Gas generator for pressurizing downhole samples
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsScott L. Miller, Cyrus A. Irani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for obtaining fluid samples in a subterranean wellbore comprises a carrier assembly configured to be disposed in a subterranean wellbore; a sampling chamber operably associated with the carrier assembly; a pressure assembly coupled to the sampling chamber and configured to pressurize a fluid sample obtained in the sampling chamber, wherein the pressure assembly is configured to contain a pressure generating agent; an activation mechanism configured to activate the pressure generating agent; and a power device operably associated with the carrier assembly and configured to provide an impulse for activating the activation mechanism, wherein the power device is not disposed on the pressure assembly.
Claims20
An apparatus for obtaining fluid samples in a subterranean wellbore the apparatus comprising:
- a carrier assembly configured to be disposed in a subterranean wellbore;
- a sampling chamber operably associated with the carrier assembly;
- a pressure assembly coupled to the sampling chamber and configured to pressurize a fluid sample obtained in the sampling chamber, wherein the pressure assembly is configured to contain a pressure generating agent;
- an activation mechanism configured to activate the pressure generating agent, where the activation mechanism comprises an electrically initiated activation mechanism;
- and
- a power device operably associated with the carrier assembly and configured to provide an electrical impulse for activating the activation mechanism, wherein the power device is not disposed on the pressure assembly initially, and wherein the power device is configured to translate into engagement with the pressure assembly to activate the activation mechanism.
A method comprising:
- positioning a fluid sampler comprising a sampling chamber, a pressure assembly, a power device operably associated with the fluid sampler, and an activation mechanism in a subterranean wellbore, wherein the pressure assembly comprises a pressure generating agent that comprises an organic solid composition, a urea, a multi-component system, or any combination thereof, wherein the power device is separate from the pressure assembly and the activation mechanism, and where the activation mechanism comprises an electrically initiated activation mechanism;
- obtaining a fluid sample in the sampling chamber;
- translating the power device into engagement with the activation mechanism;
- providing an impulse for activating the activation mechanism using the power device;
- activating, within the subterranean wellbore, the pressure generating agent with the activation mechanism in response to the impulse to generate a pressurized fluid that is coupled to the sampling chamber, wherein the activating of the pressure generating agent occurs after the obtaining of the fluid sample;
- and
- pressurizing the fluid sample using the pressurized fluid.
A method of generating pressure within a subterranean wellbore comprising:
- positioning an activation mechanism, a sampling chamber, a power device, and a pressure assembly comprising a pressure generating agent within a subterranean wellbore, and where the activation mechanism comprises an electrically initiated activation mechanism;
- obtaining a fluid sample in the sampling chamber;
- translating the power device into engagement with the activation mechanism in response to obtaining the fluid sample;
- activating, within the subterranean wellbore, the pressure generating agent with the activation mechanism in response to an impulse provided by the power device to generate a pressurized fluid in response to the translating;
- and
- using the pressurized fluid to pressurize the fluid sample in the sampling chamber in response to the activating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.