Texaco Inc.

Winthrop K Brown

James R Stoy

Victor Diatschenko

Frank L Lankford, Jr

Anna Nicole Ledoux

Kerry D Savage

James R Bridges

David G Nolte

Ronald L Campsey

Katherine L Greenhill

Chew-Chen Lin

Changes in the internal diameter of a fluid handling pipes are measured by measuring the vibrational characteristics by a non-invasive, passive acoustic technique. Deviations from the normal vibrational characteristics are sensed and used to determine changes of increase or decrease in the pipe's internal diameter.

Passive acoustic method of measuring the effective internal diameter of

The present invention determines the presence of a pig in a pipeline and the condition of the pig, as regards to the material the pig may be pushing, by passive acoustic detectors which determine the acoustic characteristics for the pipe and the pig. From these a computer is used to determine from changes in these characteristics the nature of the materials picked up by the pig or the condition of the pig and the pipe.

Passive acoustic detection of pipeline pigs

A multi-phase fluid flow meter based on passive and non-intrusive acoustics is described for use in field applications on pipes. The present design uses the pipe's characteristic acoustic frequency and its amplitude variation in conjunction with a differential pressure measurement to obtain the total mass flow rates and mass flow rates of each phase. In addition to the mass flow rates the void/liquid fraction, fluid velocities and densities become viable estimates. Instrument construction is simple and very robust, allowing for use in extreme environments. This includes down hole as well as surface measurements.

Acoustic gas-liquid flow meter

A method and apparatus for detecting the flow regime of multiphase fluid flowing in a closed pipeline system utilizes an entirely passive acoustical detector means. The acoustical pattern detected by the detector means is amplified and compared to known patterns to identify the flow regime according to its acoustical fingerprint.

Passive acoustic detection of flow regime in a multi-phase fluid flow

A temperature averaging data logger measures temperature at regular intervals and continually displays the average of the measured temperatures. Upon being reset, the data logger displays the number of days since the last reset, the instant temperature, and then commences its temperature averaging mode.

Temperature averaging data logger

A safety system and method, for use with apparatus having a conductive member where the apparatus changes the attitude and/or altitude of the conductive member during the operation of the apparatus, includes an antenna mounted on the conductive member which senses an electric field and provides an AC signal representative of the strength of the electric field. The peaks of the AC signal are averaged over several cycles to provide an average peak signal. A reference signal circuit derives the reference signal from either the average peak signal prior to the change in the member's attitude and/or altitude or while the member's attitude and/or altitude is changing. A control device connected to the averaging circuit and to the reference signal circuit prevents further changing of the conductive member's attitude and/or altitude in accordance with the average peak signal and the reference signal when the electric field strength is greater than a safe value.

Safety monitor means and method

A system for stabilizing the temperature of a radiation detector assembly includes a heat pipe device which generally encloses the radiation detector assembly and absorbs the ambient heat of the radiation detector assembly. A temperature sensor senses the ambient temperature in the heat pipe device and provides a constant current signal representative of the sensed temperature. A heating cooling device controls the ambient temperature within the heat pipe device in accordance with a constant current control signal. Apparatus located at a substantial distance from the radiation detector assembly and connected to the temperature sensor and the heating cooling device provides the constant current control signal to the heating cooling device in accordance with the constant current temperature signal from the temperature sensor so as to control the temperature of the radiation detector assembly.

Temperature stabilization system

An improved gain stabilization system for radioactivity well logging apparatus of the type having a scintillation crystal optically coupled to a photomultiplier, a light emitting diode driven by a pulser and furnishing scintillations to the photomultiplier located in a sonde resulting in a stabilization pulse which is provided to electronic circuitry at the surface for stabilization purposes. The improvement includes a temperature sensor located in the sonde and circuitry for maintaining the intensity of the light provided by the light emitting diode in response to the operation of the temperature sensor.

