Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090030614 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR FORMATION TESTER DATA PROCESSING - A method for data processing includes transforming measurement data acquired in the time domain during an oilfield operation into a second domain to produce transformed data; identifying distortions in the transformed data; removing the distortions from the transformed data; and transforming back from the second domain to the time domain to produce cleaned-up data. The transforming measurement data may use a Fourier transform or a wavelet transform. The method may further include compressing the cleaned-up data or reconstructing signals from the cleaned-up data. A method for data processing includes decomposing measurement data, which are acquired in an oilfield operation, using a low pass filter to produce a first dataset; decomposing the measurement data using a high pass filter to produce a second dataset; removing distortions from the second dataset to yield a corrected second dataset; and reconstructing a corrected dataset from the first dataset and the corrected second dataset. | 01-29-2009 |
20090120168 | MICROFLUIDIC DOWNHOLE DENSITY AND VISCOSITY SENSOR - The present invention recited a method and apparatus for providing a parameter of a fluid within a fluid channel using a MEMS resonating element in contact with the fluid moving through the fluid channel. Additionally an actuating device associated with the MEMS resonating element is further provided, such that the actuating device can induce motion in the MEMS resonating element. In communication with the MEMS resonating element is an interpretation element capable of calculating a parameter of the fluid moving through the fluid channel based upon data from the MEMS resonating element upon actuation by the actuating device. | 05-14-2009 |
20090120171 | VIBRATING WIRE VISCOSITY SENSOR - A method and apparatus for providing, e.g., identifying or determining, at least one parameter of a fluid moving through a fluid channel using a vibrating wire in contact with the fluid moving through the fluid channel that is clamped under tension. The vibrating wire is actuated by an actuating device capable of displacing the vibrating wire from an initial position. An interpretation element further is utilized to provide a parameter of the fluid moving through the fluid channel based upon data from the vibrating wire following actuation by the actuation element. | 05-14-2009 |
20090150079 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MONITOR CONTAMINATION LEVELS IN A FORMATION FLUID - Apparatus and methods to monitor contamination levels in a formation fluid are disclosed. An example method involves obtaining first property data indicative of a first fluid property of a formation fluid and second property data indicative of a second fluid property of the formation fluid. A correlation between the first and second property data is generated and third data is fitted to the correlation. A fitting parameter is determined based on the third data indicative of an amount of change of the first property data relative to an amount of change of the second property data. | 06-11-2009 |
20090308600 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETERMINE THE COMPRESSIBILITY OF A FLUID - Example methods and apparatus to determine the compressibility of a fluid are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes capturing a fluid in a chamber, pressurizing the captured fluid to first and second pressures, measuring first and second values representative of first and second densities of the fluid while pressurized at respective ones of the first and second pressures, and computing a third value representative of a compressibility of the fluid using the first and second values. | 12-17-2009 |
20090316528 | JOB MONITORING METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOGGING-WHILE-DRILLING EQUIPMENT - Job monitoring methods and apparatus for logging-while-drilling equipment are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes obtaining a fluid associated with an underground geological formation, analyzing the fluid with one or more sensors to form respective ones of sensor outputs, identifying a downhole scenario associated with the fluid based on the sensor outputs, the identifying being performed while the sensors are within the underground geological formation, and selecting a telemetry frame type based on the identified downhole scenario. | 12-24-2009 |
20100241407 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE TO PROCESS MEASUREMENTS OF WIRES VIBRATING IN FLUIDS - Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to process measurements of wires vibrating in fluids are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a downhole assembly and a surface assembly. The downhole assembly including a sensor to measure a waveform representative of a motion of a wire vibrating within a fluid at a downhole location in a wellbore, a waveform modeler to compute a model parameter from the measured waveform, and a first telemetry module to transmit the computed model parameter to a surface location. The surface assembly including a second telemetry module to receive the computed model parameter from the downhole assembly, and a viscosity analyzer to estimate a viscosity of the fluid from the computed model parameter. | 09-23-2010 |
20100263442 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING A DOWNHOLE FLUID - Methods and apparatuses for analyzing a downhole fluid are disclosed. An example method may involve the steps of admitting the downhole fluid in a test volume, controllably inducing a pressure change in the test volume based on at least one prescribed rate, measuring pressures in the test volume at a plurality of times, using the pressures measured at the plurality of times to determine a time at which an actual rate of the pressure change in the test volume deviates from the at least one prescribed rate, and detecting an occurrence of phase transition of the downhole fluid based on the determined time. | 10-21-2010 |
