US2775427A

US2775427A - Sample receiving projectile for side wall core sampler

Info

Publication number: US2775427A
Application number: US559746A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leone Vincent Dominick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-01-17
Filing date: 1956-01-17
Publication date: 1956-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1973-12-25

Description

SAMPLE RECEIVING PROJECTILE FOR SIDE WALL CORE SAMPLER Filed Jan. 17, 1956 [Once/7 1 eons INVENTOR.

SAMPLE RECEIVING PROJECTILE FOR-SIDE WALL CORE SAMPLER Vincent Dominick Leone, Beaumont, Tex.

Application January 17, 1956, Serial No. 559,746

1 Claim. (Cl. 2551.4)

The invention relates to a sample receiving projectile for use in conjunction with a side wall core sampler of the type used to take samples of earth formations from the side walls of well bores, and it concerns more particularly a projectile for the purpose described having an inner lining comprising a split sleeve adapted to receive the sample as it is introduced into the projectile, the sleeve being made of spring steel and being capable of being expanded, due to its inherent resilience, upon removing the sleeve from the projectile with the sample contained therein, whereby the sleeve is disengaged from the sample and the sample may be recovered in one intact, unaltered piece.

There is a need in the oil industry for means for obtaining intact samples representative of earth formations at different elevations below the surface. Such samples, which are commonly referred to as cores, and which may have structures ranging from those which are relatively Patented Dec. 25,1956

fi we number of such designs now exist. One of the factors which may affect the design of the projectile isthe hardness of the formation from which a core is desired.

When the sample receiving projectile, with the core contained therein, is recovered at the surface, the removal of the core sample therefrom is always ditficult. This difliculty is due in part to the fact that, when the projectile strikes the side wall of the well bore, a compression wave is set up in front of the projectile, thereby packing the core into the projectile under compression.

Another factor affecting the manner in which the core money must be spent to obtain the sample, means for removing the sample from the projectile in one intact, unaltered piece will'be of substantial benefit to the oil industry. If such samples are recovered in one intact, unaltered piece, core analysis tests may be obtained which will indicate accurately the productive characteristics and capacity of the formations sampled.

The invention contemplates an improved sample receiving projectile, for use in conjunction with a side wall core sampler of the type described, which permits the sample to be discharged from the projectile in one intact, un-

hard to those which are soft and friable, may be analyzed to determine quantitatively the nature of the fluids, whether gas, oil or water, with which they are saturated, as well as certain physical characteristics of the formation, such as its permeability and its porosity, which may affect the potential production of fluids from the formation.

One of the procedures followed in the search for peing a cylindrical housing, usually about 6 feet long and about 4 inches in diameter, is lowered in the drilled hole by means of a strong steel cable. Along one edge, and perpendicular to the long axis of the instrument, a plurality of sample receiving projectiles are fitted in line, one over the other. Usually there are about 30 of such projectiles per instrument. The projectiles each consist of a hollow cylinder having an open end and capable of receiving a sample of the material of the side wall formation upon shooting the cylinder into the formation.

The projectiles are each shot into the side wall formation by detonating an explosive charge placed in the instrument behind the projectile. The explosive charges are capable of being detonated electrically by remote control.

The projectiles are attached to the housing of the instrument by means of strong wires, so that after they have been fired they may be retrieved, with the core samples contained therein, upon raising the instrument to the surface.

The design of the sample receiving projectiles above referred to, and the dimensions thereof, may vary. A

altered piece. I

A novel feature of the invention is a split sleeve which forms an inner lining for the projectile and receives the sample as it is introduced into the projectile. The sleeve is made of spring steel, and is capable of being expanded, due to its inherent resilience, upon removing the sleeve from the projectile with the sample contained therein, whereby the sleeve is substantially disengaged from the a sample and the sample may be recovered in one intact,

unaltered piece.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fi g. l is a diagrammatic elevational view of a side wall core sampler having incorporated therein a plurality of projectiles embodying the invention, and showing the respective positions of the several projectiles as the sampler is lowered into a well bore, before any of the projectiles have been fired;

Fig; 2 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the position of one of the projectiles after it has been fired into the side wall of the Well bore;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on a median line, of one of the projectiles;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an inner sleeve which is an important feature of the projectile shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a side wall core sampler having an elongated cylindrical housing 1 is shown positioned in a well bore 2 and suspended from the surface by a steel cable 3. A plurality of projectiles embodying the invention, as hereinafter described, which are designated generally by the numeral 4, are each received in one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 5 which are provided therefor in the wall of the housing 1, and extend outwardly therefrom. The

When the side wall core is so tightly v projectiles 4 are each connected to the housing 1 by a pair of wires 6, as hereinafter describdQwhereby the projectiles 4 may be retrieved after they have been fired.

Fig.2 shows the-position of -one of the -projectiles 4 after it has been fired whereby it-isshot from the hous ing 1 byndetonationof an explosive'charge. placed behind it, intheusualmanner, and lodgesin the side wall of the wellbore 2.

