Texaco Inc.

Theodore W Nussbaum

Percy T Cox

Wayne F Warren

Donald L Johnson, Jr

Charles L Gray, Jr

Robert W Pitts, Jr

Richard A Meador

Jackie C Sims

Herbert A Rundell

Donald J Dowling

Roland G Riedesel, Jr

Keith R Tooker

The present invention is a water cut monitor which includes a settling tank in which a quantity of fluid from a producing well is accumulated. The fluid is removed as a stream of fluid after a predetermined interval from the accumulation of the fluid by the settling tank so as to allow the accumulated fluid to separate into three phases: free water, water-continuous and oil-continuous. The flow rate of the stream of fluid is measured and a corresponding flow rate signal is provided as well as a temperature signal corresponding to a sensed temperature of the stream of fluid. The water cut monitor includes a plurality of electrodes in contact with the fluid. Injection electronics connected to at least one of the electrodes provides an injection voltage and injection current to the fluid stream and also provides signals corresponding to the injection voltage and injection current. A voltage in the fluid stream is measured and a measurement signal provided. A computer determines the water cut of the petroleum stream in accordance with the temperature signal, the injection voltage and injection current signals, the electrical phase angle signal and the measured voltage signal.

Water cut monitoring means and method

Oil well production is often measured by using a settling tank, pump, flowmeter and a water-cut meter. Fluid from a well being tested is allowed to accumulate in the settling tank and, after a predetermined settling time, is pumped through the flowmeter and water-cut meter for gauging. The present invention is an improved water-cut meter which first determines the impedance of the free water pumped from the tank and later determines the impedance of the oil/water emulsion emerging from the tank. The ratio of the emulsion impedance to the free water impedance is proportional to percent water-cut of the fluid during the water-continuous phase. When the emulsion switches to oil-continuous phase, the system utilizes probe impedance for the water-cut determination. Using standard techniques, the water-cut and flow rate signals are then combined to calculate the total oil and water content of the settling tank fluid.

Water-cut monitoring means and method

The present invention is a thin bed resistivity well logging system and method which includes a transmitter transmitting electromagnetic energy into an earth formation, from within a borehole traversing the earth's formation, at a frequency lying within a range of frequencies from 500 kilohertz to 4 megahertz. The system, a portion of which is located in the borehole, determines the true resistivity of a thin strata in accordance with the transmitted electromagnetic energy that has propagated through the earth's formation.

Electromagnetic propagation thin bed resistivity well logging system and

A system of the present invention monitors the quality of steam flowing in a pipeline includes a test cell which is connected inline into the pipeline and has the steam flowing through it. A plurality of electrodes are located within the test cell and cooperate with the test cell to provide capacitance signals corresponding to capacitances of the steam passing between the electrodes and the test cell. The electrodes have different spacings between them and an interior wall of the test cell. A sensor senses the temperature of the steam flowing through the test cell and provides a temperature signal corresponding to the sensed temperature. Another sensor senses the pressure of the steam and provides a pressure signal corresponding to the sensed pressure. Circuitry connected to the test cell, to all the electrodes, to the temperature sensor and to the pressure sensor measures the quality of the steam in accordance with the temperature signal, the pressure signal and one of the capacitance signals.

Multi-sensor steam quality monitoring means and method

The present invention is a well logging receiver coil system which includes a coil. The system also includes a variable capacitor connected across the coil to form a resonant circuit tuned to a predetermined frequency. The coil in the presence of an electromagnetic field has a current induced therein representative of the strength of the electromagnetic field. A pick-off circuit is connected to the coil in a predetermined manner and provides a signal representative of the strength of the magnetic component of the electromagnetic field substantially unaffected by the electrical field component of the electromagnetic field.

Well logging disc coil receiving means and method

A well logging system and method of the present invention determines the dielectric constant and/or conductivity of earth formations some of which have fluid invasion. The system and method of the present invention include the transmission of electromagnetic energy into the earth formations from a first location in a borehole in the formations at a frequency which enables the electromagnetic energy to propagate throughout the surrounding earth formations. Electromagnetic energy is received by receivers at three locations in the borehole which are spaced longitudinally from the location of the transmission of the electromagnetic energy. The receivers provide signals representative of the received electromagnetic energy. The dielectric constant and/or resistivity of the earth formations are determined in accordance with the signals from the three receivers.

Deep penetration well logging sonde

Apparatus for determining the dielectric constant and/or resistivity of earth formations traversed by a borehole includes a transmitter which transmits electromagnetic energy into the earth formation from a first location in the borehole at a frequency which enables the electromagnetic energy to propagate throughout the surrounding earth formations. Receivers receive electromagnetic energy at two locations in the borehole which are spaced longitudinally from the transmitter provide signals representative of the total electromagnetic fields at the receiver locations. Circuitry determines the dielectric constant and/or resistivity of the formations in accordance with a secondary field ratio and a phase difference derived from the signals provided by the receivers.

Secondary field dielectric constant and/or resistivity well logging

Method of deep penetration well logging using three receivers

A well logging tool adapted for use in a borehole traversing an earth formation includes at least one sensor sensing at least one characteristic of the earth formation. Another sensor senses the ambient temperature and provides a corresponding temperature signal. An output circuit provides a temperature compensated output signal corresponding to the sensed characteristic of the earth formation in accordance with the temperature signal and the characteristic signal.

Temperature compensated well logging tool

A dual spectra well logging system includes a well logging tool which is adapted to pass through a bore hole in an earth formation. The well logging tool includes at least two sensors which sense at least one condition of the earth formation and provides corresponding pulse signals. A circuit connected to the sensors provides a combined pulse signal wherein the pulses of the pulse signal from one sensor has one polarity and the pulses of the pulse signal from the other sensor has pulses of an opposite polarity. A circuit applies the combined pulse signal to a well logging cable which conducts the combined pulse signal to the surface of the earth formation. Surface apparatus includes a network connected to the cable which provides control signals in accordance with the polarity of the pulses in the combined pulse signal. A network connected to the cable inverts the combined pulse signal and provides a combined pulse signal and an inverted combined pulse signal. A first switching network receiving the combined pulse signal passes the pulses derived from the pulses of the one polarity in acccordance with the control signals to provide a first pulse signal while a second switching network receiving the inverted combined pulse signal passes the pulses derived from the pulses of the opposite polarity in accordance with the control signals to provide a second pulse signal. An output network processes the two pulse signals to provide an indication of the earth's condition in accordance with the processed pulse signals.

Dual spectra well logging system

A dielectric well logging system has its coils aligned radially, rather than in alignment, with respect to the longitudinal axis of a sonde which moves the coils through a borehole. Improved shielding is also provided. The coils have different and improved response characteristics.

Dielectric well logging with radially oriented coils

A system applicable to rotary drilling. It includes a torque meter that measures dynamic torque while drilling. The system averages the time period of individual oscillations in the torque, for a given number of such oscillations. It indicates the length of such average time numerically. Consequently, the probable cause of the oscillations may be inferred.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Theodore W Nussbaum