Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
  • E21B47/01—Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
  • E21B47/017—Protecting measuring instruments
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining

Definitions

• Oil and gas explorations and/or productions rely on well logging, a process of taking well measurements in order to evaluate a well throughout its various life-cycle phases, including drilling (e.g., logging-while-drilling or measurement-while-drilling), wireline logging, testing, completion, production, and abandonment phases.
• drilling e.g., logging-while-drilling or measurement-while-drilling
• wireline logging e.g., wireline logging, testing, completion, production, and abandonment phases.
• Measurements are often made of the fluid moving in the well, where the fluid may include mixtures of oil, water, gas, and particulate in various proportions.
• Measurements of local fluid properties in oil wells often include electrical resistivity and optical reflectivity, among others.
• the probes utilized for these measurements include relatively delicate tips with diameters tapering from about 1 millimeter to about 50 micrometers, for example. Due to the sensitivity of the tips, there is often an increased risk of tip damage, during conveyance within the well or from debris in the fluid flowing across the tip, for example.
• Some embodiments relate to a probe guard to help decrease risk of probe damage during conveyance and data logging while promoting probe responsiveness.
• the probe guard is utilized in association with well data acquisition tools, such as well reservoir evaluation tools, or well drilling tools, such as logging- or measuring- while-drilling tools.
• Some embodiments relate to a probe assembly for use with a well data acquisition tool, the probe assembly including a probe and a probe guard.
• the probe includes a body and a tip extending from the body along a longitudinal axis of the tip to a terminal end.
• the tip defines a length and a surface area along the length and is configured for sensing one or more well characteristics.
• the probe guard extends about the tip of the probe and leaves a majority of the surface area of the tip exposed to a flow that is angularly offset from the longitudinal axis of the tip of the probe.
• Some embodiments relate to securing a probe guard about a tip of a probe.
• the probe extends from a probe body, along a longitudinal axis, and to a terminal end.
• the probe tip defines a length and a surface area along the length and is configured for sensing one or more well characteristics.
• the probe guard is extended about the tip of the probe such that a majority of the surface area of the tip is left exposed to a flow that is angularly offset from the longitudinal axis of the probe tip.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a well data acquisition tool, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 2 is a side view of a probe assembly that can be used with the well data acquisition tool of FIG. 1, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 3 is a top view of the probe assembly of FIG. 2, according to some
• FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the probe assembly of FIG. 2, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 5 is an end view of a probe guard that can be used with the probe assembly of FIG. 2, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 6 is an end view of another probe guard that can be used with the probe assembly of FIG. 2, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 7 is a side view of another probe assembly that can be used with the well data acquisition tool of FIG. 1, according to some embodiments.
• FIG. 1 shows an example of a well data acquisition tool 10 that can be deployed into a well 12 as part of a well production logging operation.
• the well 12 can be inclined or horizontal with the tool 10 being lowered into the well 12 in a compact state and then expanded to engage the walls of the well 12.
• the tool 10 may be optionally connected to the surface (or other desired location) by a rod, a cable, or other coupling means (not shown). While the coupling means are optionally utilized for conveying data from the tool 10 to the desired location, in addition or as an alternative the tool 10 can optionally include telemetry means for conveying data to the desired location.
• the tool 10 includes a body 20 and an expansion assembly 22 connected to the body 20.
• the expansion assembly 22 includes a first arm 24 and a second arm 26, the first and second arms 24, 26 being configured to articulate with each other and with the body 20.
• the body 20 is supported on the lower wall of the well 12.
• the arms 24, 26 are in shape of a "V" located in a vertical plane passing through a
• the tool 10 can be same as or similar to those made by Schlumberger Ltd. under the trade name "Flow Scanner”. In other embodiments, the tool 10 can be same as or similar to those made by Schlumberger Ltd. under the trade name "Flo View Holdup Measurement Tool”.
• the probe assemblies 28 can be configured for sensing one or more well characteristics.
