US3080005A

US3080005A - Sidewall sampler

Info

Publication number: US3080005A
Application number: US740337A
Authority: US
Inventors: Forrest V Porter
Original assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Current assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Priority date: 1958-06-06
Filing date: 1958-06-06
Publication date: 1963-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-05

Description

March 5, 1963 F. v. PORTER 3,030,005

' SIDEWALL SAMPLER dri inal Filed Nov. 28, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent Oil ice iatented Mar. 5, 1963 3,8803% SIDEWALL SAWLER Forrest V. Porter, Monterey Park, Calii, assignor to Dresser Industries, Inca, Dallas, Tern, a corporation of lrelaware Division of application Ser. No. 791,598, Dec. 6, 1957. Continuation of application Ser. No. 322,963, Nov. 28, 1952. This application June 6, 195%, Ser. No. 740,337

3 Claims. (Ci. 175-2) This invention relates to the determination of the geological formations traversed by well boreholes, and more especially to methods and apparatus for obtaining samples from the side walls of previously drilled earth boreholes at any desired depth.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 701,698, filed December 6, 1957, now US. Patent 2,879,- 972, which is, in turn, a continuation of application Serial No. 322,963, filed November 28, 1952 now abandoned.

During the drilling of a well, the drilling operator is vitally interested in the type of geological strata through which the well borehole passes, since an accurate knowledge of the subsurface formations is necessary in order to determine when the well borehole has reached certain formations in which casing may be set or from which production may be expected. In a locality in which a plurality of boreholes have been drilled, a map of the contour of the formations underlying the entire locality may be obtained by correlating the information gleaned from samples taken from each well. Cores of large size are most desirable from a geological standpoint. A variety of methods for obtaining core samples in connection with the drilling operations are widely used, but are subject to certain disadvantages, particularly the mixing with the samples of well or drilling fiuids, over prolonged periods of drilling which affects the accuracy of the samples obtained. Other widely used methods of core sampling independent or" the main drilling operations pro vide for separate drilling of cores at an angle or laterally into the formations surrounding the borehole, or the obtaining of solid sample portions of the formations by methods employing the firing of hollow bullets or hollow core sampling barrels or tubes into the surrounding fiormations to dislodge or entrap the samples. In these types of sampling, difficult problems or" satisfactorily collecting the samples and raising them to the top of the well are encountered.

The foregoing disadvantages of heretofore known methods of core sampling or sidewall sampling are overcome in the present invention, which is preferably, although not necessarily, accomplished by a conductor cable operated sampling tool, which is constructed and arranged to cut or break away from the borehole wall, tapered, conical or wedge-shaped samples of the formation, by the use of explosive cutting means of the shaped charge type. The samples thus released from the formation are immediately collected in a suitable catcher or trailer-like portion of the apparatus, which is preferably closed aiter receiving the formation samples to shield the samples from washing contact with contaminating well fluids while the apparatus is withdrawn from the borehole.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel side wall sampler for use in obtaining data relative to the strata surrounding w ll boreholes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cutting out and obtaining samples of the side wall formations of well boreholes by the use of shaped charge cutting apparatus of novel design.

A funther object of the invention is to provide core sampl ng apparatus as described, employing a novel means for collecting the samples obtained from the formations surrounding the borehole, at the same time the samples are out or broken away from the formations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved conductor cable operated side wall sampler employing a shaped charge cutting operation, and a retrieving apparatus for the samples which is conditioned and actuated by the explosive force or" the shaped charge during the cutting of the samples from the well formation.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of novelty of the invention will appear to be brought out more fully in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a View in sectional elevation of the apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 after ac tuation.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a head member so connected at the top by threads 13 to a cable head 14 into which is anchored a supporting conductor cable, not shown. Secured to the lower end portion of the head member 6! by threaded connection 61, is a downwardly-extending tubular upper body member 62. A central tie rod 63 extends coaxially downward from a threaded connection 64 in the center of the lower end of the head member 6%, to a threaded connection 7i) in the center of the upper end of a bull plug 66. An upwardly-extending tubular lower body member 65, is supported by and attached to the upper end of the bull plug 66 by means of screws 71-a which extend through the lower margin of the body member into an annular locking groove 71 formed in and adjacent the upper end portion of the bull plug 66. The upper and lower body members 62 and as are provided with a plurality of perforations tor ports 72 extending through the side walls thereof.

A tubular housing member 67 of varying diameter from end to end interconnects the lower end of the upper body member 62 with the upper end of the lower body member 65' by suitable means such as screws 68. An intermediate portion 69 of the housing 67 is formed of reduced diameter relative to the end portions thereof, to fit around the tie rod 63. A shaped charge unit 73 is positioned in the upper portion of housing member 67 and is of annular form, with "a central opening through which tie rod 63 extends. The shaped charge unit 73 comprises an annular shaped ceramic or plastic case 74 which may be formed in two halves to facilitate assembly. The two portions of the case form a radially-directed, 'annulm cavity having a generally ii-shaped cross-section in which is positioned the shaped charge explosive as shown at 75. An annular metallic liner 7s, V-shaped in crosssection, as viewed in FIG. 1, is provided tor the explosive '75, as is well known in the shaped charge art. The shaped charge is directed outwardly and slightly downwardly, as shown, and forms, when detonated, a corresponding y directed annular stream or sheet of cutting gases in the form of a downwardly-diverging hollow cone. A similar shaped charge unit 77 is positioned within the lower portion of housing member 67 and is directed outwardly and slightly upward, as shown, to form, when detonated, a correspondingly directed annular stream or sheet of cutting gases in the form of an upwardly-diverging hollow cone. The upper and lower cone-shaped streams or sheets of gases thus formed, if unobstructed, meet or intersect in a. circle or in an annular region concentrically surrounding the body of the device, as indicated at F in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Suitable sealing rings 8% and 81 may be provided to form fluid-tight seals between the cases of the shaped charge units and rod 63 and also between the cases and the upper and lower end portion of the housing member,- 67 to exclude fluid from entering the space forward of the shaped charge cones 76.

