Early evaluation system with pump and method of servicing a well

An apparatus for use in drilling and servicing a well adjacent to a subsurface zone of interest in the well, said apparatus comprising:

• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a drill bit disposed below said housing;
• and
• a pump in communication with said sampling tube for flowing fluid from said zone through said sampling tube.

A method of servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone or formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string on which said evaluation tool is run into said well;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer connected to said housing;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said borehole below said packer;
• and
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube;
• (b) setting said packer in said borehole adjacent to said subsurface zone or formation;
• and
• (c) after step (b), actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said zone below said packer into said borehole and through said communication passage and said sampling tube.

A method of drilling and servicing a well comprising:

• (a) positioning a drill string in said well, said drill string comprising:
• a drill bit;
• a packer connected to said drill bit, said packer defining a sampling port therein;
• a housing attached to said packer and having a sampling tube therein;
• a formation pump disposed in said housing and in communication with said sampling tube;
• and
• an outer tubing string disposed above said housing;
• (b) drilling at least a portion of a borehole of said well by rotation of said drill string such that said borehole intersects a subsurface zone of interest;
• (c) during step (b), circulating fluid down said outer tubing string to said drill bit;
• (d) stopping rotation of said drill string;
• (e) actuating said packer into sealing engagement adjacent to said subsurface zone;
• and
• (f) actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said subsurface zone through said sampling port into said sampling tube.

A method of servicing a well and performing a bubble point determination in a wellbore intersecting a subsurface zone or formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string on which said evaluation tool is run into said well;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a valve disposed in said sampling tube;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said wellbore;
• and
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube;
• (b) actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said zone into said wellbore and through said communication passage and sampling tube;
• (c) after step (b), closing said valve;
• and
• (d) after step (c), actuating said pump to reduce the pressure of fluid between said pump and said valve.

An apparatus for use in servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone of interest, said apparatus comprising:

• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tube string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer adjacent to said housing and adapted for sealing the borehole on a side of the zone;
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube for flowing fluid from said zone through said sampling tube;
• and
• a drill bit connected to a lower end of said packer.

An apparatus for use in servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone of interest, said apparatus comprising:

• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer adjacent to said housing and adapted for sealing the borehole on a side of the zone;
• and
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube for flowing fluid from said zone through said sampling tube, said pump being mechanically actuated and comprising:
• a cylinder portion forming a portion of said housing;
• and
• a plunger portion slidably disposed in said cylinder portion and connected to said outer tubing string;
• wherein, said outer tubing string is reciprocable with respect to said cylinder portion.

A method of servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone on formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer connected to said housing;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said borehole below said packer;
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube, said pump being hydraulically actuated;
• and
• a hydraulic motor connected to said pump;
• (b) setting packer in said borehole adjacent to said subsurface zone or formation;
• and
• (c) after step (b), actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said zone below said packer into said borehole and through said communication passage and sampling tube, said actuating comprising:
• pumping fluid down said outer tubing string to activate said hydraulic motor and thereby actuate said pump;
• and
• exhausting fluid discharged from said motor and said pump into a well annulus adjacent to said evaluation tool.

A method of servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone or formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer connected to said housing;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said borehole below said packer;
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube;
• and
• a drill bit attached to a lower end of said packer;
• (b) drilling at least a portion of a borehole of said well with said drill bit by rotation of said outer tubing string;
• (c) setting said packer in said borehole adjacent to said subsurface zone or formation;
• and
• (d) after step (c), actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said zone below said packer into said borehole and through said communication passage and said sampling tube.

A method of servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone or formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer connected to said housing;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said borehole below said packer;
• and
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube;
• (b) setting said packer in said borehole adjacent to said subsurface zone or formation;
• (c) after step (b), actuating said pump so that fluid is flowed from said zone below said packer into said borehole and through said communication passage and said sampling tube;
• (d) running an inner well tool into said outer tubing string;
• and
• (e) engaging said inner well tool with said outer tubing string and placing said inner well tool in fluid communication with said zone through said communication passage.

A method of servicing a well having an uncased borehole intersecting a subsurface zone or formation of interest, comprising:

• (a) running an evaluation tool into said well, said evaluation tool comprising:
• an outer tubing string;
• a housing adjacent to said outer tubing string and having a sampling tube therein;
• a packer connected to said housing;
• a communication passage communicating said sampling tube with said borehole below said packer;
• and
• a formation pump in communication with said sampling tube, said pump being mechanically actuated;
• (b) setting said packer in said borehole adjacent to said subsurface zone or formation;
• and
• (c) after step (b), actuating said pump by reciprocating said outer tubing string so that fluid is flowed from said zone below said packer into said borehole and through said communication passage and said sampling tube.