• the probe assemblies 28 can optionally include one or more probes that are same as or similar to those made by Schlumberger Ltd. under the trade name "Flo View,” "GHOST,” or others.
• the plurality of probe assemblies 28 may include a probe assembly 28A, such as that shown schematically in Fig. 2.
• probe assemblies 28, 28A are described in association with well production logging tools, any of a variety of well data acquisition tools may employ the probe assemblies 28, 28A, such as any tools associated with one or more of drilling (e.g., logging- while-drilling or measurement-while-drilling), wireline logging, testing, completion, production, and abandonment phases.
• drilling e.g., logging- while-drilling or measurement-while-drilling
• wireline logging e.g., wireline logging, testing, completion, production, and abandonment phases.
• FIG. 2 is a top view
• FIG. 3 is a side view
• FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the probe assembly 28A, according to some embodiments.
• the probe assembly 28A includes a probe 50, a probe guard 52, and a support 54.
• the probe 50 includes a body 60 and a tip 62.
• the probe 50 can optionally be an electrical, resistivity probe or sensor, where the tip 62 senses electrical impedance of fluid touching the tip 62 in order to, for example, distinguish water, which is low-impedance, from high- impedance oil and gas.
• the probe 50 can be an optical, reflectivity probe or sensor that is sensitive to a fluid's index of refraction.
• the body 60 can optionally be elongate (e.g., about 2 to about 6 cm long overall, although other dimensions are contemplated) and cylindrical, defining one or more outer diameters (e.g., about 5 mm to about 20 mm in diameter, although other dimensions are contemplated).
• the body 60 may optionally house electrical, optical, or other components 66.
• the tip 62 can be relatively small and configured for measuring tiny droplets of fluid as the fluid flows past the tip 62.
• the tip 62 is elongate (e.g., about 1 cm to about 3 cm long overall, although other dimensions are contemplated) and is relatively thin.
• the tip 62 is cylindrical, having a continuous diameter or tapering from a first diameter (e.g., about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm) to a second diameter (e.g., about 0.050 mm to about 0.005 mm), although other dimensions are contemplated).
• the tip 62 extends from the body 60 and defines a terminal end 68.
• the probe guard 52 can be secured about at least a portion of the probe 50. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the probe guard 52 defines a first end 70, a second end 72, and an intermediate portion 74 and extends over the body 60 and the tip 62 of the probe 50 and then beyond the tip 62.
• the probe guard 52 can be formed by an elongate member that is helically-shaped, such as a piece of wire stock that has been suitably formed.
• the elongate member of the probe guard 52 may optionally have a substantially circular cross- section, although a variety of cross-sections (e.g., square, triangular, octagonal, diamond, or others) are contemplated. As shown in FIGS.
• the probe guard 52 has a helical shape with a variable pitch - the angle at which the helix progresses longitudinally changes along a longitudinal axis Y of the helix, or in different terms, tangent lines at different points along the helix are at a variable angle to the longitudinal axis Y of the helix.
• the probe guard 52 can have a helical shape that is characterized by a minimum pitch (i.e., the tangent line that corresponds to an axial location corresponding to the terminal end 68 of the tip 62).
• the probe guard 52 may have a helical shape with a constant radius (r), such that when viewed from the end, the probe guard 52 has a circular profile (FIG. 5).
• the helical shape of the probe guard 52 may have a variable radius (r), such that when viewed from the end, the probe guard 52 has a non-circular profile, such as an elliptical (FIG. 6) or other profile.
• the probe guard 52 may have a discontinuously varying radius (r) such that when viewed from the end, the probe guard 52 has a rectangular, diamond, or other end profile (not shown).
• the support 54 can be formed as part of the tool 10, such as part of the first arm 24 as shown in FIG. 1.
• the support 54 can define an inner face 78 and include one or more mounting features 80 for maintaining the probe 50 and the probe guard 52 as desired.
• the mounting features 80 may optionally include hooks, clamps, welds, fasteners, or other means for securing the probe 50 and the probe guard 52 to the inner face 78 of the support 54.
• assembly of the probe 50, the probe guard 52, and the support 54 can include securing the probe 50 to the support 54 at a desired orientation with respect to flow F (illustrated, by way of example, as an arrow in FIG. 1 and as two arrows in
• the probe guard 52 can be secured about the probe 50, including the probe tip 62.
• the first end 70 of the probe guard 52 can be secured to the probe 50 (e.g., the body 60) using one or more mounting features 80 (e.g., a spot weld), the intermediate portion
