Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Numar Corporation

Becton Dickinson and Company Limited

Sondex Wireline Limited

Electro-petroleum, Inc.

Morys, Marian

Gallagher, William Francis, III

Knizhnik, Sergei

Marian Morys

George David Goodman

Raj Pai

Manfred G Prammer

Paul F Rodney

James H Dudley

Chen-Kang David Chen

Michael Louis Larronde

Roger P Bartel

Dale Allen Jones

Peter Masak

John E Smaardyk

Christopher Michael Jones

William Joseph Schaecher

Michael Thomas Pelletier

Robert Eric Epstein

Homi Phiroze Cooper

John Thomas

Phap Hung Lien

Luis Emilio San Martin

David R Schiff

Wei Zhang

Amit Uday Limaye

Rebecca Corina Jachmann

Robert S Atkinson

Jing Shen

Carl Dodge

Sergei Knizhnik

Steve Zannoni

Stephen A Zannoni

Myrick L Monroe

Scott Pfeiffer Murta

Glenn Smollinger

Todd Zielinski

Knizhnik Sergei

Humberto E Rosa

Dean Douglas Kleckner

Nick McGill

William Francis Iii Gallagher

Induction heating from an induction coil () is used to separate a metal medical sharp () from its holder () by applying a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field that excites eddy currents and resistance heating in the sharp. The heated metal sharp melts the adhesive or plastic securing the sharp to its holder. The use of induction heating is advantageous in that it does not require direct contact between the electrical circuit and the sharp or its holder. The heating can also act to sterilize the sharp and thereby render it less hazardous at the same time that it separates the sharp from its holder. The induction coil can have a stepped or conical shape to concentrate the RF energy at the interface between the metal sharp and its holder.

Induction heating circuit for medical sharps removal device

Apparatus having a focused transducer and methods of operating a focused transducer downhole in a well can provide high resolution downhole imaging. In various embodiments, a focused transducer is used for imaging downhole in a well in which the imaging is based on a seismoelectric effect. In various embodiments, a focused transducer is used for imaging downhole in a well in which the imaging is based on an electroacoustic effect. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

High resolution downhole imaging

A borehole resistivity instrument for use in a borehole drilled within a geologic formation includes an emitting electrode and an imaging electrode. The borehole resistivity instrument also includes a current isolator positioned between the emitting electrode and the imaging electrode. The current isolator prevents a substantial portion of the electric current emitted from the emitting electrode from passing to the imaging electrode through the borehole.

Resistivity imager with reduced borehole loading

In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to select from multiple optical detectors and/or multiple detector amplifiers to form combinations of detectors and amplifiers as part of an optical detection system. The selection may be based on minimizing noise equivalent power (NEP) of the optical detector or a combination of an optical detector and a detector amplifier over a desired temperature range. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Detector, preamplifier selection apparatus, systems, and methods

High resolution downhole imaging using signal conversion

An electrically stimulated electrode system comprises injection and return electrodes and a power supply for causing electrical current to flow through a subterranean formation. An electronic system for the injection electrode includes: a power harvester extracting electrical power from current flowing in the injection electrode, a control for the injection electrode current, a sensor of the injection electrode and/or formation, or a telemetry for the injection electrode and/or formation, or any combination thereof. A sensor comprises: a pair of spaced apart electrodes, a power conversion device connected to the spaced apart electrodes for providing electrical power, and a processor providing a representation of a current. The electronic system may include: a power harvester, a commandable and/or programmable current control; and a control system for commanding and/or programming the current control, whereby the current flowing in the injection electrodes may be independently controlled and/or sequenced in time.

Electrode system and sensor for an electrically enhanced underground process

Optical detection apparatus () comprising an optical detector (), a detector amplifier (), and switching means, e.g., a multiplexer (), for dynamically selecting at least one of the optical detector or the detector amplifier by switching from among at least two alternative optical detectors and/or at least two detector amplifiers such as to minimize noise equivalent power (NEP) of a selected detector or combination of detector and amplifier under given operating conditions.

Various disclosed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging systems and methods employ an array of antennas to provide increased resolution without sacrificing signal-to-noise ratio. Certain method embodiments include: establishing a static magnetic field (B) with a tool moving along a borehole through a formation; concurrently driving a multiple antenna cells to produce a radio frequency field (B) in said formation; measuring an individual response from each antenna cell as nuclear spins undergo precession in the formation; and determining at least one characteristic relaxation time of the formation based at least in part on the individual response. The individual responses can be associated with positions where the individual responses were measured, and the relaxation time can be determined from a combination of those responses associated with a given position. Certain responses may be excluded due to tool motion that degrades the measured response.

