Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Prad Research and Development Nv

Services Petroliers Schlumberger

Schlumberger Holdings Limited

Prad Research and Development Limited

Joel Lee Groves

Peter D Wraight

Christian Stoller

Arthur J Becker

Etienne Vallee

Rod W Shampine

Jani Petteri Reijonen

Harold Pfutzner

Wolfgang P Ziegler

John J Simonetti

Anthony Durkowski

Oliver Clinton Mullins

Yi-Qiao Song

Kenneth Edward Stephenson

Patrice Ligneul

Luke T Perkins

Go Fujisawa

Robert A Adolph

Felix K Chen

Oleg Zhdaneev

Zilu Zhou

Lennox Reid

Jean-Pierre Poyet

Paul Wanjau

Frederic Gicquel

Roman Vladimirovich Korkin

Arthur D Liberman

Gary W Corris

Charles C Watson

Lev Zakharov

Jack L Purcell

Art Liberman

Tim Quinlan

Fabien Guizelin

Peter David Wraight

Felix Chen

Wolfgang Ziegler

Systems, methods, and apparatuses to identify functional issues of a neutron radiation generator are described. In certain aspects, a method includes receiving an operation extractor signal from an extractor electrode of a radiation generator, determining a calculated extractor signal of the radiation generator, and comparing the operation extractor signal to the calculated extractor signal. The calculated extractor signal may be determined from an operation acceleration signal from an acceleration member of the radiation generator, an operation electron beam signal from electrons backstreaming in the radiation generator, an ion signal of an ion beam of the radiation generator, or a combination thereof.

Method and apparatus to identify functional issues of a neutron radiation generator

Various embodiments for shortening the overall length of a pulsed neutron generator having a high voltage power supply are disclosed, including but not limited to, providing the plurality of stages of a high voltage power supply wrapped circumferentially or helically about a radiation generator tube. Various techniques for reducing voltage differentials and mitigating the risk of arcing in these embodiments are also disclosed.

Compact radiation generator

A neutron generator includes an ion source disposed in a pressurized environment containing an ionizable gas. The ion source includes a substrate with a bundle of carbon nanotubes extending therefrom. The ends of the nanotubes are spaced from a grid. Ion source voltage supply circuitry supplies a positive voltage potential between the substrate and the grid of the ion source to cause ionization of the ionizable gas and emission of ions through the grid. An ion accelerator section is disposed between the ion source and a target. The ion accelerator section accelerates ions that pass through the grid towards the target such that collisions of the ions with the target cause the target to generate and emit neutrons therefrom. The ion source, accelerator section and target are housed in a sealed tube and preferably the carbon nanotubes of the bundle are highly ordered with at least 10carbon nanotubes per cmthat extend in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the tube. The neutron generator provides gas ionization at much higher atomic to molecular ratio that the prior art, which allows for small compact size designs suitable for logging tools that are used in space-constrained downhole environments.

Neutron generator

Systems, methods, and devices with improved electrode configuration for downhole nuclear radiation generators are provided. For example, one embodiment of a nuclear radiation generator capable of downhole operation may include a charged particle source, a target material, and an acceleration column between the charged particle source and the target material. The acceleration column may include an intermediate electrode that remains floating at a variable potential, being electrically isolated from the rest of the acceleration column.

Floating intermediate electrode configuration for downhole nuclear radiation generator

Systems, methods, and devices involving segmented radiation detectors are provided. For example, a segmented radiation detector may include a segmented scintillator and an optical-to-electrical converter. The segmented scintillator may have several segments that convert radiation to light, at least one of which may detect radiation arriving from an azimuthal angle around an axis of the segmented scintillator. The optical-to-electrical converter may be coupled to the segmented scintillator. The optical-to-electrical converter may receive the light from the segments of the segmented scintillator and output respective electrical signals corresponding to the amount of radiation detected by each segment.

Segmented radiation detector and apparatus and method for using same

The disclosure includes an arrangement of X-ray generator(s) (), X-ray detector(s) (), and/or X-ray calibration device(s) for performing X-ray measurements, such as attenuation and/or photo electric factor measurements, on formation core samples () in a downhole environment under conditions including limited space and operations at high pressure and temperature.

In-situ downhole X-ray core analysis system

Systems, methods, and apparatuses to determine an operation gas pressure in a neutron radiation generator are described. In certain aspects, a method to determine the operation gas pressure includes receiving an operation radiation signal from a radiation generated by electrons backstreaming in a radiation generator, and determining from the operation radiation signal an operation gas pressure in a chamber of the radiation generator. An operation radiation signal may be received from a radiation detector associated with a neutron radiation generator. A radiation detector may detect radiation produced by particles (e.g., electrons) striking a portion (e.g., a cathode) of the neutron radiation generator.