Referringto Figs. 3 to :5 of the drawing, each of the projectiles 4 hasa tubular body 7,-which is threaded inter' nally at8, adjacent one end thereof. An annular groove 9 .is=formed inthe peripheral-surface of the body 7 adja-- cent its opposite end. A plug--10,-which has a threaded portion -11 for engagement withthethreads 8, is received in one endof the body 7. The plug -has a=pair of depressions "12 formed in the outer end-therefor for engagementby a wrench.

A sleeve 13, which is made of spring steel and issplit at 14, along one side thereof, is-received within the body 7. Oneend of the sleeve-13 abuts the adjacent endof the plug .10, and the opposite end of the sleeve 13 is flush with theadjacent end of the body 7. The sleeve 13 is characterized by its-resilience, whereby it must be compressed inorder to insert it in the body 7, and is expanded upon withdrawing it therefrom.

An annular closure member 15, which has an inside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the sleeve 1-3 when compressed and an outside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the body 7, has an externally tapered outerend 16 and'is enlarged internally at 17, adjacent its opposite end, to forman internal shoulder 18.

One end of the body 7, with the sleeve 13 inserted therein, is received in'the internally enlarged portion 17 of theclosure member 15, and the adjacent ends of the body 7 and the sleeve 13 abut the internal shoulder 18.

The closure member is detachably connected to the adjacent end of the body 7 by an O ring 19, which is made of spring steel and is split at 20. The O ring 19 is received partly in the annular groove 9 and partly in an annular groove 21, which is formed-in the inner wall of'the closure member 15 and is aligned with the groove 9. The O ring 19 is characterized by its resilience, whereby it is urged outwardly in engagement with the groove 21 The depth of the groove 9 is such that the O ring 19, when compressed, is capable of being disengaged from the groove 21. I I V A plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 22 are formed in the body 7 adjacent the threaded end thereof, which constitutes the rearward end of the projectile 4 as it is fired, as shown in Fig. 2. A plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 23, which are aligned with the openings 22, are formed in the wall of the sleeve 13. Drilling fluid, with which the well bore 2 andthefinterior of the sleeve 13 may be filled at the time theprojectile 4 is fired, may be displaced from the sleeve 13-throughthe openings22 and-23 upon impact of the projectile 4 with the side wall of the well bore 2, whe'rebythe material of the side wall is caused to enter the sleeve 13 through The wires 6 are each connected at one end to one of the plugs 24,'and at its opposite end to one oftwo threaded plugs 26 which are received in threaded openings provided therefor in opposite sides of the housing 1.

In taking the sample, the sample passes through the opening in the closure member 15 and is received within the sleeve 13. At the surface,'the sleeve 13 is removed from the body 7 with the sample which it contains. Upon removal'of the sleeve 13 from thebody 7, the 'sleeve'13 springs out slightly, due to its inherentresilience, and expands enough to release the pressure on the sample. With the pressure released, the sample may be removed from the sleeve13in one-intact, 'unaltere'cl'piece:

The closure member 15 prevents damage to the sleeve 13 when the projectile 4 strikes the side wall of the well bore 2. The O ring 19 retains the closure member 15 in engagement with the body 7 as the instrument is lowered in the well bore 2, but is capable of releasing the closure member 15 from the body 7 if the closure member 15 should becomecaught'in the'side wall after the projectile" 4 has been fired. The closure member 15 is expendable,

andmaybe left in theside'wall of'the' well 'bore2.

The invention may be'm'odified in various ways without'' tions from the side walls of well bores, a sample receiv ing' projectilecapable of being shot from the instrument whereby it is'forced into an adjacent formation, the pro jectile'comprising anopen ended tubular body, an inner lining consisting of a split sleeve received in the body and capable of receiving'a sample'of the material of the'"fo'i'- 'mation, upon firing the projectile, the sleeve being made of'spring steeland being capable of being expanded,"du'e to -its inherent resilience, upon removing the sleeve'fror'n thebodywith'th'e' sample contained therein, whereby the? sleeve is substantially disengaged from the sample and thesample maybe recovered'in'one intact, unaltered pieceyan 'annular closure member detachably connected toone end-of the body, the adjacent ends of the' body and the"sleeve"being received in an internally enlarged end portion'of the closure member, the body and the closure f member having mutually aligned annular grooves formed inthe adjacent surfacesthereof, and a split O r'ing received in'theannular grooves, the "0 ring being made of spring 5" steel and being capable of being'expandedfdue to its inherent resilience, whereby it is disposed partly in one" of the grooves'and partly in the other, the depth of the groove formed in the body being such that the O ring, ,7 upon being compressed, may be disengaged from 'the 'f groove formed in the closure member whereby the closure member may be detached from the body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,506 Schlumberger Sept. 29, 1936 j 2,288,210 Schlumberger June 30, 1942 2,600,125 Natland et a1. June'lO, 1952 2,678,804 Lebough May '18, 1954 2,721,055 Madson et al Oct. 18, 1955 2,737,247 7 Baker etal Mar. 6,1956