Automated borehole gravity meter system

A borehole gravity meter system comprising:

• gravity sensing means for measuring the gravity at a location in a wellbore penetrating a formation;
• position sensing means for sensing the position of said gravity sensing means;
• mechanical adjustment means for mechanically adjusting the position of said gravity sensing means;
• electrostatic adjustment means for electrostatically adjusting the position of said gravity sensing means;
• electronic control circuit means operatively connected to said gravity sensing means and said position sensing means for taking an indication of the position of said gravity sensing means from said position sensing means and continuously causing said mechanical and electrostatic adjustment means to apply mechanical and electrostatic forces respectively to said gravity sensing means until it is brought to a predetermined position;
• and
• outputting a representation of said mechanical forces applied to said gravity sensing means.

An automated borehole gravity meter system for measuring the gravity at a selected depth within a wellbore, comprising:

• gravity sensing means for measuring the gravity at the selected depth within the wellbore;
• leveling means connected to said gravity sensing means for leveling said gravity sensing means;
• clamping means for clamping and releasing said gravity sensing means;
• adjustment means for mechanically and electrostatically positioning said gravity sensing means;
• position sensing means for sensing the position of said gravity sensing means;
• electronic control circuit means for continuously electronically determining the extent of activation of said adjustment means to mechanically and electrostatically adjust the position of said gravity sensing means to a predetermined position
• electronic calculation means for continuously electronically converting the extent of activation of said adjustment means for mechanically adjusting the position of said gravity sensing means into a representation of the gravity at the selected depth in the wellbore;
• and
• display means for displaying a representation of the gravity at the selected depth in the wellbore.

A method of measuring gravity with an automated borehole gravity meter system, said system including gravity sensing means, comprising:

• (a) leveling said gravity sensing means;
• (b) sensing the position of said gravity sensing means;
• (c) applying mechanical forces to said gravity sensing means in response to step (b) to bring said gravity sensing means to a predetermined position;
• (d) outputting a representation of the gravity;
• and
• (e) electronic control circuit means for, upon activation, automatically performing steps (b)-(d) in sequence.

A method of measuring gravity in a wellbore with an automated borehole gravity meter system, comprising:

• (a) positioning a gravity sensing means at a selected depth within the wellbore, and
• (b) initiating a machine-implemented control sequence which:
• (i) levels said gravity sensing means,
• (ii) senses the position of said gravity sensing means and applies mechanical forces to said gravity sensing means to bring said gravity sensing means to a predetermined position;
• (iii) electronically converts values of said mechanical forces into a representation of the gravity at the location in the wellbore, and
• (iv) outputs said representation of the gravity.