US 9,733,182 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for determining a fluid property downhole using a bulk reading refractometer

AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated

InventorsRocco DiFoggio, Thomas Kruspe, Sebastian Jung

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Abstract

In one aspect, an apparatus for determining a property of a fluid is disclosed that in one embodiment may include a transparent member having an axis and a first end substantially perpendicular to the axis and a second end having an outer surface at a first angle to the axis, a light source directing light at the first end, a detector placed spaced from the second end, the space between the second end and the detector containing a fluid, wherein the detector detects light exiting from the outer surface at a second angle to the axis and passing through the fluid, and a controller for determining the second angle from the light detected by the detector. A processor determines the bulk fluid refractive index from the light detected by the detector and a property of the fluid therefrom.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for determining a property of a downhole fluid, comprising:

a transparent member having a first side having a planar surface, a second side having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the first side and an angular section of the second side having an angled surface at a selected angle to the planar surface of the first side, wherein the angled surface and the parallel surface of the second side are in contact with the downhole fluid;
a light source at the first side that directs light through the transparent member onto the angled surface and the parallel surface of the second side;
a first detector spaced from the second side, the space between the second side and the first detector containing the downhole fluid, wherein the first detector detects light exiting from the transparent member into the downhole fluid via the angled surface at a refractive angle;
a second detector that receives light from the light source that is reflected by the parallel surface of the second side at a reflective angle;
and
a controller for determining the refractive index of the downhole fluid from at least one of the refractive angle at the angled surface and the reflective angle at the second surface.

3 more elements

A method of determining a property of interest of a downhole fluid, comprising:

providing the downhole fluid in a chamber;
enclosing a transparent member in the chamber, the transparent member having a first side having a planar surface, a second side having a planar surface parallel to the first side and an angular section with an angled surface at a selected angle to the planar surface of the first side, wherein the angled surface and the parallel surface of the second side are in contact with the downhole fluid;
passing light from a light source at the first side of the transparent member into the transparent member and from the transparent member into the downhole fluid in the chamber at the angled face, wherein the light passes into the downhole fluid at a refractive angle;
receiving light passing through the downhole fluid at a first detector;
determining the refractive angle from the light received at the first detector;
determining, at a second detector, a reflective angle of light from the light source reflected from the planar surface of the second side;
and
determining a refractive index of the downhole fluid from at least one of the refractive angle and the reflective angle.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/856,815Filed 4 Apr 2013
Published: US 2014/0300889 A19 Oct 2014
Granted: 15 Aug 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G01N 21/4133
Refractivity; Phase-affecting properties, e.g. optical path length: refractometers, e.g. differential
E21B 47/114
Using electrical indications; using light radiations: using light radiation
G01N 33/2823
Oils , i.e. hydrocarbon liquids: raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures
E21B 49/0875
Well testing, e.g. testing for reservoir productivity or formation parameters: determining specific fluid parameters