Pump operation procedure with piston position sensor
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a pump assembly that includes a displacement unit and one or more pumps that activate the displacement unit;
characterizing the one or more pumps to determine one or more performance characteristics of the one or more pumps;
under operating conditions of a first environment, calibrating a sensor associated with the displacement unit;
under operating conditions of a second environment, calibrating the sensor associated with the displacement unit; and
under operating conditions of the second environment, calibrating the one or more pumps to determine one or more performance characteristics of the one or more pumps at the operating conditions of the second environment; and
using the calibrated pump assembly to draw fluid from a subterranean formation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for calibrating a pump assembly is disclosed. The method includes characterizing a pump of the pump assembly to determine a performance characteristics of the pump. The method may also include calibrating a sensor associated with a displacement unit of the pump assembly. Calibrating the sensor may include calibrating the sensor under operating conditions of a first environment and under operating conditions of a second environment. Under the operating conditions of the second environment, the pump can also be calibrated to determine a performance characteristics of the pump at the operating conditions of the second environment. The calibrated pump assembly is then used to draw fluid from a subterranean formation or conduct a formation test.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing a pump assembly that includes a displacement unit and one or more pumps that activate the displacement unit; characterizing the one or more pumps to determine one or more performance characteristics of the one or more pumps; under operating conditions of a first environment, calibrating a sensor associated with the displacement unit; under operating conditions of a second environment, calibrating the sensor associated with the displacement unit; and under operating conditions of the second environment, calibrating the one or more pumps to determine one or more performance characteristics of the one or more pumps at the operating conditions of the second environment; and using the calibrated pump assembly to draw fluid from a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
providing a downhole tool having a pump assembly, the pump assembly comprising; a displacement unit including a piston having a first piston head positioned in a first cylinder, a second piston head positioned in a second cylinder, and a sensor that detects the position of the piston; a first pump that selectively activates the displacement unit; and a second pump that selectively activates the displacement unit; characterizing the first and second pumps to determine performance characteristics of the first and second pumps under a plurality of predefined operating conditions; calibrating the sensor prior to positioning the downhole tool in a borehole; calibrating the sensor while the downhole tool is positioned in the borehole; calibrating the second pump while the downhole tool is positioned in the borehole; and conducting a formation test using the calibrated pump assembly in the borehole extending into a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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providing a pump assembly, comprising; a displacement unit including a piston having a first piston head positioned in a first cylinder, a second piston head positioned in a second cylinder, and a sensor; a first pump that selectively activates the displacement unit; and a second pump that selectively activates the displacement unit; monitoring a signal produced by the sensor; determining the position of the piston using the signal produced by the sensor; calibrating at least one of the first and second pumps using the position of the piston and conducting a formation evaluation using fluid drawn from the calibrated pump assembly from a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification