Schlumberger Technology Corporation

John Sherwood

Ian Atkinson

Julian J Pop

Alexander F Zazovsky

Colin Longfield

Thomas H Zimmerman

Keith A Burgess

Barry Nicholson

Oliver Clinton Mullins

Cheng-Gang Xie

Bunker M Hill

John Barry Fitzgerald

Systems and methods are disclosed for measuring densities and flow rates of gas-liquid fluid mixtures. In the systems and methods, the fluid mixture is caused to exhibit swirling flow as it flows through a conduit that includes a constriction, a first pressure difference is measured between two vertically-spaced measurement positions in the conduit, a second pressure difference is measured between two horizontally-spaced measurement positions in the conduit, the first horizontally-spaced measurement position being at the constriction region and the second horizontally-spaced measurement position being upstream or downstream of the constriction region, and one or more of the pressure differences is used to determine a density or a flow rate of the gas-liquid fluid mixture.

Determination of density for metering a fluid flow

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for real-time management of a guarded probe device down a wellbore that is being used for formation fluid sampling. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention provide for operational management of the guarded probe device to provide for splitting a flowline coupled with the guarded probe into two separate flow lines after the sampling process has begun, wherein one of the two separate flow-lines is coupled with a sampling probe in the guarded probe device and the other flowline is coupled with a guard probe in the guarded probe device.

System and method for operational management of a guarded probe for formation fluid sampling

A fluid sampling system retrieves a formation fluid sample from a formation surrounding a wellbore extending along a wellbore axis, wherein the formation has a virgin fluid and a contaminated fluid therein. The system includes a sample inlet, a first guard inlet positioned adjacent to the sample inlet and spaced from the sample inlet in a first direction along the wellbore axis, and a second guard inlet positioned adjacent to the sample inlet and spaced from the sample inlet in a second, opposite direction along the wellbore axis. At least one cleanup flowline is fluidly connected to the first and second guard inlets for passing contaminated fluid, and an evaluation flowline is fluidly connected to the sample inlet for collecting virgin fluid.

Formation fluid sampling apparatus and methods

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for real-time management of formation fluid sampling down a wellbore using a guarded probe. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention provide for management of downhole fluid sampling by sensing properties of fluids collected by a downhole-fluid-sampling-device, modeling the fluid sampling process from these sensed properties and using the modeling of the fluid sampling process to manage in real-time the fluid sampling process.

System and method for real-time management of formation fluid sampling with a guarded probe

A method and system are provided for investigating a gas-liquid fluid mixture as it is conveyed in a conduit having a first constriction region providing a reduced conduit cross section. The method and system include inducing the mixture to exhibit swirling flow in the first constriction region, thereby separating the liquid from the gas, and determining one or more properties of the fluid in the first constriction region.

Method and apparatus for investigating a gas-liquid mixture

A downhole apparatus and method for maintaining or reducing the level of liquids at the bottom of a gas producing well is described including a constriction or throat section, such as a Venturi, in which a production gas flow from the well is used to generate a low pressure zone having a pressure less that the ambient formation gas pressure and at least one conduit providing a flow path from an liquids at the bottom of said well to said low pressure zone. The conduit may be adaptable in length to provide for maintaining the flow path as the level of the liquids changes.

Method and apparatus for lifting liquids from gas wells

A downhole apparatus and method for maintaining or reducing the level of liquids at the bottom of a gas producing well is described including a constriction or throat section, such as a Venturi, in which a production gas flow from the well is used to generate a low pressure zone having a pressure less that the ambient formation gas pressure and at least one conduit providing a flow path from an up-stream location within said well to said low pressure zone. The conduit may have additional opening for production gas to enter the conduit.

The invention concerns a method of sampling the formation fluids in an earth formation surrounding a borehole, the region of the formation immediately surrounding the borehole being at least partially invaded by borehole fluids, and an apparatus for carrying out such a method. According to the invention, a borehole tool is adapted to be lowered into the borehole and is provided with a sampling probe device and means for urging the sampling probe device into contact with the borehole wall, the sampling probe device comprising an inner probe and an outer probe surrounding the inner probe for withdrawing respective fluid samples from the formation, wherein the ratio between the respective flow areas of the inner and outer probes is selected so as to tend to reduce the time taken to obtain via the inner probe a sample of the formation fluids having a given level of contamination by borehole fluids.

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

John Sherwood