Back to results
US 10,884,151 B2Granted
Ultrasonic cutting detection
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsAdam Pedrycz, Hiroshi Hori, Jean-Christophe Auchere
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for identifying drilling cuttings downhole by extracting an echo from a pulse-echo waveform acquired utilizing a downhole ultrasonic tool having an acoustic device. An energy before echo profile preceding the extracted echo is determined, and then the energy before echo profile is processed to remove effects associated with the acoustic device. A cutting is then identified from the processed energy before echo profile.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- acquiring a plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms utilizing a downhole ultrasonic tool having an acoustic device and operated within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the acoustic device includes firing an ultrasonic signal towards the subterranean formation at a plurality of sequential locations and receiving in response to each firing one of the plurality of ultrasonic waveforms,
- extracting an echo from at least one ultrasonic waveform of the plurality, wherein the echo is representative of a reflection of the fired ultrasonic signal,
- determining an energy before echo profile for the plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms, wherein the energy before echo profile is representative of the energy preceding the extracted echo of each ultrasonic waveform;
- processing the energy before echo profile to remove effects associated with the acoustic device;
- and
- identifying a cutting from the processed energy before echo profile.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a downhole ultrasonic tool having an acoustic device and operable within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation to acquire a plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms, configured to fire an ultrasonic signal towards the subterranean formation at a plurality of sequential locations and to receive in response to each fired ultrasonic signal one of the plurality of ultrasonic waveforms;
- and
- a processing device comprising a processor and a memory storing an executable code, wherein the processing device is operable for:
- extracting an echo from at least one of the acquired waveform;
- determining for each of the plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms an energy before echo profile, wherein the energy before echo profile is representative of the energy preceding the extracted echo of each ultrasonic waveform;
- processing the energy before echo profile to remove effects associated with the acoustic device;
- and
- identifying a cutting from the processed energy before echo profile.
5 more elements
A tangible, non-transient, computer-readable medium comprising:
- instructions executable by a processor to:
- receive a plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms acquired utilizing a downhole ultrasonic tool having an acoustic device and operated within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms are acquired at sequential locations within the wellbore,
- extract an echo from at least and insert one of the plurality of ultrasonic waveforms, wherein the echo is representative of a reflection of the fired ultrasonic signal
- determine for the ultrasonic waveform an energy before echo profile for the plurality of sequential ultrasonic waveforms an energy before echo profile, wherein the energy before echo profile is representative of the energy preceding the extracted echo of each ultrasonic waveform;
- process the energy before echo profile to remove effects associated with the acoustic device;
- and
- identify a cutting from the processed energy before echo profile.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.