20110042070 | FLUID DENSITY FROM DOWNHOLE OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS - A system and method for determining at least one fluid characteristic of a downhole fluid sample using a downhole tool are provided. In one example, the method includes performing a calibration process that correlates optical and density sensor measurements of a fluid sample in a downhole tool at a plurality of pressures. The calibration process is performed while the fluid sample is not being agitated. At least one unknown value of a density calculation is determined based on the correlated optical sensor measurements and density sensor measurements. A second optical sensor measurement of the fluid sample is obtained while the fluid sample is being agitated. A density of the fluid sample is calculated based on the second optical sensor measurement and the at least one unknown value. | 02-24-2011 |
20110042071 | CLEAN FLUID SAMPLE FOR DOWNHOLE MEASUREMENTS - A system and method for obtaining a clean fluid sample for analysis in a downhole tool are provided. In one example, the method includes directing fluid from a main flowline of the downhole tool to a secondary flowline of the downhole tool. While the fluid is being directed into the secondary flowline, sensor responses corresponding to the fluid in the secondary flowline are monitored to determine when the sensor responses stabilize. The secondary flowline is isolated from the main flowline after the sensor responses have stabilized. A quality control procedure is performed on the fluid in the secondary flowline to determine whether the captured fluid is the same as the fluid in the main flowline. Additional fluid from the main flowline is allowed into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same. | 02-24-2011 |
20110083501 | VIBRATING WIRE VISCOMETERS - Vibrating wire viscometers are disclosed. An example apparatus to determine the viscosity of a downhole fluid is described, the apparatus including a wire to be immersed in a downhole fluid, to vibrate when an alternating current is applied to the wire within a magnetic field, and to generate an electromotive force when vibrating within the magnetic field, the wire comprising a first resistance. The apparatus further includes a nulling circuit coupled to the wire, wherein the nulling circuit comprises a second resistance that is selectable to be substantially equal to the first resistance, and an analyzer coupled to the wire and the nulling circuit to determine the first resistance, the second resistance, and a viscosity of the downhole fluid based on the first and second resistances, at least one characteristic of the wire, and the electromotive force. | 04-14-2011 |
20110083842 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DOWNHOLE CHARACTERIZATION OF EMULSION STABILITY - A method (and corresponding apparatus) for downhole fluid analysis of petroleum formation fluids. The method includes capturing in a chamber of a downhole tool at least two immiscible formation fluids in a generally segregated state (the fluids including petroleum), activating a fluid mixing means to mix the fluids in the chamber to create an emulsion therefrom, and allowing the emulsified fluids to segregate while measuring light transmittance through the segregating fluids in order to calculate a transition time period based on the light transmittance through the fluids in the chamber. The transition time period is preferably bounded by the time required for the light transmittance values measured by the light detector to reach a baseline light transmittance. The transition time period characterizes the stability of an emulsion formed by the captured fluids. The methods and apparatus can also be used for other fluid testing applications beyond downhole formation fluid testing. | 04-14-2011 |
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 |
20120166089 | Job Monitoring Methods and Apparatus for Logging-While-Drilling Equipment - Job monitoring methods and apparatus for logging-while-drilling equipment are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes obtaining a fluid associated with an underground geological formation, analyzing the fluid with one or more sensors to form respective ones of sensor outputs, identifying a downhole scenario associated with the fluid based on the sensor outputs, the identifying being performed while the sensors are within the underground geological formation, and selecting a telemetry frame type based on the identified downhole scenario. | 06-28-2012 |
20130110401 | CALIBRATION AND CONSISTENCY CHECK OF VARIABLEW VOLUME SYSTEMS | 05-02-2013 |
20130192357 | Job Monitoring Methods And Apparatus For Logging-While-Drilling Equipment - Job monitoring methods and apparatus for logging-while-drilling equipment are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes identifying a downhole scenario based on a property of an underground geological formation, selecting a first telemetry frame type based on the identified downhole scenario, conveying an identifier representative of the selected first telemetry frame type to a downhole fluid sampling tool, and receiving a first telemetry data frame from the downhole fluid sampling tool, the telemetry data frame containing fluid analysis parameters for a fluid, and being constructed in accordance with the selected first telemetry frame type. | 08-01-2013 |
20130239664 | Fluid Density From Downhole Optical Measurements - A system and method for determining at least one fluid characteristic of a downhole fluid sample using a downhole tool are provided. In one example, the method includes performing a calibration process that correlates optical and density sensor measurements of a fluid sample in a downhole tool at a plurality of pressures. The calibration process is performed while the fluid sample is not being agitated. At least one unknown value of a density calculation is determined based on the correlated optical sensor measurements and density sensor measurements. A second optical sensor measurement of the fluid sample is obtained while the fluid sample is being agitated. A density of the fluid sample is calculated based on the second optical sensor measurement and the at least one unknown value. | 09-19-2013 |