Method and apparatus to determine pressure in a neutron radiation generator

An apparatus for determining fluid phase fraction of a multiphase fluid mixture () comprises: &#x2014;a x-ray generator () arranged to emit a x-ray radiation spectrum comprising a low energy region and a high energy region, the high energy region including a Bremsstrahlung spectrum; &#x2014;a pipe section () through which the multiphase fluid mixture () flows comprising a measurement section (), said measurement section () being coupled to said x-ray generator (); &#x2014;a detector () coupled to said measurement section () and arranged to detect x-ray radiation that has passed through said multiphase fluid mixture (), the detector () being coupled to a multichannel analyzer () producing a measurement output comprising a low energy (LE) and high energy (HE) measurement counts; wherein the measurement output further comprises a low energy (LV) and high energy (HV) control counts, in a low energy and high energy control windows located on an edge of the Bremsstrahlung spectrum, respectively; and wherein the apparatus further comprises an electrical parameter control arrangement () coupled to the x-ray generator () and the detector (), the electrical parameter control arrangement () being arranged to calculate a first ratio of the high energy control count relative to the low energy control count (R=HV/LV) and a second ratio of the high energy measurement count relative to the low energy measurement count (R=HE/LE), and to adjust the electrical operation of the x-ray generator () based on an electrical parameter control function (F(V)) of said ratios that minimize a dependence of the electrical operation of the x-ray generator on the fluid phase fraction of the multiphase fluid mixture () flowing in the measurement section ().

Apparatus and method for fluid phase fraction determination using X-rays

Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to devices and methods for X-ray monitoring. Various embodiments of the present disclosure use a target that incorporates a monitor layer. The monitor layer is disposed adjacent to a target layer so that electrons that pass through the target layer enter the monitor layer. As electrons enter the monitor layer, electrical charge is generated within the monitor layer. This electrical charge is measured and used to determine a characteristic of the X-ray generation within the target layer.

Device and method for monitoring X-ray generation

A radiation generator includes an insulator, with an ion source carried within the insulator and configured to generate ions and indirectly generate undesirable particles. An extractor electrode is carried within the insulator downstream of the ion source and has a first potential. An intermediate electrode is carried within the insulator downstream of the extractor electrode at a ground potential and is shaped to capture the undesirable conductive particles. In addition, a suppressor electrode is carried within the insulator downstream of the intermediate electrode and has a second potential opposite in sign to the first potential. A target is carried within the insulator downstream of the suppressor electrode. The extractor electrode and the suppressor electrode have a voltage therebetween such that an electric field generated in the insulator accelerates the ions generated by the ion source toward the target.

Radiation generator having bi-polar electrodes

An apparatus and method for determining the density and other properties of a formation surrounding a borehole using a high voltage x-ray generator. One embodiment comprises a stable compact x-ray generator capable of providing radiation with energy of 250 keV and higher while operating at temperatures equal to or greater than 125&#xb0; C. In another embodiment, radiation is passed from an x-ray generator into the formation; reflected radiation is detected by a short spaced radiation detector and a long spaced radiation detector. The output of these detectors is then used to determine the density of the formation. In one embodiment, a reference radiation detector monitors a filtered radiation signal. The output of this detector is used to control at least one of the acceleration voltage and beam current of the x-ray generator.

High voltage x-ray generator and related oil well formation analysis apparatus and method

A neutron generator and method of constructing the same. The generator includes a grid configured to produce an ionizable gas when heated by electrons impinging thereon. A cathode emits electrons to heat the grid and to collide with produced ionizable gas atoms to generate ions. Neutrons are generated from a collision of ions impinging on a target in the generator. A tool for subsurface use incorporating the neutron generator.

Low power neutron generators

An apparatus for determining fractional amounts of each phase of a multiple phase fluid includes an x-ray generator includes a sample chamber is configured to admit therein a sample of fluid for analysis. The chamber is disposed in a radiation path output from the generator. A filter is disposed in the radiation path between the output of the generator and the radiation input of the sample chamber. A first radiation detector is positioned in a radiation path from the sample chamber after radiation has passed through the sample chamber. A thickness and a material of the filter are selected to optimize resolution of radiation detected by the first detector to changes in volume fraction of oil and water in the fluid sample when a gas fraction thereof is between about 90 to 100 percent.

Apparatus and method for fluid phase fraction determination using x-rays optimized for wet gas

Growing community of inventors

Leonia, NJ, United States of America

Joel Lee Groves