LWD resistivity imaging tool with adjustable sensor pads
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorTimothy James Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A logging while drilling tool for measuring a geological formation surrounding a wellbore includes a tool body having one or more sensor pads. Each sensor pad is coupled to the tool body by an extendable coupling that is operable to adjust the radial position of the sensor pad by extending away from or retracting toward the tool body. One or more sensors are mounted to each sensor pads and the sensors are operable to obtain a measurement a property of the formation. The tool also includes a downhole control unit having a transmitter and receiver. The downhole control unit is operable to receive the measurement and transmit the measurement to a surface controller, wherein the transmitted measurement indicates a measurement resolution.
Claims18
A tool for measuring a geological formation surrounding a wellbore, the tool comprising:
- a tool body;
- one or more sensor pads, each sensor pad being coupled to the tool body by an extendable coupling, each coupling being operable to adjust the radial position of the sensor pad by extending both away from and retracting toward the tool body;
- one or more sensors, each sensor being mounted to one of the sensor pads and operable to obtain a measurement of a property of the formation;
- and
- a downhole control unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the downhole control unit being operable to receive the measurement and transmit the measurement to a surface controller, wherein the transmitted measurement indicates a measurement resolution, wherein the downhole control unit is further operable to receive a control signal from the surface controller based on the measurement resolution, and to extend or retract the sensor pad in response to the control signal.
A method for forming an image of a geological formation surrounding a wellbore comprising:
- deploying an imaging tool into the wellbore, the imaging tool comprising a tool body and one or more sensor pads, each sensor pad having a sensor and being coupled to the tool body by an extendable coupling, wherein each extendable coupling is operable to both extend the sensor pad away from and retract the sensor pad toward the tool body;
- transmitting a sensor signal to a surface controller;
- receiving the sensor signal at the surface controller;
- determining the resolution of the sensor signal;
- and
- transmitting a command to the imaging tool to extend or retract the sensor pad based on whether the resolution of the sensor signal is above or below a predetermined value.
A system for generating an image of a geological formation surrounding a wellbore, the system comprising:
- a surface controller;
- a drill string;
- an imaging tool comprising a tool body, a plurality of sensors embedded within sensor pads coupled to the tool body by extendable couplings, and a downhole control unit communicatively coupled to the sensors, extendable couplings, and the surface controller,
- wherein each coupling is operable to adjust the radial position of the sensor pad by both extending the sensor pad away from and retracting the sensor pad toward the tool body;
- wherein each sensor is operable to obtain a measurement of a property of the formation, the measurement indicating a measurement resolution;
- wherein the downhole control unit is operable to receive the measurement and transmit the measurement to the surface controller;
- and
- wherein the downhole control unit is further operable to receive a control signal from the surface controller based on the measurement resolution, and to extend or retract the sensor pad in response to the control signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.