Formation pressure testing

• US 10,711,608 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Sharma, Arun, Palaghita, Tudor loan, Partouche, Ashers
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzgerald, John
• Application Number:
  US15/837,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20180171790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/082 Wire-line fluid samplers E21B49/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/0875 determining specific fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0007 Fluidic connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/144 with dismountable parts, e.g. for maintenance purposes or for ensuring sterile conditions for detachable interface or adapter between the process medium and the pressure gauge G01L19/003
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/14 Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/1427 Positive displacement, piston, peristaltic

Abstract

A pressure testing module separable from and configured to be coupled with a tool base that is to be coupled along a downhole tool string to be conveyed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. The pressure testing module includes a chamber and a piston assembly slidably disposed within the chamber, thus dividing the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion. The piston assembly is operable to move in response to hydraulic fluid being pumped into the first chamber portion and to draw formation fluid of the wellbore into the second chamber portion in response to the movement of the piston assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a fluid testing tool configured to be coupled along a downhole tool string to convey within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein the fluid testing tool comprises;

a tool base configured to be coupled along the downhole tool string, wherein the tool base comprises;

a hydraulic pump; and

a probe assembly operable to engage a sidewall of the wellbore and receive formation fluid from the subterranean formation; and

a pressure testing module separable from and configured to be coupled with the tool base, wherein the pressure testing module comprises;

a chamber; and

a piston assembly slidably disposed within the chamber dividing the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion, wherein the hydraulic pump is fluidly connected to the first chamber portion and is operable to pump hydraulic fluid into the first chamber portion to move the piston assembly to draw the formation fluid into the second chamber portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool base further comprises a volume of hydraulic fluid fluidly connected with the hydraulic pump, wherein the tool base is operable to pressure compensate the hydraulic fluid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool base further comprises a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second chamber portion and operable to generate a signal indicative of pressure of the formation fluid within the second chamber portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool base further comprises a hydraulic valve fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and the first chamber portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure testing module further comprises a position sensor disposed in association with the piston assembly and operable to generate a signal indicative of position of the piston assembly within the chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure testing module further comprises a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second chamber portion and operable to generate a signal indicative of pressure of the formation fluid within the second chamber portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure testing module is operable to be coupled with the tool base while the tool base is coupled along the downhole tool string.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool base comprises a cavity along a side of the tool base, and wherein the cavity is adapted to accommodate therein the pressure testing module.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure testing module comprises an electrical connector operable to electrically connect with a corresponding electrical connector of the tool base to electrically connect the pressure testing module with the tool base.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the piston assembly is a first piston assembly;

the chamber is a first chamber;

the apparatus further comprises a second piston assembly slidably disposed within a second chamber;

the first piston assembly comprises a piston having a first diameter;

the second piston assembly comprises a piston having a second diameter;

the first diameter is larger than the second diameter; and

the pressure testing module is operable to select one of the first chamber with the first piston assembly and the second chamber with the second piston assembly to which the hydraulic fluid and the formation fluid is conveyed.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid testing tool comprises a formation fluid sampling tool.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller comprising a processor and a memory storing computer program code, wherein the controller is in signal communication with and operable to control the fluid testing tool.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure testing module comprises fluid connectors operable to fluidly connect with corresponding fluid connectors of the tool base to fluidly connect the pressure testing module with the tool base.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the fluid connectors of the pressure testing module comprise male stabbers, and the fluid connectors of the tool base comprise female receptacles.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pressure testing module further comprises:

a first bore fluidly connecting the first chamber portion with a first one of the fluid connectors of the pressure testing module; and

a second bore fluidly connecting the second chamber portion with a second one of the fluid connectors of the pressure testing module.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the piston assembly further divides the chamber into a third chamber portion, and wherein the pressure testing module further comprises a third bore fluidly connecting the third chamber portion with a third one of the fluid connectors of the pressure testing module.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a pressure testing module comprising;

a first chamber with a first piston assembly slidably disposed within the first chamber dividing the first chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion; and

a second chamber with a second piston assembly slidably disposed within the second chamber dividing the second chamber into a third chamber portion and a fourth chamber portion; and

a tool base configured to be coupled along a downhole tool string to be conveyed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, wherein;

the pressure testing module is separable from and coupled to the tool base; and

the tool base comprises;

a probe assembly operable to engage a sidewall of the wellbore and receive formation fluid from the subterranean formation; and

a hydraulic pump operable to pump hydraulic fluid; and

wherein the pressure testing module and the tool base are operable to selectively convey the hydraulic fluid pumped by the hydraulic pump (i) into the first chamber portion to move the first piston assembly to draw the formation fluid into the second chamber portion and (ii) into the third chamber portion to move the first piston assembly to draw the formation fluid into the fourth chamber portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the selective conveyance of the hydraulic fluid into the first chamber portion and into the third chamber portion is based on downhole conditions within the wellbore.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first piston assembly comprises a piston having a first diameter, wherein the second piston assembly comprises a piston having a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the pressure testing module further comprises:

a first pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second chamber portion and operable to generate a signal indicative of pressure of the formation fluid within the second chamber portion; and

a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with the fourth chamber portion and operable to generate a signal indicative of pressure of the formation fluid within the fourth chamber portion.