The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 13, 2004
Filed:
May. 23, 2002
John D. Sherwood, Cambridge, GB;
John B. Fitzgerald, Cambridge, GB;
Bunker M. Hill, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Ridgefield, CT (US);
Abstract
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.