SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF A GUARDED PROBE FOR FORMATION FLUID SAMPLING

• US 20080073078A1
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Sherwood, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/264
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for real-time management of a guarded probe device down a wellbore that is being used for formation fluid sampling. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention provide for operational management of the guarded probe device to provide for splitting a flowline coupled with the guarded probe into two separate flow lines after the sampling process has begun, wherein one of the two separate flow-lines is coupled with a sampling probe in the guarded probe device and the other flowline is coupled with a guard probe in the guarded probe device.

Claims

1. A method for managing sampling of formation fluids from an earth formation surrounding a wellbore using a guarded sampling probe, comprising:

lowering a wellbore tool coupled with guarded sampling probe into the wellbore, the guarded sampling probe comprising a sampling probe and a guard probe;

withdrawing fluids from the earth formation using guarded sampling probe, wherein a single flowline is coupled with the sampling probe and the guard probe to provide for the withdrawal of the fluids from the earth formation through the guarded sampling probe;

sensing one or more properties of the withdrawn fluids;

processing the one or more properties of the withdrawn fluid; and

splitting the single flowline system into a sampling flowline and a guard flowline.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting a sample of the withdrawn fluids from the sampling flow line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sampling probe comprises an inner probe and the guard probe comprises an outer probe, and wherein the outer probe surrounds the inner probe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the processing the one or more properties of the withdrawn fluids comprises processing an output signal from an optical fluid analyzer to determine an amount of wellbore fluids in the withdrawn fluids; and

the processing the single flowline system into the sampling flowline and the guard flowline is provided when the amount of wellbore fluids in the withdrawn fluids falls below a predetermined amount.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined amount is determined from a mathematical model, experimentation or prior downhole sampling of fluids.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring flow properties of the withdrawn fluids.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the processing the one or more properties of the withdrawn fluid comprises processing an amount of wellbore fluid contamination in the withdrawn fluids and the flow properties.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the splitting the single flowline system into the sampling flowline and the guard flowline comprises pumping the withdrawn fluids at different rates through the sample probe and the guard probe.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the splitting the single flowline system into the sampling flowline and the guard flowline comprises coupling the sampling probe with a first pump and coupling the guard probe with a second pump.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the splitting the single flowline system into the sampling flowline and the guard flowline comprises splitting a single flowline coupled with both the sampling probe and the guard probe into two separate flow-lines.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the splitting the single flowline into the two separate flow lines comprises adjusting a system of valves coupled with the single flow line to provide for separation of the fluids flowing from through the sampling probe from the fluids flowing through the guard probe.

12. A system for managing sampling of formation fluids from an earth formation surrounding a wellbore using a guarded sampling probe, comprising:

a wellbore tool configured for to be manipulated inside the wellbore;

a guarded sampling probe coupled with the wellbore tool and configured for withdrawing fluids from the formation, wherein the guarded sampling probe comprises a sampling probe and a guard probe, and wherein the guarded probe is configured to draw wellbore fluids away from the sampling probe;

a single flow line coupled with the sampling probe and the guard probe;

a sensor configured to measure a property of the fluids withdrawn by the guarded sampling probe; and

a processor coupled with the sensor and configured to split the single flowline into a guard flowline and a sample flowline, wherein the guard flowline is coupled with the guard probe and the sample flowline is coupled with the sampling probe.

13. The system of 12, further comprising:

a collection container coupled with the sampling flow line configured to collecting a portion of the fluids withdrawn by the sampling probe.

14. The system of 12, wherein the sensor is an optical fluid analyzer.

15. The system of 12, further comprising:

a flowmeter configured to measure flow properties of the fluids in the guarded sampling probe or the single flowline.