US2314540A

US2314540A - Apparatus for measuring volume of bottom hole portion of well bores

Info

Publication number: US2314540A
Application number: US425009A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard L Huntington
Original assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
Current assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
Priority date: 1941-12-30
Filing date: 1941-12-30
Publication date: 1943-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1960-03-23

Description

lVlairchQEZ,1943.

R. L. HUNTlNGTON 2,314,540

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING VOLUME OF BOTTOM HOLE IORTION 0F WELL BORES Filed Dec. 30, 1941 R. L. HUNTINGTON A'ITORN Y v with a compressor .20, and av lume Patented him 23,1943:

UNITED STATES memorriqa I I 'srranarusroatr tzgamavonm or of Delaware no'r'romnonnroa'rron or WEILBORES- meme n Huntington, Norman,

to Phillips Petroleum Company,

th., assignor a corporation Application December 30, 1941: Serial No. 425,009

2 Claims.

' This invention relates to the exploration-ct wells and more particularly to apparatus for determining the size oi various cavities, including bottom hole cavities of well bores.

In present-day practice in the petroleum industry, a knowledge of the size of cavities in well bores is desirable in order that an operators procedure for producing hydrocarbon oil and gas may be simplified and made less expensive. A few of the instances wherein the size of the cavity in a well bore should be known by an opere ator are during the gravel packing of a well bore and during the tam'ping' of'an explosive charge in a borev hole preliminary to discharging. the

same. operations, such as gravel packing, it is custom- Ordinarily in carrying out'various well 1 ary that'suppliesl of materials in excess or the amount estimated to be essential be kept on hand. By knowing the volume or a particular well cavity, the operator can secure exact quantities of supplies that will be the hauling cost and investment-in excess materials. Further, by ascertaining bore hole prior to shooting" a well and after the cleaningout process, an operator is able to determine the efiectiveness of the shot,

By the practice of my instant invention, I am able to more accurately determine the size of a' well cavity than with present-day apparatus, and moreover, I may do this readily and economically,

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide apparatus for effectively determining the size of various cavities, including. bottom hole cavities of well bores, Other important objects and advantages obtainable by practice of my present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art by reference to the following description and annexed drawing which is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of my invention partly incross-section. K

' Referring to the drawing, I have denoted therein'a well bore by reference numeral ll Well bore i0 extends downwardly from the surface :of the ground 12, which is formed at the lower end oi the well bore. Contained withinthe well bore is a casing it, having a closure i4, which-is adapted to string of oil well tubing l concentricalcasing. A cap' I] is provided on of tubing II which communicates i1 through a conduit l4. pressure indicator It, a temperature indicator indicator 2i are preferably protime the bag is in a deflated position.

needed, and thereby avoid the size of it the'pressure will rise II to a well cavity or bottom hole threadedly connected to vided on conduit and closure" l4.

connected to the vided with an annular groove face. A bag 24, which is preferably composed of an elastic, resilient, inflatable, distortable, oilresistant material, such as synthetic rubber, covera the lower-fend of the string of tubing and extends upwardly around ring 22 and over groove 21. Positioned above the portion of the bag cove ering groove-22 is a sleeve 25, the upper end of which abuts a protector member 26 which is the lower end of the tubing in a manner'whereby sleeve 25 causes the bag to. make .sealing contact with groove 23. Protector 24 extends downwardly beyond the lower end of the tubing, protecting the bag while it is beinglowered through the casing, at which A ring 22, which is. threadedly Referring to the drawing, let us'assume that my instant invention is assembled and positioned in the bore hole, as shown. therein. A gas is compressed by compressor I1 and conveyed through conduit 18 and tubing I! to the interior of bag 24 where the gas distends its outline conforms with the walls .of cavity 12. The volume of gas within the bag will then substantially equal thevolume of the cavity. It will be noted that bybbserving injected gas on pressure indicator l8 that the pressure of gas will rise comparatively slowly until the bag is fully expanded, at

sharply.v By knowing the volume, pressure, and temperature, of the gas at the surfaceof the ground, as indicated on the pressure, temperature, and volume indicators, the

volume of gas in bag 24 can be determined and hence the .volume of cavity l2 can likewise be determined. In determining thevolume of bag 24 corrections for temperature and pressure in well cavity l2 must be considered. By knowinB the pressure and temperature of the gas in bag Y24 and the volume or gas be readily comprehendedby persons 7 the art. vIt is to be clearly understood, however, that various changes in the apparatus herewith shown and described and in the method of practicing 'the'invention, outlined above, sorted to without departing from the spirit or II intermediate the compressor lower end of the tubing, is pro- 23 on its upperthe bag until the pressure of the which time passing through volit is believed that the apinstant-invention will skilled in may be re' cavity, the lowermost end of saidconduit including' a downwardly flanged protective member, 'a flexible inflatable member disposed in fluid tight reiationwith the lower portion of the conduit and communicating therewith, said inflatable member being retractable beneath the protective member when deflated and mean for transmitting a measured quantity of fluid under pressure throughthe conduit and into the member to inflate the same until it substantially conforms with the configuration of the surface of the cavit).

2. In apparatus for determining the volume of the bottom hole portion of a wellbcre, the

combination comprising a string of tubing in the well bore and extending to the lower por tion thereof, an inflatable container disposed below the lower end of the tubing, means for hermetically securing the container to the lower end of the tubing, said means including a grooved ring threaded to the end of the tubing, a sleeve urging the mouth of the container into said groove. and a downwardly flanged protective member threaded to the tubing and bearing against said sleeve, the inflatable member being retractable beneath the protective member when deflated and means for transmittinga measured quantity of gas downwardly through the tubing and into the container under s ufllcient pressure to inflate the container until it contacts substantiaily the entire surface of the bottom hole.

RICHARD L. HUNTINGTON.