CLEAN FLUID SAMPLE FOR DOWNHOLE MEASUREMENTS

• US 20110042071A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Hsu, Kai, Hegeman, Peter S., Indo, Kentaro, Marpaung, Sihar, Kanayama, Kazumasa
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/114 using light radiation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/0875 determining specific fluid parameters

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining a clean fluid sample for analysis in a downhole tool are provided. In one example, the method includes directing fluid from a main flowline of the downhole tool to a secondary flowline of the downhole tool. While the fluid is being directed into the secondary flowline, sensor responses corresponding to the fluid in the secondary flowline are monitored to determine when the sensor responses stabilize. The secondary flowline is isolated from the main flowline after the sensor responses have stabilized. A quality control procedure is performed on the fluid in the secondary flowline to determine whether the captured fluid is the same as the fluid in the main flowline. Additional fluid from the main flowline is allowed into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

directing fluid from a main flowline of the downhole tool to a secondary flowline of the downhole tool;

monitoring a plurality of sensor responses corresponding to the fluid in the secondary flowline to determine when the sensor responses stabilize, wherein the monitoring occurs while the fluid is being directed into the secondary flowline;

isolating the secondary flowline from the main flowline after the sensor responses have stabilized, wherein the isolating captures fluid in the secondary flowline;

performing a quality control procedure on the captured fluid in the secondary flowline to determine whether the captured fluid is the same as the fluid in the main flowline, wherein the quality control procedure uses a plurality of measurements representing at least one property of the captured fluid; and

allowing additional fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

testing fluid in the main flowline for filtrate contamination prior to directing the fluid from the main flowline to the secondary flowline; and

repeating the testing if the filtrate contamination in the fluid is above a defined threshold, wherein the testing is repeated until the filtrate contamination is below the defined threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising measuring a first fluid property value and a second fluid property value of the fluid in the main flowline using first and second sensors, respectively, wherein the first and second fluid property values are measured after the testing identifies that the filtrate contamination is below the defined threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first fluid property value is one of fluid density and fluid viscosity and the second fluid property value is one of optical absorption and optical transmittance.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising measuring a third fluid property value and a fourth fluid property value of the fluid in the secondary flowline using third and fourth sensors, respectively, wherein the third and fourth fluid property values are measured prior to the step of directing fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the third fluid property value is one of fluid density and fluid viscosity and the fourth fluid property value is one of optical absorption and optical transmittance.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the quality control procedure includes:

measuring a fifth fluid property value and a sixth fluid property value of the captured fluid in the secondary flowline using the third and fourth sensors, respectively;

agitating the captured fluid after measuring the fifth and sixth fluid property values;

monitoring a plurality of sensor responses during the agitating to determine when the sensor responses stabilize;

stopping the agitating when the sensor responses have stabilized;

measuring a seventh fluid property value and an eighth fluid property value of the captured fluid using the third and fourth sensors, respectively, after stopping the agitating;

calculating a first percentage change value of the fifth and seventh fluid property values and a second percentage change value of the sixth and eighth fluid property values; and

assessing whether the captured fluid is the same as the fluid in the main flowline based on at least one of the first and second percentage change values.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising estimating a relative contamination value in percentage weight based on the first, third, and seventh fluid property values.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising estimating a relative contamination value in percentage volume based on the second, fourth, and eighth fluid property values.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the monitoring the plurality of sensor responses during the agitating to determine when the sensor responses stabilize uses the fourth sensor.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing the fluid measurements after allowing additional fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing the fluid measurements before allowing additional fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same.

13. A method, comprising:

directing fluid from a main flowline of a downhole tool to a secondary flowline of the downhole tool;

isolating the secondary flowline from the main flowline to capture at least a portion of the fluid in the secondary flowline;

measuring a first fluid property value of the captured fluid in the secondary flowline using a first sensor;

agitating the captured fluid after measuring the first fluid property value;

monitoring a plurality of sensor responses during the agitating to determine when the sensor responses stabilize;

stopping the agitating when the sensor responses have stabilized;

measuring a second fluid property value of the captured fluid using the first sensor after stopping the agitating; and

determining whether the fluid sample is suitably clean for the fluid measurements based on a change relative to a predefined threshold, wherein the change is based on the first and second fluid property values.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

measuring a third fluid property value of the fluid in the main flowline using a second sensor;

measuring a fourth fluid property value of the fluid in the secondary flowline using the first sensor, wherein the fourth fluid property value is measured prior to the step of directing fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline; and

estimating a relative contamination value based on the second, third, and fourth fluid property values.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the relative contamination value is in percentage weight.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the relative contamination value is in percentage volume.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising monitoring a plurality of sensor responses corresponding to the fluid in the secondary flowline to determine when the sensor responses stabilize, wherein the monitoring occurs while the fluid is being directed into the secondary flowline, and wherein the isolating occurs only after the sensor responses have stabilized.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising allowing additional fluid from the main flowline into the secondary flowline if the percentage change value does not satisfy the predefined threshold.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

testing fluid in the main flowline for filtrate contamination prior to directing the fluid from the main flowline to the secondary flowline; and

repeating the testing if the filtrate contamination in the fluid is above a defined threshold, wherein the testing is repeated until the filtrate contamination is below the defined threshold, wherein the directing fluid from the main flowline to the secondary flowline occurs only when the filtrate contamination is below the defined threshold.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a main fluid flowline and a circulating fluid flowline each positioned within a housing;

an in-situ fluid analyzer comprising a first density-viscosity sensor and a first optical sensor each coupled to the main fluid flowline;

a multi-port valve configured to selectively isolate the main fluid flowline from the circulating fluid flowline;

an analysis module comprising a pressure and volume control unit (PVCU) controlled by a motive force producer, a second density-viscosity sensor, a circulating pump, and a second optical sensor, wherein each of the PVCU, second density-viscosity sensor, circulating pump, and second optical sensor are coupled to the circulating fluid flowline; and

a control module comprising a communications interface coupled to the in-situ fluid analyzer, the multi-port valve, and the analysis module, a processor coupled to the communications interface, and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to;

manipulate the multi-port valve to allow a fluid sample to move from the main fluid flowline to the circulating fluid flowline and then manipulating the valve to isolate the circulating fluid flowline from the main fluid flowline and capture at least a portion of the fluid in the circulating fluid flowline;

measure a first fluid property value of the captured fluid in the circulating fluid flowline using one of the second density-viscosity sensor and the second optical sensor;

activate the circulating pump to circulate the captured fluid after measuring the first fluid property value;

monitor a plurality of sensor responses of the second optical sensor during the circulating to determine when the sensor responses of the second optical sensor stabilize;

deactivate the circulating pump when the sensor responses of the second optical sensor have stabilized, and then measuring a second fluid property value of the captured fluid using the one of the second density-viscosity sensor and the second optical sensor; and

determine whether the fluid sample is suitable for further fluid measurements based on whether a change satisfies a predefined threshold, wherein the change is based on the first and second fluid property values.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to:

measure a third fluid property value of the fluid in the main flowline using one of the first density-viscosity sensor and the first optical sensor;

measure a fourth fluid property value of the fluid in the circulating fluid flowline using the one of the second density-viscosity sensor and second optical sensor used to measure the first fluid property value, wherein the fourth fluid property value is measured prior to the direction of fluid from the main flowline into the circulating fluid flowline; and

estimate a relative contamination based on the second, third, and fourth fluid property values.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to allow additional fluid from the main flowline into the circulating fluid flowline if the change does not satisfy the predefined threshold.