Formation testing while drilling apparatus with axially and spirally mounted ports
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsJaedong Lee, John M. Michaels, Volker Krueger, Matthias Meister, Per-Erik Berger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining permeability of a subterranean formation is provided. The apparatus and method comprise a work string, at least one selectively extendable member mounted on the work string to isolate a portion of the annular space between the work string and borehole. A predetermined distance proportional to the radius of a control port separates at least two ports in the work string. A sensor operatively associated with each port is mounted in the work string for measuring at least one characteristic such as pressure of the fluid in the isolated section.
Claims17
An apparatus for determining a parameter of interest of a subterranean formation in-situ, comprising:
- (a) a work string for conveying a tool into a well borehole, the borehole and tool having an annular space extending between the tool and a wall of the borehole;
- (b) at least one selectively extendable member mounted on the tool, the at least one extendable member being capable of isolating a portion of the annular space;
- (c) at least two ports in the tool, the ports being exposable to a fluid containing formation fluid in the isolated annular space, the at least two ports being isolated from each other and wherein a predetermined distance between the at least two ports is proportional to the size of at least one of the at least two ports and is a range selected from a group consisting of (i) equal to or greater than 1×RP;
- (ii) less than or equal to 12×RP;
- and (iii) equal to or greater than 1×RP and less than or equal to 12×RP;
- and
- (d) a measuring device determining at least one characteristic of the fluid in the isolated section, the characteristic being indicative of the parameter of interest.
A method for determining a parameter of interest of a subterranean formation in situ, comprising:
- (a) conveying a tool on a work string into a well borehole, the tool and borehole having an annular space extending between the tool and a wall of the borehole;
- (b) extending at least one selectively extendable member for isolating a portion of the annular space between the tool and the borehole wall;
- (c) exposing at least two ports to a fluid in the isolated annulus, the at least two ports being separated from each other and wherein a predetermined distance between the at least two ports is proportional to the size of the control port and is a range selected from a group consisting of (i) equal to or greater than 1×RP;
- (ii) less than or equal to 12×RP;
- and (iii) equal to or greater than 1×RP and less than or equal to 12×RP;
- and
- (d) using a measuring device to determine at least one characteristic of the fluid in the isolated section indicative of the parameter of interest.
A method for determining permeability of a subterranean formation in situ, comprising:
- (a) conveying a tool on a work string into a well borehole, the tool and borehole having an annular space extending between the tool and a wall of the borehole;
- (b) extending at least one selectively extendable member for isolating a portion of the annular space between the tool and the borehole wall;
- (c) exposing a control port to a fluid in the isolated annulus;
- (d) exposing at least one sensor port to a fluid in the isolated annulus, the at least one sensor port and the control port being separated from each other and wherein a predetermined distance between the at least two ports is proportional to the size of the control port and is a range selected from a group consisting of (i) equal to or greater than 1×RP;
- (ii) less than or equal to 12×RP;
- and (iii) equal to or greater than 1×RP and less than or equal to 12×RP;
- (e) reducing pressure at the control port to disturb formation pressure at a first interface between the control port and the formation;
- (f) sensing the pressure at the control port with a first pressure sensor;
- (g) sensing pressure at a second interface between the at least one sensor port and the formation;
- and
- (h) using a downhole processor to determine formation permeability from the sensor port pressure and the control port pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.