Gain stabilization for radioactivity well logging apparatus

A well logging system and method involves the use of a well logging tool in a borehole traversing an earth formation which includes a pulsed neutron generator periodically bombarding the earth formation with neutrons. A scintillation-type detector detects gamma radiation from the earth formation and provides electrical data pulses corresponding in pulse height and frequency to the detected gamma radiation. Another circuit provides synchronization/stabilization pulses which are time related to the neutron bombardments of the formation. A cable conducts the data pulses and the synchronization/stabilization pulses uphole to surface electronics. A receiver with surface electronics processes the pulses and provides them to a gate circuit which passes or blocks the data pulses and the synchronization/stabilization pulses in accordance with a gate signal. The passed pulses are provided to a pulse height analyzer. The synchronization/stabilization pulses are also provided by the receiver to a gate signal network which provides the gate signal in accordance with the synchronization/stabilization pulses.

Pulsed neutron well logging system and method with

A torque meter which measures the torque of a rotating shaft includes at least two sensors. Portions of each sensor are fixed to the shaft. The sensors provide shaft pulse signals at the same frequency but having a phase difference corresponding to the torque experienced by the shaft. A clock provides clock pulses. A detection network detects reverse rotation of the shaft in accordance with the shaft pulse signals and provides a detection signal. A circuit connected to the sensors and to the clock provides first groups of pulses in accordance with the shaft pulse signals so that the number of pulses in each group of the first group of pulses corresponds to the torque experienced by the shaft at a constant speed. A first counting network counts the pulses from the circuit. Another circuit connected to the clock provides second groups of pulses and is responsive to the speed of shaft rotation so that a ratio of a group of pulses from the first group of pulses to a corresponding group of pulses from the second group of pulses averages out errors due to the shaft rotation and the sensors. A second counting network counts the pulses from the second pulse means. Both counting networks are reset every revolution of the shaft. An output circuit provides an output corresponding to the torque experienced by the shaft in accordance with the ratio of the counts in the counting networks.

Torque meter means with reverse rotation detection

A torque meter for measuring the torque of a rotating shaft includes at least two sensing devices providing pulses corresponding to the rotation of the shaft. A pulse source provides clock pulses. A network connected to the sensors determines if the shaft is rotating in the proper direction and provides a signal accordingly. A circuit receiving the pulses from the sensors, the signal from the network and the clock pulses provides groups of clock pulses wherein the number of pulses in each group corresponds to the torque of the shaft when the shaft is rotating in the proper direction.

Digital torque meter with reverse rotation and vibration data correction

Sonic type leak detector system for liquid storage tanks or the like. It uses a hydrophone to convert sonic waves in the liquid to electrical signals. The electrical signals are divided by two band pass filters. The division is into one band which contains any leak signals, and another band which contains only noise signals. Then both bands are blanked whenever the noise signal amplitude exceeds a predetermined amount. There is a differential amplifier that acts on the outputs of both band pass filters to amplify the difference after averaging of each, whenever signals are not blanked. And, there is an indicator to show when a leak is present. The indicator is actuated whenever the output of the differential amplifier exceeds a predetermined amplitude.

Sonic leak detector and method

A torque meter which measures the torque of a rotating shaft includes at least two sensors. Portions of each sensor are fixed to the shaft. The sensors provide shaft pulse signals at the same frequency but having a phase difference corresponding to the torque experienced by the shaft. A clock provides clock pulses. A circuit connected to the sensors and to the clock provides first groups of pulses in accordance with the shaft pulse signals so that the number of pulses in each group of the first group of pulses corresponds to the torque experienced by the shaft at a constant speed. A first counting network counts the pulses from the circuit. Another circuit connected to the clock provides second groups of pulses and is responsive to the speed of shaft rotation so that a ratio of a group of pulses from the first group of pulses to a corresponding group of pulses from the second group of pulses averages out errors due to the shaft rotation and the sensors. A second counting network counts the pulses from the second pulse means. Both counting networks are reset every revolution of the shaft. An output circuit provides an output corresponding to the torque experienced by the shaft in accordance with the ratio of the counts in accounding networks.

Torque meter means

A torque meter for measuring the torque of a rotating shaft includes at least two sensing devices providing pulses corresponding to the rotation of the shaft. A pulse source provides clock pulses. A circuit receiving th pulses from the sensors and the clock pulses provides groups of clock pulses wherein the number of pulses in each group corresponds to the torque of the shaft.

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Bellaire, TX, United States of America

Winthrop K Brown