Nuclear magnetic resonance logging tool having an array of antennas

Various methods and tools optically analyze downhole fluid properties in situ. Some disclosed downhole optical radiometry tools include a tool body having a sample cell for fluid flow. A light beam passes through the sample cell and a spectral operation unit (SOU) such as a prism, filter, interferometer, or multivariate optical element (MOE). The resulting light provides a signal indicative of one or more properties of the fluid. A sensor configuration using electrically balanced thermopiles offers a high sensitivity over a wide temperature range. Further sensitivity is achieved by modulating the light beam and/or by providing a reference light beam that does not interact with the fluid flow. To provide a wide spectral range, some embodiments include multiple filaments in the light source, each filament having a different emission spectrum. Moreover, some embodiments include a second light source, sample cell, SOU, and detector to provide increased range, flexibility, and reliability.

Downhole optical radiometry tool

In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to receive radiation at an active detector of a pair of radiation detectors to provide a first signal proportional to an intensity of the radiation, to receive none of the radiation at a blind detector of the pair of radiation detectors to provide a second signal proportional to the reception of no radiation, and to combine the first signal and the second signal to provide an output signal representing the difference between the first signal and the second signal. The pair of radiation detectors may comprise thermopile detectors. Combination may occur via differential amplification. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Compensated optical detection apparatus, systems, and methods

Logging systems and methods that employ nanosensors to obtain spectral measurements downhole. The nanosensors can be dispersed in borehole fluids (including cement slurries) that circulate, diffuse, or get injected in a borehole. Because the nanosensors have diameters on the order of 10 nm to 1000 nm, they readily penetrate into cracks, pores, and other voids where their carrier fluids can reach. The nanosensors transport light sources and recording media to measure spectra in these otherwise inaccessible regions. The nanosensors are then recovered and analyzed to reconstruct the measured spectra and determine relevant material characteristics. Among other things, spectral measurements can reveal the presence of certain elements and molecules in the formation and fluids, from which information scientists determine composition and phases of formation fluids and the formation itself. Certain triggering criteria may also be employed to enable the nanosensor measurements to be associated with specific locations, paths, and/or events.

Spectroscopic nanosensor logging systems and methods

Various systems and methods for performing optical analysis downhole with an interferogram (a light beam having frequency components with a time variation that identifies those frequency components. The interferogram is produced by introducing an interferometer into the light path, with the two arms of the interferometer having a propagation time difference that varies as a function of time. Before or after the interferometer, the light encounters a material to be analyzed, such as a fluid sample from the formation, a borehole fluid sample, a core sample, or a portion of the borehole wall. The spectral characteristics of the material are imprinted on the light beam and can be readily analyzed by processing electronics that perform a Fourier Transform to obtain the spectrum or that enable a comparison with one or more templates. An interferometer designed to perform well in the hostile environments downhole is expected to enable laboratory-quality measurements.

Interferometry-based downhole analysis tool

A method for correcting a motion related distortion in a sensor measurement comprises establishing a reference position in a borehole. A parameter of interest is measured at a plurality of toolface angles as the tool makes a revolution in the borehole. A distance to a wall of the borehole is measured associated with each parameter of interest measurement. A lateral motion of the tool is measured between each parameter of interest measurement, and a toolface angle of the tool is measured at each parameter of interest measurement. A controller comprising a processor acts according to programmed instructions to calculate a correction to the parameter of interest measurement referenced to the reference position based at least partly on the measured tool motion.

Apparatus and method for motion correction to sensor measurements

An apparatus and method for minimizing the effects of a common mode voltage signal in downhole logging tools utilized to determine the resistivity of an adjacent portion of a borehole wall. Two current electrodes are energized by an excitation source to create an oscillatory electric field in a borehole wall. A voltage drop across a segment of the borehole wall is measured by two voltage electrodes, and the differential voltage is used in combination with a measured current flow to determine a resistivity value for the borehole wall. A common mode voltage in front of the two voltage electrodes is measured and minimized by controlling the excitation source, thereby reducing the resistivity measurement error.

Oil based mud imaging tool with common mode voltage compensation

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Downingtown, PA, United States of America

Marian Morys