Downhole core sampling and testing apparatus
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsArthur D. Hay, Mike H. Johnson, Volker Krueger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coring apparatus permitting the taking of a non-rotating core sample and testing of same, as by NMR, prior to breakage and ejection from the apparatus. A core barrel is suspended from a rotating outer sleeve by one or more bearing assemblies which permit the core barrel to remain stationary during rotation of the sleeve with attached core bit for cutting the core. A core test device is fixed with respect to the core barrel on the outside thereof to test the core as it proceeds through the barrel. The apparatus optionally includes a directional detecting device such as an inclinometer and a compact set of circumferentially-spaced steering arms for changing the direction of the apparatus during coring.
Claims37
An apparatus for extracting and testing a core of subterranean rock while maintaining physical integrity of the core, comprising:
- a rotatable tubular sleeve;
- a core bit secured to a lower end of said rotatable tubular sleeve, said core bit defining a bit face aperture;
- a non-rotatable core barrel rotatably suspended within said rotatable tubular sleeve and aligned with said bit face aperture;
- and
- a core testing device fixedly mounted adjacent said non-rotatable core barrel within said rotatable tubular sleeve, said core testing device configured to permit drilling mud flow therepast within said rotatable tubular sleeve to said core bit from above said core testing device.
An apparatus for extracting a core of subterranean rock while maintaining physical integrity of the core and subsequently ejecting said core from said apparatus, comprising:
- a rotatable tubular sleeve;
- a core bit secured to a lower end of said rotatable tubular sleeve, said core bit defining a bit face aperture;
- a non-rotatable core barrel rotatably suspended within said rotatable tubular sleeve and aligned with said bit face aperture;
- and
- a core ejector tube having a first inlet end aligned with an outlet of said non-rotatable core barrel and a second exit end opening through said rotatable tubular sleeve to an exterior thereof.
An apparatus for extracting a core of subterranean rock while maintaining physical integrity of said core and subsequently breaking said core, comprising:
- a rotatable tubular sleeve;
- a core bit secured to a lower end of said rotatable tubular sleeve, said core bit defining a bit face aperture;
- a non-rotatable core barrel rotatably suspended within said rotatable tubular sleeve and having a lower end aligned with said bit face aperture to receive a core passing therethrough;
- and
- core breakage structure located within said rotatable tubular sleeve remote from said lower end of said non-rotatable core barrel and operable to break said core at a leading end of said core after said core has traversed a selected length of entry into said non-rotatable core barrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.