Subterranean Coring Assemblies
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorByron Kurt Deshotels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A subterranean coring assembly can include a body having at least one wall that forms a cavity, wherein the cavity has a top end and a bottom end. The subterranean coring assembly can also include a first flow regulating device movably disposed within the cavity toward the top end, where the first flow regulating device is configured to move from a first default position to a first position within the cavity based on first flow characteristics of fluid that flows into the top end of the cavity toward the bottom end of the cavity.
Claims20
A subterranean coring assembly, comprising:
- a body comprising at least one wall that forms a cavity, wherein the cavity has a top end and a bottom end;
- and
- a first flow regulating device movably disposed within the cavity toward the top end, wherein the first flow regulating device is configured to move from a first default position to a first position within the cavity based on first flow characteristics of fluid that flows into the top end of the cavity toward the bottom end of the cavity.
A coring bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising:
- an upstream section comprising a first coupling feature disposed on a distal end thereof;
- a downstream section comprising a catcher assembly, a core head, and a second coupling feature disposed on a proximal end thereof;
- and
- a subterranean coring assembly coupled to the upstream portion and the downstream portion, wherein the subterranean coring assembly comprises:
- a body comprising at least one wall that forms a cavity, wherein the cavity has a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end comprises an upstream section coupling feature, and wherein the bottom end comprises a downstream section coupling feature;
- and
- a first flow regulating device movably disposed within the cavity toward the top end, wherein the first flow regulating device is configured to move from a first default position to a first position within the cavity based on first flow characteristics of fluid that flows through the upstream section into the top end of the cavity toward the downstream section,
- wherein the first position corresponds to a first mode of operation.
A method for performing a subterranean coring operation in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- receiving fluid from an upstream section of a coring bottom hole assembly (BHA), wherein the fluid has a flow rate;
- and
- moving, based on the flow rate of the fluid, a first flow regulating device within a cavity of a body of a subterranean coring assembly,
- wherein the first flow regulating device moves to a first position within the cavity of the body when the flow rate of the fluid is within a first range of flow rates,
- wherein the first flow regulating device moves to a second position within the cavity of the body when the flow rate of the fluid is within a second range of flow rates,
- wherein the first position corresponds to a flushing mode of operation,
- wherein the second position corresponds to a coring mode of operation,
- wherein the second range of flow rates exceeds the first range of flow rates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.