Head member 6 is formed with a longitudinal duct 82, and a tube 83 extends from the lower end of the duct 82 downwardly into the case 7-4 of the upper shaped charge unit 73. The case 74 of the upper shaped charge also has a longitudinal duct 84 extending therethrough and a tube 85 extends from said duct 84 downwardly into thecase of the lower shaped charge unit 77. Tube 85 makes fluid-tight connection at the upper and lower points where it passes through the wall of the housing member 67, A Primacord or equivalent detonating type of fuse 86 is contained in tube 85 and extends through the upper and lower shaped charge units in contact with or closely adjacent to the armular inside surfaces of the booster charges of the explosive shaped charges 75. An electric blasting cap 87 is secured to the upper end of the Primacord fuse 86, the blasting cap having connected thereto

conductors

88 and 89 which are connected to terminals within the head member, as shown iii-FIG. 1.

As hereinbefore mentioned, shaped charge unit 77 is similar t'o shaped charge 73 except that the conically shaped gaseous stream therefrom is directed upwardly and outwardly so as to meet the outwardly and downwardly diverging, conically shaped gaseous stream of shaped charge 73 in a line forming a concentric circle, as indicated at F.

The operation of the invention illustrated is as follows. Upon the application of current from the" conductor cable (not shown) to conductor 88, thence through conductor 89 to ground, blasting cap 87 is fired, which detonates fuse 86, which in turn detonates the booster charges and main explosive charges 75 in shaped charge units 73 and The resultant gaseous streams from these two shaped charge units, being conical in shape and directed outward toward a common circle in the formation surrounding the well borehole, cuts out of the formation surrounding the borehole an annular shaped formation sample C'v'vhich is usually broken into a number of fragments by the reaction of the explosion, and these fragments are carried by the return rush of well fluid and gases into the space left between the opposite ends of the upper and

lower body members

62 and 65 and from there drop into the interior of the lower body member 65 and onto the top of the bull plug 70,- as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The action of the explosion of the shaped charges is such as to sub stantially disintegrate the shaped charge units and the central portion of the housing member 67 leaving the space between the adjacent ends of the

body members

62 and 65 substantially clear of any obstructions to the passage or the formation satrlple. fragments into the lower body member 65, as before described.

The sampling apparatus is then hoisted out of the borehole and the formation samples C recovered u While the shaped charges are hereinbefore described as being preferably annular in shape or as having annular, groove-shaped cavities adapted to produce-convergingly directed sheets of cutting gases,- variations in such shapes may obviously be made. For example, the shaped charges or cavities, instead of being truly annular, may be elliptical, oval, polygonal or the like, in shape,- and produce effective, convergingly-directed sheets of cutting gases. Therefore the term annular as used hereinbe fore and in the claims shall be considered to include such other suitable shapes as hereiiibefoie mentioned.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is illustrativeonly and that the invention is not to be limited thereby, but includes all modifications thereof within the scope of the'invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: a 1. Apparatus-for taking sidewall samples from fluidfilled well boreholes comprising:

a head member;

a downwardly extending tubular upper body member connected to said head member;

a downwardly extending tie rod connected at its upper end to said head member; I g I v a bull plug connected to the lower end of said tie rod; an upwardly extending tubiilaf lower body member connected to said bull plug; 7 I a tubular housing interconnecting the lower end or said upper body member and the upper end of said lower body member; 7 an upper shaped charge unit within said housing adapted to form when detonated a downwardly dis verging cone of cutting gases penetrative of said housing member; I

a lower shaped charge unit within said housing adapted to form when detonated an upwardly diverging cone of cutting gases penetrative of said housing; and means operable from outside said borehole for detonating said upper and lower shaped charge units simui 2. Apparauts according to claim 1 wherein said upper and lower shaped charge units are or" annular form.-

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower body member is formed with sidewalls provided with a plurality of ports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweetman Feb. 26, 1952

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR TAKING SIDEWALL SAMPLES FROM FLUIDFILLED WELL BOREHOLES COMPRISING: A HEAD MEMBER; A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING TUBULAR UPPER BODY MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID HEAD MEMBER; A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING TIE ROD CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER END TO SAID HEAD MEMBER; A BULL PLUG CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID TIE ROD; AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING TUBULAR LOWER BODY MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID BULL PLUG; A TUBULAR HOUSING INTERCONNECTING THE LOWER END OF SAID UPPER BODY MEMBER AND THE UPPER END OF SAID LOWER BODY MEMBER; AN UPPER SHAPED CHARGE UNIT WITHIN SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO FORM WHEN DETONATED A DOWNWARDLY DIVERGING CONE OF CUTTING GASES PENETRATIVE OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER; A LOWER SHAPED CHARGE UNIT WITHIN SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO FORM WHEN DETONATED AN UPWARDLY DIVERGING CONE OF CUTTING GASES PENETRATIVE OF SAID HOUSING; AND MEANS OPERABLE FROM OUTSIDE SAID BOREHOLE FOR DETONATING SAID UPPER AND LOWER SHAPED CHARGE UNITS SIMULTANEOUSLY.