Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100206548 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM STRESS TESTING OF GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS - Example methods and apparatus to perform stress testing of geological formations are disclosed. A disclosed example downhole stress test tool for pressure testing a geological formation comprises first and second packers selectively inflatable to form an annular region around the tool, a container configured to store a fracturing fluid, wherein the fracturing fluid is different than a formation fluid and a drilling fluid, a pump configured to pump the fracturing fluid into the first and second packers to inflate the first and second packers and to pump the fracturing fluid into the annular region to induce a fracture of the geological formation, and a sensor configured to detect a pressure of the fracturing fluid pumped into the annular region corresponding to the fracture of the geological formation. | 08-19-2010 |
20100282515 | SEALED CORE - An apparatus comprising a sidewall coring tool configured to obtain a plurality of sidewall formation cores from a sidewall of a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the sidewall coring tool comprises a core catching tube configured to store the plurality of sidewall formation cores therein, wherein the core catching tube comprises a fluid port configured to allow evacuation of fluid from the core catching tube as each of the plurality of sidewall formation cores is introduced therein, and wherein the core catching tube, including the fluid port, is configured to be sealed downhole without removing the sidewall coring tool from the wellbore. | 11-11-2010 |
20100282516 | FORMATION CORING APPARATUS AND METHODS - Methods comprising: lowering a downhole tool into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the downhole tool comprises a coring tool and a measurement tool; performing a measurement regarding the formation using the measurement tool; determining a section of interest within the formation relative to an axis of the coring tool based on the measurement; orienting a coring bit of the coring tool relative to the section of interest; and extending the oriented coring bit into the formation. | 11-11-2010 |
20110093200 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETERMINE PHASE-CHANGE PRESSURES - Example methods and apparatus to determine phase-change pressures are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes capturing a fluid in a chamber, pressurizing the fluid at a plurality of pressures, measuring a plurality of transmittances of a signal through the fluid at respective ones of the plurality of pressures, computing a first magnitude of a first subset of the plurality of transmittances, computing a second magnitude of a second subset of the plurality of transmittances, comparing the first and second magnitudes to determine a phase-change pressure for the fluid. | 04-21-2011 |
20110277999 | Single Packer System for Use In A Heavy Oil Environments - A technique involves collecting formation fluids through a single packer having at least one drain located within the single packer. The single packer comprises an outer seal layer, and the at least one drain is positioned in the outer seal layer. A viscosity system also is incorporated and enables the viscosity of a surrounding fluid to be selectively lowered for sampling. | 11-17-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080296017 | Methods and Apparatus to Sample Heavy Oil from a Subteranean Formation - A method of sampling fluid from a subterranean formation includes positioning a first tool having a heater in a borehole so that the heater is adjacent a portion of the subterranean formation: heating with the heater the portion of the subterranean formation; removing the first tool from the borehole; orienting a second tool having a sampling probe in the borehole so that the sampling probe is to contact a portion of the subterranean formation heater by the heater; and obtaining via the sampling probe a fluid sample from the portion of the subterranean formation heater by the heater. | 12-04-2008 |
20090200016 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE FORMATION SAMPLING - A downhole tool for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation includes an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation. A method for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation involves conveying a downhole tool in a wellbore drilled through the subsurface formation, the downhole tool having an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation, and actuating the emitter to expose a portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy. | 08-13-2009 |
20100006284 | DOWNHOLE CHARACTERIZATION OF FORMATION FLUID AS A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE - A fluid analysis tool, and related method, comprising means for selectively varying a temperature of fluid received in a tool from a subterranean formation, means for measuring a temperature and a thermophysical property of the fluid received in the tool, and means for determining a relationship between the measured temperature and the measured thermophysical property of the fluid received in the tool. | 01-14-2010 |
20100071898 | Single Packer System for Fluid Management in a Wellbore - A technique involves collecting formation fluids through a single packer having at least one drain located within the single packer. The single packer is designed with an outer structural layer that expands across an expansion zone to facilitate creation of a seal with a surrounding wellbore wall. An inflatable bladder can be used within the outer structural layer to cause expansion, and a seal can be disposed for cooperation with the outer structural layer to facilitate sealing engagement with the surrounding wellbore wall. One or more drain features are used to improve the sampling process and/or to facilitate flow through the drain over the life of the single packer. | 03-25-2010 |
20100186948 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO SAMPLE HEAVY OIL FROM A SUBTERANEAN FORMATION - A method of sampling fluid from a subterranean formation includes positioning a first tool having a heater in a borehole so that the heater is adjacent a portion of the subterranean formation; heating with the heater the portion of the subterranean formation; removing the first tool from the borehole; orienting a second tool having a sampling probe in the borehole so that the sampling probe is to contact a portion of the subterranean formation heated by the heater; and obtaining via the sampling probe a fluid sample from the portion of the subterranean formation heated by the heater. | 07-29-2010 |