• the 74 of the probe guard 52 can be secured to the support 54 using one or more of the mounting features 80 (e.g., a spot weld), and the second end 72 of the probe guard 52 can be secured to the support 54 using one or more of the mounting features 80 (e.g., a spot weld). As shown in FIGS. 2-4, in some embodiments, the second end 72 of the probe guard 52 can be secured at a location on the support 54 that is located beyond the terminal end 68 of the tip 62.
• the mounting features 80 e.g., a spot weld
• the probe guard 52 may be mounted such that the tip 62 of the probe 50 is spaced from the support 54 by a desired distance - e.g., to help allow flow to pass between the tip 62 and the support 54.
• the probe guard 52 may define a longitudinal axis Y that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis X of the tip 62 such that the terminal end 68 of the tip 62 is located centrally within the probe guard 52.
• the probe guard 52 may extend about the probe 50 at a varying distance from the inner face 78 of the support 54.
• the terminal end 68 of the tip 62 may be located adjacent a portion of the probe guard 52 that is at a maximum distance Dmax from the inner face 78 of the support 54 (FIG. 3).
• liquid flow F passes the probe 50 and
• the probe guard 52 can leave a majority of the surface area of the tip 62 exposed to the flow F that is offset from the longitudinal axis X of the tip 62.
• the probe guard 52 can be configured to leave over 50%, over 60%>, over 70%), over 80%>, over 90%>, over 95%, over 98%>, or over 99% of the surface area of the tip 62 exposed to the flow F that is offset from the longitudinal axis X of the tip 62.
• the probe guard 52 can be configured to leave from 50%> to 99%, from 80%> to 90%>, almost 100%, or some other percentage of the surface area of the tip 62 exposed to the flow F that is offset from the longitudinal axis X of the tip 62.
• the probe guard 52 helps provide responsiveness while protecting the tip 62 by configuring the probe guard 52 with a minimum pitch and radius that promotes the flow F to the tip 62 while providing sufficient structure to help deflect debris, to help prevent the probe tip 62 from striking the well wall during conveyance or other positioning, or otherwise protect the tip 62 from physical contact with unwanted objects.
• the helical shape can have a relatively larger pitch distal of the tip 62 (toward the second end 72) and a relatively larger pitch proximal of the tip 62 (toward the first end 70).
• the probe guard 52 can include a plurality of interconnected turns with adjacent turns defining a pitch of the probe guard 52 where the pitch decreases around the probe tip 62 and increases proximally and distally of the probe tip 62.
• the probe guard 52 may be configured such that the helical shape of the probe guard 52 distal to the terminal end 68 of the probe tip 62 extends through one half of a turn and in a coiling direction (e.g., right handed) which is selected to help avoid masking the probe tip 62 and is configured proximally to the probe tip 62 to help limit downstream flow restriction and facilitate flow evacuation, although a variety of other configurations and features are contemplated.
• a coiling direction e.g., right handed
• FIG. 7 shows a schematic, side view of another probe assembly 128 A including a guard 152 extending about a probe tip 162 of a probe 150, according to some embodiments.
• the probe guard 152 can leave a majority of the surface area of the tip 162 exposed to flow Fl that is offset from the longitudinal axis XI of the probe tip 162.
• the probe guard 152 can include a plurality of interconnected turns 200 with adjacent turns defining a pitch of the probe guard 152. As shown, the pitch decreases around a terminal end 168 of the probe tip 162 and increases proximally and distally of the probe tip 162.
• the probe guard 152 can optionally be secured to the probe 150 and a support 154 by mounting features (not shown) in a similar manner to that described in association with the probe assemblies 28, 28A.
• the probe guard 152 can optionally be formed of one or more elongate members (e.g., wire stock material). As shown, the probe guard 152 defines a maximum distance from an inner face 178 of the support 154 adjacent to the probe tip 162, and in particular the terminal end 168.

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• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Geophysics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Surgical Instruments (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• A Measuring Device Byusing Mechanical Method (AREA)

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Citations (4)

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• 2011
  • 2011-11-21 EP EP11290550.0A patent/EP2594734B1/de active Active
• 2012
  • 2012-11-07 US US14/353,770 patent/US20140290350A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2012-11-07 WO PCT/US2012/063764 patent/WO2013078000A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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