Layne Moake

John Andrew Quirein

Philip Edmund Fox

Andrew Albert Hrametz

Moustafa E Oraby

Steve Zannoni

Stephen A Zannoni

Carlos Haramboure

Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to provide pipe analysis, annulus analysis, or one or more combinations of pipe analysis and annulus analysis with respect to one or more pipes in a wellbore. The analysis can include application of clustering and classification methods with respect to the status and the environment of the one or more pipes in the wellbore. In various embodiments, the clustering and classification can be used in characterizing borehole annular material including cement bond quality evaluation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Apparatus and methods of analysis of pipe and annulus in a wellbore

A method and system for determining a property of a sample of fluid in a borehole. A fluid sample is collected in a downhole tool. While collecting, X-rays are transmitted proximate the fluid from an X-ray source in the tool and an X-ray flux that is a function of a property of the fluid is detected. The detected X-ray flux data is processed to determine the property of the fluid.

Downhole x-ray source fluid identification system and method

Determining a parameter associated with a formation corrected for neutrons produced. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: disposing a logging tool within a borehole, the borehole penetrates a formation; producing neutrons by a neutron source within the logging tool; detecting neutrons produced by the neutron source, the detecting by a neutron detector; creating an indication of a number of neutrons produced by the neutron source, the indication based only on neutrons detected that have not interacted with other elements before entering the neutron detector; obtaining a count rate of a gamma detector responsive to the production of neutrons by the neutron source; and determining a parameter associated with the formation based on the count rate and on the indication of the number of neutrons produced.

Method and system of determining a parameter associated with a formation corrected for neutrons produced

Downhole X-ray source fluid identification system and method

Downhole fluid typing with pulsed neutron logging. A method comprises obtaining at least one capture gamma count rate at a particular borehole depth, calculating a fluid type indicative response value for the borehole depth, and determining at least one fluid type based on the response value. A system comprises a downhole tool, including a neutron source, at least one gamma detector, and a processor coupled to a memory. The memory stores a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to obtain at least one capture gamma count rate for a particular borehole depth. The processor calculates a fluid type indicative response value for the borehole depth and determines at least one fluid type based on the response value.

Systems and methods for downhole fluid typing with pulsed neutron logging

Water salinity and water saturation measurements are enhanced by systems and methods for logging salt concentration in formation fluids. Some tool embodiments augment a neutron porosity logging tool with a gamma ray detector configured to measure the rate at which hydrogen nuclei capture neutrons from a neutron source. The ratio of the hydrogen-capture gamma ray count rate to the neutron flux can be combined with a porosity measurement to derive the salt concentration in the formation fluids. When the salt concentration is further combined with resistivity measurements, the water salinity and water saturation can be derived. Some tool embodiments employ a continuous neutron source, Helium-3 filled neutron detectors, and a gamma ray detector that is the same distance from the source as one of the neutron detectors.

Salt concentration logging systems and methods

Determining a value indicative of gas saturation of a formation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including obtaining an inelastic count rate and a capture count rate of a gamma detector for a particular borehole depth, calculating a ratio of an inelastic count rate to a capture count rate for the particular borehole depth, determining a value indicative of gas saturation based on the ratio of the inelastic count rate to the capture count rate for the particular borehole depth, repeating the obtaining, calculating and determining for a plurality of borehole depths, and producing a plot of the value indicative of gas saturation of the formation as a function of borehole depth.

Method and system of determining a value indicative of gas saturation of a formation

A method and system for calculating extent of a formation treatment material in a formation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising releasing neutrons into a formation from a neutron source of a logging tool within a borehole having an axis, sensing energies of gammas produced by materials in the formation, the sensing by a gamma detector on the logging tool, generating a measured spectrum of the energies of the gammas sensed by the gamma detector, determining elemental concentrations of materials in the formation based on a basis spectrum, and calculating axial extent of a formation treatment material in the formation in relation to the axis of the borehole based on the elemental concentrations of at least some materials in the formation.

Method and system for calculating extent of a formation treatment material in a formation

Nuclear logging tool. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising placing a logging tool within a borehole proximate to an earth formation, releasing energetic neutrons from the logging tool, and receiving (at a detector within the logging tool) gamma returns indicative of interactions of the neutrons with elements of the logging tool and elements of the formation, and the gammas indicative of neutron interactions with elements of the logging tool are substantially free from gammas indicative of interactions with iron atoms.

Nuclear logging tool

A method and related system of pulsed-neutron logging. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are a method comprising releasing neutrons from a neutron source of a logging tool within a borehole, detecting gamma rays by a sensor on the logging tool (the gamma rays produced by capture of at least some of the neutrons, and wherein the detecting produces sensed gamma rays), determining from the sensed gamma rays a point in time at which gamma rays produced within the borehole reach a predetermined threshold, and using the sensed gamma rays detected after the point in time to determine a parameter of a formation surrounding the borehole.

Method and related system of pulsed neutron logging

We disclose density measurement methods that are accurate over an extended range of standoff distances. One method embodiment includes: a) obtaining a standoff distance, a near detector count rate, and a far detector count rate; b) determining a formation density measurement using near and far detector count rates when the standoff distance is less than a predetermined value; and c) determining the formation density measurement using just the far detector count rate and the standoff distance measurement when the standoff distance is greater than the predetermined value. The method may further include calculating a calibration parameter when the standoff distance is less than the predetermined value. The calibration parameter serves to calibrate a standoff-based correction to the far detector count rate, enabling accurate formation density measurements at large standoff distances. The measurements are made with a rotating logging tool, causing the standoff distance to cycle between large and small values.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Jerome Allen Truax