# US 10,871,069 B2 · Flow testing wellbores while drilling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,069 B2 - Document ID: US10871069B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/239,366 - Filed: 2019-01-03 - Published: 2020-07-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-03 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Ismail Adebiyi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871069B2 ## CPC - E21B 49/081: {with down-hole means for trapping a fluid sample (E21B49/10 takes precedence)} - E21B 33/127: with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) - E21B 34/06: in wells - E21B 47/138: {Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals} - E21B 49/008: {by injection test; by analysing pressure variations in an injection or production test, e.g. for estimating the skin factor (measuring pressure E21B47/06)} - E21B 49/084: {with means for conveying samples through pipe to surface} - E21B 49/087: {Well testing, e.g. testing for reservoir productivity or formation parameters} - E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure - E21B 47/07: Temperature - E21B 47/10: Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements - E21B 47/18: through the well fluid {, e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry} - E21B 2200/04: Ball valves - E21B 2200/06: Sleeve valves - G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract A well testing tool mounted on a drill string is positioned within a zone of interest in a wellbore. An RFID tag with a density between 400 and 500 pounds per square foot is dropped through the drill string to activate the well testing tool. An uphole packer positioned at an uphole end of the well testing tool and a downhole packer positioned at a downhole end of the well testing tool are expanded to isolate a portion of the zone of interest between the expanded uphole packer and the expanded downhole packer. A three-way valve positioned between the uphole packer and the downhole packer is adjusted to allow fluid to flow from the isolated portion of the zone of interest into the drill string. One or more sensors within the well testing tool are activated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: positioning a well testing tool mounted on a drill string within a zone of interest in a wellbore; dropping an RFID tag with a density between 400 and 500 pounds per cubic foot through the drill string to activate the well testing tool; expanding an uphole packer positioned at an uphole end of the well testing tool and expanding a downhole packer positioned at a downhole end of the well testing tool to isolate a portion of the zone of interest between the expanded uphole packer and the expanded downhole packer; adjusting a three-way valve positioned between the uphole packer and the downhole packer to allow fluid to flow from the isolated portion of the zone of interest into the drill string, wherein the three-way valve comprises: a ball valve positioned within a central flow path of the well testing tool; and a retractable sleeve positioned downhole of the ball valve, the sleeve surrounding a plurality of fluid ports; activating one or more sensors within the well testing tool; flowing production fluid from the zone of interest, through the well testing tool, and up the drill string; and recording dynamic data with the one or more sensors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein recording dynamic data with one or more sensors comprises recording pressure, temperature, or flow-rate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic data is relayed in real-time to a topside facility. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: flowing the production fluid to a topside facility; and measuring fluid properties at the topside facility. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: circulating circulation fluid prior to flowing production fluid, the circulation fluid being of a weight for a desired drawdown rate or underbalanced condition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: dropping a second weighted RFID chip through the drill string to activate a shut-in mode of the well testing tool; and recording dynamic data with the one or more sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: dropping a third weighted RFID chip through the drill string to deactivate the well testing tool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising drilling to a next zone of interest without tripping the well testing tool out of the wellbore. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the uphole packer is a full-bore packer. ### Claim 10 A downhole well testing tool comprising: an uphole packer positioned at an uphole end of the tool; a downhole packer positioned at a downhole end of the tool; one or more sensors positioned between the uphole packer and the downhole packer; and a three-way valve positioned between the uphole and downhole packer, the three-way valve comprising: a ball valve positioned within a central flow path of the well testing tool; and a retractable sleeve positioned downhole of the ball valve, the sleeve surrounding a plurality of fluid ports. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, further comprising an upper circulation valve positioned uphole of the uphole packer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, wherein the uphole packer comprises: an inflatable bladder; a retractable protective sleeve surrounding the inflatable bladder; a fluid reservoir; and a pump fluidically coupled to the fluid reservoir and the inflatable bladder, the pump configured to flow fluid from the reservoir into the inflatable bladder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, wherein the three-way valve has: an inflow mode in which the three-way valve fluidically connects a zone of interest to central flow path of the well testing tool; a circulating mode in which the three-way valve fluidically connects an uphole end of the tool to a downhole end of the tool; and a shut-in mode in which the three-way valve fluidically isolates a wellbore from the central flow path of the well testing tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors comprise: a pressure sensor; a flow meter; and a temperature sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, further comprising a communication module configured to relay data collected by the one or more sensors to a topside facility in real-time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The downhole well testing tool of claim 10, further comprising a controller comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instruct the one or more processors to: detect a weighted RFID tag; set a state of the uphole packer and the downhole packer; and set a mode of the three-way valve. ### Claim 17 A drill string comprising: a drill bit at a downhole end of the drill string; a downhole well testing tool uphole of the drill bit, the downhole well testing tool comprising: an uphole packer positioned at an uphole end of the tool; a downhole packer positioned at a downhole end of the tool; one or more sensors positioned between the uphole packer and the downhole packer; a three-way valve positioned between the uphole and downhole packer, the three-way valve configurable to be in three valve states, the three-way valve comprising: a ball valve positioned within a central flow path of the well testing tool; and a retractable sleeve positioned downhole of the ball valve, the sleeve surrounding a plurality of fluid ports; and an upper circulation valve positioned uphole of the uphole packer, the upper circulation valve configurable to be in an open or closed state; and a controller comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instruct the one or more processors to: detect a first weighted RFID tag; set a state of the uphole packer and the downhole packer in response to the detected RFID tag; and set a mode of the three-way valve, wherein the mode of the three-way valve is changed in response to a presence of a second RFID tag different than the first RFID tag. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The drill string of claim 17, wherein the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to open or close the upper circulation valve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The drill string of claim 17, wherein a state of the uphole packer and the downhole packer includes an activated state, the state being changed in response to a presence of a first RFID tag.