20140096955 | DETERMINING FLUID COMPOSITION DOWNHOLE FROM OPTICAL SPECTRA - Obtaining in-situ optical spectral data associated with a formation fluid flowing through a downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus, and predicting a parameter of the formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus based on projection of the obtained spectral data onto a matrix that corresponds to a predominant fluid type of the formation fluid. | 04-10-2014 |
20140102794 | CORE ORIENTATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Methods and systems for evaluating the subterranean formation of a wellbore are provided. In one embodiment, a geographical orientation of a downhole tool relative to Earth may be determined. The downhole tool may include a coring tool positioned to extract a core sample from a formation of the Earth. The orientation of the core sample with respect to the down hole tool also may be determined. Further, based on the geographical orientation of the downhole tool and the orientation of the coring sample, a geographical orientation of the core sample with respect to the Earth may be determined. | 04-17-2014 |
20140131037 | Method and Apparatus for Determining Efficiency of a Sampling Tool - A downhole tool includes a pump to facilitate a flow of sampling fluid through the downhole tool. The sampling fluid flows from an inlet of the downhole tool toward an outlet of the downhole tool or to a sampling chamber. The downhole tool also includes a sensor located in the pump. The sensor facilitates a calculation of a pumping efficiency of the downhole tool. | 05-15-2014 |
20140150545 | Scattering Detection from Downhole Optical Spectra - Obtaining in-situ, at a first time, first optical spectral data associated with a formation fluid flowing through a downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus, and then obtaining in-situ, at a second time after the first time, second optical spectral data associated with the formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus. A wavelength-independent scattering intensity within the formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus is then determined based on the first and second optical spectral data, and a wavelength-dependent scattering intensity within the formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling apparatus is determined based on the first and second optical spectral data. | 06-05-2014 |
20140180591 | Multi-Sensor Contamination Monitoring - A downhole sampling tool is operated to obtain formation fluid from a subterranean formation, which then flows through a flowline of the downhole sampling tool. Real-time density and optical density sensors of the downhole sampling tool are co-located proximate the flowline. Contamination of the formation fluid in the flowline is then determined based, at least in part, on the real-time density and optical density measurements obtained utilizing the co-located sensors. | 06-26-2014 |
20140293282 | Optical Spectrometer And Downhole Spectrometry Method - An optical spectrometer includes a near black body light source, a reference detector in a first optical path and a single measurement detector in a second optical path. A sample cell including a fluid flow line may be positioned in the second optical path upstream of the measurement detector. Optical energy ma be emitted at a plurality of filament temperatures and first and second sets of optical intensities measured at the reference and measurement detectors. The first and second sets of optical intensities may be processed to compute a substantially continuous transmittance spectrum of a fluid sample in the fluid flow line by inverting the acquired optical intensity measurements. | 10-02-2014 |
20140360257 | System And Method For Estimating Oil Formation Volume Factor Downhole - A system includes a downhole formation fluid sampling tool and a processor. An optical spectrometer of the downhole formation fluid sampling tool is able to measure an optical characteristic of a formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling tool over a plurality of wavelengths. The optical spectrometer generates optical spectra data indicative of this optical characteristic. The processor is designed to receive the optical spectra data generated by the optical spectrometer and to estimate a formation volume factor of the formation fluid based on the optical spectra data. | 12-11-2014 |
20140360259 | System And Method For Quantifying Uncertainty Of Predicted Petroleum Fluid Properties - A system includes a downhole formation fluid sampling tool. The system also includes an optical spectrometer of the downhole formation fluid sampling tool and a processor. The optical spectrometer is able to measure an optical characteristic of a formation fluid flowing through the downhole formation fluid sampling tool over a plurality of wavelengths. The optical spectrometer is designed to generate optical spectra data indicative of the optical characteristic. The processor is able to receive the optical spectra data generated by the optical spectrometer, to predict a parameter corresponding to one component of multiple components of the formation fluid based on the optical spectra data, and to calculate an uncertainty in the predicted parameter based on the optical spectra data. | 12-11-2014 |
20150013968 | System And Method For Operating A Pump In A Downhole Tool - A method includes pumping fluid from outside of a downhole tool through a flowline of the downhole tool with a pump and taking first measurements, using at least one sensor, within the flowline during a first stage of pumping the fluid. The method further includes estimating a saturation pressure of the fluid, via a processor, based on the first measurements and a saturation pressure model generated based on second measurements taken using the at least one sensor during a second stage of pumping the fluid, and operating the pump to maintain a fluid pressure in the flowline greater than the estimated saturation pressure. | 01-15-2015 |