Baker Hughes Corporation

Western Atlas International, Inc.

Paul Allan Bergren

Rocco DiFoggio

Arnold Walkow

Louis Perez

Peter W Reittinger

Daniel T Georgi

Dennis E Roessler

David M Chace

Yi Liu

Mark R Doyle

Christopher Powell

John T Evans

Francisco Galvan-Sanchez

Kerry L Sanderlin

Srdjan Stankovic

Jun Han

A device for sampling fluid from an earth formation is disclosed. The device includes: an inlet port disposable in fluid communication with the fluid in a borehole; an injector including an injection chamber in fluid communication with the inlet port, the injector configured to receive a portion of the fluid and direct the fluid toward an analysis unit for analyzing constituent materials in the fluid; and a high pressure valve configured to admit the portion of the fluid at a borehole pressure and release the portion of the fluid into the injector, the portion having a volume that is less than or equal to about one microliter. A system and method for analyzing constituents of fluid in a borehole in an earth formation is also disclosed.

System and method for sampling and analyzing downhole formation fluids

In one aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus for use downhole that includes at least one acoustic sensor. In one aspect, the acoustic sensor includes a chamber and an active element comprised of a quantum tunneling composite in the chamber. In another aspect, the acoustic sensor may further include a pair of conductive layers on a pair of sides of the active element. The chamber is filled with an electrically non-conductive fluid. The active element may be placed in the chamber in a manner that causes the active element to be responsive to acoustic waves along a selected direction or in a manner that enables the active element to be non-directional.

Acoustic transducers using quantum tunneling composite active elements

Disclosed is an apparatus for estimating a property of a fluid. The apparatus includes: a piezoelectric resonator configured to be disposed in the fluid; an electrode embedded in the piezoelectric resonator and included in a resonator circuit configured to output an electrical signal related to the property; a discontinuity defined by a surface of the piezoelectric resonator, the discontinuity altering an impedance of the resonator circuit if a high-dielectric fluid or a conductive fluid is disposed in the discontinuity; and an insulating material disposed in the discontinuity.

Method for treating and sealing piezoelectric tuning forks

A method is disclosed for changing an optical path length through a fluid downhole, comprising interspersing an optically transmissive member into a first optical path through the fluid, thereby creating a second shorter optical path through the fluid. In another embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an intensity of light, Itransmitted through the first optical path; measuring an intensity of light, Itransmitted through the second optical path; and estimating an optical property for the second optical path from the ratio, I/I. A system is disclosed for changing an optical path length through a fluid downhole, comprising a fluid passage between two optically transmissive windows for the fluid downhole, the fluid passage having a first optical path through the fluid; and an optically transmissive member for insertion into the first optical path, thereby creating a second shorter optical path through the fluid.

System and method for dual path length optical analysis of fluids downhole

A method and apparatus are provided for insulating electrical connections to a resonator from fluid downhole under extreme pressure and temperature conditions downhole. The method and apparatus provide a pliable insulator that maintains electrical isolation between a resonator electrical connection during exposure to high pressures downhole. The insulator is substantially chemically non reactive so that the insulator maintains electrical isolation between the resonator electrical connections during exposure to fluids downhole. The insulator has a thermal coefficient of expansion in a range so that the insulator maintains electrical isolation between the resonator electrical connections during exposure to high temperatures downhole.

Method and apparatus for insulating a resonator downhole

A method of analyzing acoustic data, that includes determining fluid sound speed through connate fluid. The method involves sampling the fluid, sending an acoustic signal into the fluid between a first and a second reflective interface. Data is recorded that represents acoustic signals over time as they are reflecting from the interfaces. A smoothed first derivative with respect to time of the cumulative sum of squares (CSS) of the filtered amplitude data is determined. This first derivative is cross correlated to the time-shifted versions of itself.

Acoustic fluid analysis method

A cooling system in which an electronic device or other component is cooled by using one or more solid sources of liquid vapor (such as polymeric absorbents, hydrates or desiccants that desorb water at comparatively low temperature) in conjunction with one or more high-temperature vapor sorbents or desiccants that effectively transfer heat from the component to the fluid in the wellbore. Depending on the wellbore temperature, desiccants are provided that release water at various high regeneration temperatures such as molecular sieve (220-250&#xb0; C.), potassium carbonate (300&#xb0; C.), magnesium oxide (800&#xb0; C.) And calcium oxide (1000&#xb0; C.). A solid water source is provided using a water-absorbent polymer, such as sodium polyacrylate. Heat transfer is controlled in part by a check valve selected to release water vapor at a selected vapor pressure.

