METHOD AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE FORMATION SAMPLING

• US 20090200016A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Zazovsky, Alexander, Corre, Pierre-Yves, Pop, Julian J., Briquet, Stephane, Hueber, Jason, Sonne, Carsten, Yeldell, Stephen, Goodwin, Anthony R.H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/248
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/0813 Sampling valve actuated by annulus pressure changes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/082 Wire-line fluid samplers E21B49/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/30 operating with electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/30 Assessment of water resources

Abstract

A downhole tool for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation includes an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation. A method for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation involves conveying a downhole tool in a wellbore drilled through the subsurface formation, the downhole tool having an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation, and actuating the emitter to expose a portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy.

Claims

1. A method for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation comprising:

conveying a downhole tool in a wellbore drilled through the subsurface formation, the downhole tool having an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation, and an antenna configured to detect a signal having characteristics related to a water saturation of a portion of the formation;

determining a parameter indicative of a water saturation in the portion of the formation based on the signal detected by the antenna; and

actuating the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy based on the determined parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy comprises exposing the portion of the formation to electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies in the range from 0.3 gigahertz to 3 gigahertz.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy comprises exposing the portion of the formation to electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of approximately 1 gigahertz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation is a first emitter, wherein the downhole tool further comprises a second emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat hydrocarbon in the subsurface formation, the method further comprising actuating the second emitter based on the determined parameter.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein actuating the second emitter comprises exposing the portion of the formation to electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies of at least 40 gigahertz.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a plurality of parameter values indicative of water saturation in the portion of the formation along a substantial portion of a wellbore length, and positioning the downhole tool at a location along the wellbore selected based on the plurality of parameter values.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing at least one of water based mud filtrate, an aqueous based fluid, and saline water into the formation based on the determined parameter indicative of water saturation in the portion of the formation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the parameter indicative of water saturation in the portion of the formation based on the signal detected by the antenna comprises at least one of measuring a NMR response of the portion of the formation and, measuring a permittivity of the portion of the formation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to detect a signal having characteristics related to a permittivity of the portion of the formation, and further comprising:

determining a temperature in the portion of the formation based on the signal related to a permittivity of the portion of the formation; and

controlling the actuating of the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy based on the determined temperature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the downhole tool further comprises a sample chamber, and further comprising capturing the sample into the sample chamber.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy based on the determined parameter comprises actuating the emitter based on a comparison between the determined parameter and a threshold value.

12. A downhole tool for extracting a sample from a subsurface formation comprising:

an emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation;

an antenna configured to detect a signal having characteristics related to a water saturation in a portion of the formation;

a processor configured to determine a parameter indicative of water saturation in the portion of the formation based on the signal detected by the antenna; and

a controller configured to selectively actuate the emitter to expose the portion of the formation to electromagnetic energy based on the determined parameter.

13. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the controller for selectively actuating the emitter comprises an input interface configured to receive commands from an operator.

14. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the emitter of electromagnetic energy is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a portion of the subsurface formation at one or more frequencies in the range from 0.3 gigahertz to 3 gigahertz.

15. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the emitter of electromagnetic energy is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a portion of the subsurface formation at a frequency of approximately 1 gigahertz.

16. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat water in the subsurface formation is a first emitter, and further comprises a second emitter of electromagnetic energy configured to heat hydrocarbon in the subsurface formation.

17. The downhole tool of claim 16, wherein the second emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a portion of the subsurface formation at one or more frequencies of at least 40 gigahertz.

18. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the antenna comprises at least one of a dielectric antenna and a NMR antenna.

19. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the antenna is further configured to detect a signal having characteristics related to a permittivity of a portion of the formation, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine a parameter indicative of a temperature of the portion of the formation based on the detected signal related to the permittivity.

20. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the downhole tool is configured to be conveyed in a wellbore drilled through the subsurface formation via at least one of a wireline cable, a tubing, and a drill string.