# US 2016/0259084 A1 · Identification of heat capacity properties of formation fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0259084 A1 - Document ID: US20160259084A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/426,313 - Filed: 2014-03-10 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-10 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services Inc. - Inventors: Hua XIA; Li GAO; Robert ATKINSON; Mahaly RANDRIANAVONY; Christopher Michael JONES - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160259084A1 ## CPC - G01V 9/005: {by thermal methods, e.g. after generation of heat by chemical reactions} - E21B 47/07: Temperature - E21B 47/103: using thermal measurements - E21B 49/081: {with down-hole means for trapping a fluid sample (E21B49/10 takes precedence)} - G01K 17/06: Measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems (G01K17/02, G01K17/04 take precedence){e.g. the quantity of heat in a transporting medium, delivered to or consumed in an expenditure device} - E21B 49/0875: {determining specific fluid parameters} - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract Downhole fluid sensing device is disclosed for determining heat capacity of a formation fluid produced by a sampled subterranean well, the sensor package having an annulus shaped, elongate body defining a cylindrical fluid sampling space, the sensor package and the sampling space having a common longitudinal center axis. The elongate sensor package body has a fluid entrance port that provides well fluid ingress into the fluid sampling space and a fluid exit port that provides well fluid egress out of the fluid sampling space. A heat source is coupled to the elongate sensor package body and located along a portion of the fluid path, and the heat source inputs heat into sampled well fluid. Finally, temperature sensing devices (located between the fluid entrance port and fluid exit port measure heat conducted to the sampled well fluid, wherein each of the temperature sensing devices is radially spaced from the heat source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A downhole fluid sensing device for determining heat capacity of a formation fluid produced by a sampled subterranean well, the device comprising: an annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body interiorly defining a substantially cylindrical fluid sampling space, the elongate body and the sampling space having a common longitudinal center axis; a fluid entrance port providing a well fluid ingress into the fluid sampling space; a fluid exit port providing a well fluid egress out of the fluid sampling space; an upstream-to-downstream fluid flow path for a sampled well fluid extending from the fluid entrance port to the fluid exit port across the sampling space; a heat source coupled to the elongate sensor package body and located along a portion of the fluid flow path between the fluid entrance port and the fluid exit port for inputting heat into the sampled well fluid; and a plurality of temperature sensing devices coupled to the elongate sensor package body and located between the fluid entrance port and fluid exit port for measuring heat conducted to the sampled well fluid, wherein each of the plurality of temperature sensing devices is radially spaced from the heat source and wherein the measurement is used to calculate the heat capacity of the formation fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 1, wherein the heat source is concentrically positioned about the longitudinal center axis of the sampling space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 2, wherein the heat source is centrally positioned longitudinally within the sampling space on the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 2, wherein the heat source is positioned within the sampling space at a distance from the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 2, wherein the heat source is positioned outside the annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body at a distance from the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 5, wherein the heat source is a coiled heating element wound about an exterior of the annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 2, wherein the heat source exteriorly circumscribes the annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 1, wherein the heat source comprises a plurality of heat inputs positioned at different locations about the elongate sensor package body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 1, wherein, at least one of the plurality of temperature sensing devices is located between the heat source and the fluid entrance port for measuring heat conducted upstream from the heat source and at least one of the plurality of temperature sensing devices is located between the heat source and the fluid exit port for measuring heat conveyed downstream from the heat source by the sampled well fluid flow. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of temperature sensing devices are one of: aligned, one with the others and positioned substantially parallel to the common longitudinal center axis of the elongate body and sampling space; arrayed thermocouple sensors; arrayed fiber Bragg grating sensors; optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based Brillouin distributed fiber temperature sensors; and arrayed resistivity temperature detectors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The downhole well fluid sensing device of claim 1, wherein the heat source extends along a majority of the elongate sensor package body. ### Claim 12 A method for determining a heat capacity of formation fluid produced by a sampled subterranean well, the method comprising: receiving, through a fluid entrance port, a formation fluid flow in an annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body interiorly defining a substantially cylindrical fluid sampling space, the elongate body and the sampling space having a common longitudinal center axis; applying thermal energy to the fluid sampling space, wherein the thermal energy is applied by a heat source; measuring a relative temperature change over time at a plurality of temperature sensing devices concentrically coupled to the elongate sensor package body, wherein the plurality of temperature sensing devices are longitudinally spaced along the sampling space and radially separated from the heat source; and calculating the heat capacity of the formation fluid based on the relative transient temperature change. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12 further comprising pumping the formation fluid via a fluid exit port, out of the fluid sampling space, wherein the fluid mass density is measured with a density meter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12 wherein applying thermal energy comprises applying a pulse modulated thermal energy to the formation fluid along a portion of the substantially cylindrical fluid sampling space, wherein the pulse of thermal energy is applied by a heat source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, further comprising the step of: altering, in-situ, an external heating or energy supply system, based on the calculated thermal property for downhole hydrocarbon fluid production optimization, wherein, during time modulated external heat energy excitation, mufti-point thermal sensing arrays are measured relative temperature response amplitudes, the thermal responses are displayed in real-time, and transmitted to surface for fluid heat capacity analyses. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, further comprising the step of: transmitting the calculated thermal property to a surface computer for use altering a drilling or production parameter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, wherein the heat source is centrally positioned within the sampling space on the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, wherein the heat source is positioned within the sampling space at a distance from the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, wherein the heat source is positioned outside the annulus shaped, elongate sensor package body at a distance from the longitudinal center axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of determining the heat capacity of a formation fluid of claim 12, wherein the pulse of thermal energy is a modulated energy pulse with electric current.