Downhole sorption cooling and heating in wireline logging and monitoring while drilling

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for estimating a property of a fluid downhole by exposing the fluid to modulated light downhole and sensing changes in intensity of infrared radiation from the downhole fluid to estimate the property of the downhole fluid. The present invention senses changes in intensity of light by converting the changes to transient changes in temperature of a detector, such as a pyroelectric detector. The present invention performs spectroscopic analysis of fluids by optically filtering the light allowed to impinge on a pyroelectric detector, converting the changes in temperature of the pyroelectric detector to a signal and converting the signal to estimate the property of the downhole fluid. The light source is modulated by mechanically chopping the beam or by electrically pulsing the light source or by steering the beam between different path lengths of sample or between a reference cell (filled with a reference fluid or empty) and a sample-filled cell.

Method and apparatus for analyzing a downhole fluid using a thermal detector

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for high resolution spectroscopy (approximately 10 picometer wavelength resolution) using a tunable optical filter (TOF) for analyzing a formation fluid sample downhole and at the surface to determine formation fluid parameters. The analysis comprises determination of gas oil ratio, API gravity and various other fluid parameters which can be estimated after developing correlations to a training set of samples using a neural network or a chemometric equation.

Method and apparatus for a downhole spectrometer based on electronically tunable optical filters

The present invention provides a simple, robust, and versatile high-resolution spectrometer that is suitable for downhole use. The present invention provides a method and apparatus incorporating a spinning, oscillating or stepping optical interference filter to change the angle at which light passes through the filters after passing through a sample under analysis downhole. As each filter is tilted, the color or wavelength of light passed by the filter changes. Black plates are placed between the filters to isolate each filter's photodiode. The spectrometer of the present invention is suitable for use with a wire line formation tester, such as the Baker Atlas Reservation Characterization Instrument to provide supplemental analysis and monitoring of sample clean up. The present invention is also suitable for deployment in a monitoring while drilling environment. The present invention provides a high resolution spectometer which enables quantification of a crude oil's percentage of aromatics, olefins, and saturates to estimate a sample's gas oil ratio (GOR). Gases such as COare also detectable. The percentage of oil-based mud filtrate contamination in a crude oil sample can be estimated with the present invention by using a suitable training set and chemometrics, a neural network, or other type of correlation method.

Method and apparatus for a high resolution downhole spectrometer

The invention comprises an apparatus and method for simple fluorescence spectrometry in a down hole environment. The apparatus and method utilization of two UV light bulbs and an optically clear UV coupler and a fluid containment system. The optically clear UV coupler and fluid containment system are made of sapphire. The apparatus is attached in a manner that enables light transmitted from a light source on the far side of the fluid containment system to pass through a pathway in a plate holding the UV bulbs. UV light illuminates the fluid, which in turn fluoresces light. The fluoresced light is transmitted back towards the UV bulb mount and through the pathway towards an optical spectrum analyzer.

Method and apparatus for a downhole fluorescence spectrometer

The present invention provides a downhole method and apparatus using a flexural mechanical resonator, for example, a tuning fork to provide real-time direct measurements and estimates of the viscosity, density and dielectric constant of formation fluid or filtrate in a hydrocarbon producing well. The present invention additionally provides a method and apparatus for monitoring cleanup from a leveling off of viscosity or density over time, measuring or estimating bubble point for formation fluid, measuring or estimating dew point for formation fluid, and determining the onset of asphaltene precipitation. The present invention also provides for intercalibration of plural pressure gauges used to determine a pressure differential downhole. A hard or inorganic coating is placed on the flexural mechanical resonator (such as a tuning fork) to reduce the effects of abrasion from sand particles suspended in the flowing fluid in which the flexural mechanical resonator is immersed.

Method and apparatus for downhole fluid characterization using flexural mechanical resonators

A cooling system in which an electronic device or other component is cooled by using one or more solid sources of liquid vapor (such as polymeric absorbents, hydrates or desiccants that desorb water at comparatively low temperature) in conjunction with one or more high-temperature vapor sorbents or desiccants that effectively transfer heat from the component to the fluid in the wellbore. Depending on the wellbore temperature, desiccants are provided that release water at various high regeneration temperatures such as molecular sieve (220&#x2013;250&#xb0; C.), potassium carbonate (300&#xb0; C.), magnesium oxide (800&#xb0; C.) and calcium oxide (1000&#xb0; C.). A solid water source is provided using a water-absorbent polymer, such as sodium polyacrylate. Heat transfer is controlled in part by a check valve selected to release water vapor at a selected vapor pressure.

The invention comprises an apparatus and method for simple fluorescence spectrometry in a downhole environment using a UV light source and UV fluorescence to determine a parameter of interest for a sample downhole. The UV light source illuminates the fluid, which in turn fluoresces light. The fluoresced light is transmitted back towards the UV light source and through the pathway towards an optical spectrum analyzer. API gravity is determined by correlation the wavelength of peak fluorescence and brightness of fluorescent emission of the sample. Asphaltene precipitation pressure is determined by monitoring the blue green content ratio for a sample under going depressurization.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Paul Allan Bergren