Determining effects of acoustic energy on fluid and rock interactions
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorAbdullah M. Alharith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for determining effects of acoustic energy on fluid and rock interactions include a housing including a housing body and a cover; an elastomeric base disposed within the housing body; a gasket disposed between the housing body and the cover when the cover is installed on the housing body; a cylinder simulating a wellbore protruding through the cover and a connection port attached at one end of the cylinder; one or more sensors disposed on the housing body; and an acoustic transducer disposed in the cylinder.
Claims20
A system for determining effects of acoustic energy on fluid and rock interactions, the system comprising:
- a housing comprising a housing body and a cover;
- an elastomeric base disposed within the housing body;
- a gasket disposed between the housing body and the cover when the cover is installed on the housing body;
- a cylinder simulating a wellbore protruding through the cover and a connection port attached at one end of the cylinder;
- one or more sensors disposed on the housing body;
- and
- an acoustic transducer disposed in the cylinder.
A method for determining effects of acoustic energy on fluid and rock interactions, the method comprising:
- inserting a cylinder simulating a wellbore into a central bore of a rock sample;
- inserting an acoustic transducer into the central bore of the rock sample through the cylinder;
- injecting fluids into the rock sample through the cylinder using a pump;
- measuring a first flow rate of fluids through the rock sample;
- determining a first permeability of the rock sample based on the first flow rate;
- generating acoustic waves traveling through the rock sample using the acoustic transducer disposed within the central bore of the rock sample;
- measuring a second flow rate of fluids through the rock sample while generating the acoustic waves;
- and
- determining a second permeability of the rock sample based on the second flow rate;
- determining the effects of acoustic energy based on the first and second flow rates and the first and second permeabilities.
A method for assembling a system for determining effects of acoustic energy on fluid and rock interactions, the method comprising:
- obtaining a housing comprising a housing body and a cover;
- placing an elastomeric base inside the housing;
- placing a rock sample inside the housing on top of the elastomeric base;
- placing a gasket on the rock sample and the housing body;
- inserting a cylinder simulating a wellbore into a central bore of the rock sample, the cylinder protruding through the cover;
- securing the cover to the housing body with the gasket between the housing body and the cover;
- and
- inserting an acoustic transducer into the central bore of the rock sample through the cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.