Sensor apparatus and method of using same

• US 20040159149A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, John R., Parry, Joel R., Sebelius, Peter W., Coskren, William D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,100,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/152.23
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/081 with down-hole means for trapping a fluid sample E21B49/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for sensing the characteristics of a fluid in a sub-surface formation. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a sensor apparatus for sensing a chemical in a vapor emitted by a sub-surface fluid sample. In various configurations, the apparatus senses the presence and/or percentage of water, the presence of a gas, an oil/gas ratio, an aliphatic/aromatic hydrocarbon ratio, and/or the presence of corrosive or poisonous chemicals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing a chemical in a sub-surface fluid, comprising:

a chamber;

a first inlet disposed on the chamber for passing a sub-surface fluid sample into the chamber; and

at least one sensor disposed within the chamber and isolated from the first inlet and the sub-surface fluid sample, the sensor being capable of sensing a chemical in a vapor emitted by the sub-surface fluid sample.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outlet disposed on the chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outlet comprises a check valve.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second inlet disposed on the chamber for passing a purging fluid into the chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the purging fluid is a gas.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gas is nitrogen.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a gas source in fluid communication with the second inlet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a hydrocarbon sensor, a water sensor, a pH sensor, and a hydrogen sulfide sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid level sensor disposed within the chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first inlet comprises a rotatable wheel, the wheel comprising at least one blade sealing against a surface of the inlet to isolate the sensor from the inlet.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a power source for rotating the wheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first inlet comprises a valve.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor disposed outside the chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor disposed outside the chamber is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an ion specific electrode, a conductivity sensor, and an acoustic sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor for processing data collected by the sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a transmitter for sending the data from the apparatus to a receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be disposed within a wellbore.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sub-surface fluid sample comprises at least one member of the group consisting of gas, oil, and water and the sensor is capable of sensing a vapor therefrom.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sub-surface fluid sample comprises crude oil and the sensor is capable of sensing a vapor therefrom.

20. A method for sensing a chemical in a sub-surface fluid, comprising the steps of:

receiving a sub-surface fluid sample into a sensor apparatus disposed within a sub-surface formation;

sensing a chemical in a vapor emitted by the fluid sample within the apparatus; and

in response to the sensed chemical, sending a signal to a receiver disposed outside the formation.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of volatilizing the sub-surface fluid sample.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the sub-surface fluid sample comprises at least one member of the group consisting of gas, oil, and water.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the sub-surface fluid sample comprises crude oil.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the chemical comprises at least one of a hydrocarbon, hydrogen sulfide, and water.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of purging the apparatus.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of processing the signal before sending the signal to the receiver.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the fluid sample is passed through an inlet disposed on the apparatus.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the inlet comprises a rotatable wheel, the wheel comprising at least one blade sealing against a surface of the inlet to isolate the sensor from the inlet.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the wheel is rotated by a power source.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the wheel is rotated by the flow of the sub-surface fluid over the wheel.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the sensor apparatus is adapted to be disposed on a drill string within a wellbore.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the sensor apparatus is adapted to be disposed on a drill casing within a wellbore.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of modulating the pressure within the sensor apparatus.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of modulating the pressure comprises adding a purging fluid to the sensor apparatus.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the fluid is a gas.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the gas is nitrogen.

37. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of providing a sensor to perform the sensing step and isolating the sub-surface fluid from the sensor.

49. The system of claim 37, further comprising a processor for processing data collected by the sensor.

38. A system for sensing a chemical in a sub-surface fluid, comprising:

a drill string; and

an apparatus disposed on the drill string for sensing a chemical in a sub-surface fluid, the apparatus comprising;

a chamber;

a first inlet disposed on the chamber for passing a fluid sample into the chamber; and

at least one sensor disposed within the chamber and isolated from the first inlet and the fluid sample, the sensor being capable of sensing a chemical in a vapor emitted by the fluid sample.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the apparatus further comprises an outlet disposed on the chamber.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the outlet comprises a check valve.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second inlet disposed on the chamber for passing a purging fluid into the chamber.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the apparatus further comprises a gas source in fluid communication with the second inlet.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a hydrocarbon sensor, a water sensor, a pH sensor, and a hydrogen sulfide sensor.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the first inlet of the apparatus comprises a rotatable wheel, the wheel comprising at least one blade sealing against a surface of the inlet to isolate the sensor from the inlet.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising a power source for rotating the wheel.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the first inlet comprises a valve.

47. The system of claim 38, further comprising at least one sensor disposed outside the chamber of the apparatus.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the sensor disposed outside the chamber is selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an ion specific electrode, a conductivity sensor, and an acoustic sensor.

50. The system of claim 48, further comprising a transmitter for sending the data from the apparatus to a receiver.