# US 7,743,674 B2 · High temperature fluid test instrument

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- Number: US 7,743,674 B2
- Document ID: US7743674B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/651,089
- Filed: 2007-01-08
- Published: 2008-07-10
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-01-08
- Assignees: BJ Services Company
- Inventors: Virgilio Go Boncan; Dan Thomas Mueller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743674B2

## CPC

- G01N 11/14: by using rotary bodies, e.g. vane (G01N11/16 takes precedence)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

An apparatus that can determine the water wettability of fluid at simulate downhole conditions. For example, a spacer fluid and a drilling mud mixture can be tested under a specified pressure and a specified temperature that simulate downhole conditions. Additionally, a shear rate may be applied to the fluid mixture that is substantially identical to the shear rate that will be exerted on the mixture due to downhole geometries and conditions. The apparatus may also provide the viscosity of the fluid under the designated pressure, at the specific temperature, and under the specified shear rate. The apparatus may also be used to determine the amount of spacer fluid that would need to be added to a drilling mud to improve the rheological properties of the mixture to provide adequate water wettability as well as the displacement of the mixture during the cementing process of a wellbore.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for determining the water wettability of a fluid under downhole conditions, the apparatus comprising:
a cell adapted to contain a fluid;
a piston, the piston adapted to apply pressure to a fluid contained within the cell;
a paddle, the paddle positioned within the cell;
a conductivity probe, the conductivity probe located within the cell;
a heater, the heater may heat the fluid in the cell;
a wettability readout, the wettability readout electrically connected to the conductivity probe; and
a pump to pump a fluid to move the piston and apply pressure to the fluid within the cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flow meter which measures the portion of fluid transferred from the cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a motor connected to the paddle, wherein the motor rotates the paddle within the cell.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the motor includes a fluid viscosity feedback or a rotary torque sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the paddle subjects the fluid in the cell to a shear rate substantially identical to the shear rate exerted on the fluid in the cell under specified downhole conditions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid in the cell is a spacer fluid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid in the cell is an oil based drilling mud.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a valve in fluid communication with the fluid contained in the cell, the valve being configured to transfer at least a portion of the fluid in the cell away from the cell.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pump fluid is mineral oil.

### Claim 10

A system for determining the water wettability of a mixture under downhole conditions, the system comprising:
a first cell adapted to contain a fluid, the first cell including a first piston adapted to apply pressure to a first fluid contained within the first cell, a first paddle, a first conductivity probe, and a first heater;
a second cell adapted to contain a fluid, the second cell including a second piston adapted to apply pressure to a second fluid contained within the second cell, a second paddle, a second conductivity probe, and a second heater;
a first valve in fluid communication with the first fluid of the first cell and in fluid communication with the second fluid of the second cell, wherein a portion of the first fluid may be transferred from the first cell into the second cell;
a flow meter, the flow meter measures the portion of the first fluid transferred into the second cell; and
a wettability readout, the wettability readout electrically connected to the first conductivity probe and electrically connected to the second conductivity probe.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 further comprising a second valve in fluid communication with the first valve and in fluid communication the second fluid of the second cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the first fluid is a spacer fluid and the second fluid is a drilling mud.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 further comprising a first motor connected to the first paddle and a second motor connected to the second paddle, wherein the first motor rotates the first paddle and the second motor rotates the second paddle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein the first motor includes a fluid viscosity feedback or a rotary torque sensor and the second motor includes a fluid viscosity feedback or a rotary torque sensor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the first piston can apply a pressure of at least 1000 psi to the fluid in the first cell and the second piston can apply a pressure of at least 1000 psi to the fluid in the second cell.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10 wherein the first heater can heat the fluid in the first cell to a temperature over 2000 Fahrenheit and the second heater can heat the fluid in the second cell to a temperature over 2000 Fahrenheit.

### Claim 17

An apparatus for determining the water wettability of a fluid under downhole conditions, the apparatus comprising:
a cell adapted to contain a fluid;
means for applying pressure to a fluid contained within the cell;
means for mixing the fluid;
means for heating the fluid in the cell; and
means for determining the water wettability of the fluid, wherein the means for mixing the fluid may further comprise means for exerting a known shear rate on the fluid.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a flow meter which measures the portion of fluid transferred from the cell.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the fluid comprises a mixture of a spacer fluid and a drilling mud.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for determining the viscosity of the fluid.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for determining the water wettability of the fluid comprises a conductivity probe in electrical communication with a readout.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a valve in fluid communication with the fluid contained in the cell, the valve being configured to transfer at least a portion of the fluid away from the cell.

### Claim 23

A method of determining the wettability of a mixture of a spacer fluid and a drilling mud, the method comprising:
dispensing a spacer fluid into a first cell;
applying pressure to the spacer fluid within the first cell;
heating the spacer fluid within the first cell;
measuring the conductivity of the spacer fluid;
dispensing a known amount of drilling mud into a second cell;
applying pressure to the drilling mud within the second cell;
heating the drilling mud within the second cell;
measuring the conductivity of the drilling mud within the second cell;
transferring a portion of the spacer fluid to the second cell with the drilling mud;
measuring the amount of spacer fluid transferred into the second cell; and
measuring the conductivity of the drilling mud and spacer fluid combination.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 further comprising adding spacer fluid into the second cell until the conductivity of the drilling mud and spacer fluid combination is substantially equal to the conductivity of the spacer fluid in the first cell.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 further comprising applying a known shear force to the fluid in the first cell and a known shear force to the fluid in the second cell.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 further comprising measuring the viscosity of the spacer fluid in the first cell.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26 further comprising measuring the viscosity of the drilling mud in the second cell.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising measuring the viscosity of the drilling mud and spacer fluid combination in the second cell.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26 wherein a first fluid viscosity feedback connected to a first electric motor is used to measure the viscosity of the spacer fluid.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein a second fluid viscosity feedback connected to a second electric motor is used to measure the viscosity of the drilling mud.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30 further comprising measuring the viscosity of a sample fluid having a known viscosity in the second cell to calibrate the second fluid viscosity feedback.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 further comprising measuring the viscosity of a sample fluid having a known viscosity in the first cell to calibrate the first fluid viscosity feedback.

### Claim 33 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the pressure applied to the spacer fluid in the first cell and the pressure applied to the drilling mud in the second cell are both substantially equal to a determined downhole pressure.

### Claim 34 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the first cell and the second cell are heated to a determined downhole temperature.

### Claim 35 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the pressure applied to the spacer fluid in the first cell and the pressure applied to the drilling mud in the second cell are both greater than 1000 psi.

### Claim 36 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 where the first cell and the second cell are both heated above 2000 Fahrenheit.

### Claim 37

A system for determining the water wettability of a mixture under downhole conditions, the system comprising:
a first cell adapted to contain a fluid, the first cell including a first piston adapted to apply pressure to a first fluid contained within the first cell;
a second cell adapted to contain a fluid, the second cell including a second piston adapted to apply pressure to a second fluid contained within the second cell, wherein a portion of the first fluid may be transferred from the first cell into the second cell; and
a wettability readout apparatus connected to the system.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

A system as defined in claim 37, the system further comprising a first conductivity probe connected to the first cell and a second conductivity probe connected to the second cell, the wettability readout apparatus being connected to the first and second conductivity probes.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

A system as defined in claim 37, the system further comprising a flow meter to measure the portion of the first fluid transferred into the second cell.

### Claim 40 (depends on 37)

A system as defined in claim 37, the system further comprising a fluid viscosity feedback or a rotary torque sensor.