Apparatus for testing earth formations

• US 3,952,588 A
• Filed: 01/22/1975
• Issued: 04/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Whitten, Frank R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myracle, Jerry W.
• Application Number:
  US05/543,086
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 73/151, 73/155, 73/421 R
• US Class Current: 73/152.25
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers

Abstract

In the representative embodiment of the new and improved apparatus for testing earth formations disclosed herein, fluid-admitting means are sealingly engaged with a potentially-producible formation and a selectively-movable chamber is expanded to draw mudcake and other plugging materials from the isolated face of the formation into the receiving chamber. Thereafter, the chamber is shifted to communicate the screened entry port of the fluid-admitting means with the isolated formation so as to retard or prevent the erosion of loose formation materials as the formation is tested. When the testing is completed, the chamber is cleared and returned to its initial port-closing position and the fluid-admitting means disengaged to ready the apparatus for subsequent operations.

Claims

1. Formation-testing apparatus adapted for testing earth formations penetrated by a borehole and comprising:

a support;

fluid-admitting means on said support defining a fluid entry adapted for engagement with a borehole wall, fluid passage means in said fluid-admitting means, and filtering means cooperatively intercommunicating said fluid entry and said fluid passage means and adapted to retain inflowing loose formation particles as connate fluids from earth formations therebeyond pass through said filtering means into said fluid passage means;

means on said support adapted for selectively engaging said fluid-admitting means with an adjacent borehole wall to place said fluid entry into isolated communication with earth formations therebeyond;

particle-collecting means on said support adapted for clearing said fluid entry of particles of plugging materials situated on an adjacent borehole wall and in isolated communication therewith and including a first movable member defining a forwardly-opening particle-receiving chamber normally situated at an advanced position in said fluid entry ahead of said filtering means and adapted for movement rearwardly therefrom to a retracted position for carrying such plugging materials from said fluid entry and communicating said fluid entry with said filtering means, a second movable member cooperatively arranged within said particle-receiving chamber and adapted for movement therein between an advanced position for blocking said particle-receiving chamber and an intermediate position for expanding said particle-receiving chamber to induct such plugging materials into said particle-receiving chamber ahead of said second member, and means cooperatively arranged on said first and second movable members and adapted for moving said first movable member toward its said retracted position as said second movable member is moved further beyond its said intermediate position toward a more-retracted position; and

selectively-operable actuating means on said support cooperatively arranged for repetitively moving said first and second movable members back and forth between their respective said positions.

2. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the volume of said particle-receiving chamber is at least about equal to the volume of such plugging materials expected to be isolated upon engagement of said fluid-admitting means with an adjacent borehole wall.

3. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 1 further including:

packing means operatively mounted on said fluid-admitting means around said fluid entry and adapted to be sealingly engaged with an adjacent borehole wall when said fluid-admitting means are engaged therewith.

4. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 1 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

5. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 1 further including:

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample chamber adapted for receiving connate fluids, and means adapted for selectively communicating said sample chamber with said fluid passage means.

6. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 5 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

7. Formation-testing apparatus adapted for obtaining samples of connate fluids from earth formations penetrated by a borehole and comprising:

a support;

fluid-admitting means including a tubular fluid-admitting member cooperatively arranged for lateral movement on said support from a retracted position to an advanced position in fluid communication with a borehole wall lined with fluent plugging materials, and a tubular filter adapted for passing connate fluids and retaining loose formation materials coaxially arranged within said fluid-admitting member and defining a fluid-receiving space therebetween;

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample receiver adapted for receiving connate fluids entering said fluid-admitting member and passing through said tubular filter, and fluid passage means cooperatively arranged between said sample receiver and said fluid-receiving space;

a first movable member defining a forward-opening material-receiving chamber adapted for receiving fluent plugging materials entering said fluid-admitting member coaxially arranged in said fluid-admitting member and said tubular filter and adapted for longitudinal movement therein between an advanced position blocking said tubular filter and a retracted position uncovering at least a major portion of said tubular filter;

a second movable member coaxially arranged within said first movable member normally located in an advanced position for closing the forward end of said material-receiving chamber and adapted for longitudinal movement therein to an intermediately-retracted position for inducting fluent plugging materials into said material-receiving chamber as it is expanded upon said movement of said second movable member therein to its said intermediately-retracted position;

means operatively associated with said first and second movable members and adapted for carrying said first movable member toward its said retracted position only after said second movable member has reached its said intermediately-retracted position and is then moved further toward a more-retracted position to carry said first movable member through said tubular filter and expose at least a portion thereof to at least limit the further entrance of loose formation materials into said fluid-admitting member; and

control means on said support and cooperatively arranged for selectively moving said fluid-admitting member and said first and second movable members back and forth between their respective advanced and retracted positions.

8. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 7 further including:

packing means operatively mounted on said fluid-admitting means around said fluid-admitting member and adapted for sealingly engaging a borehole wall upon extension of said fluid-admitting member toward its said advanced position.

9. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means operatively associated with said first and second movable members include:

opposed shoulders respectively arranged on said first and second movable members and cooperatively positioned thereon so that said opposed shoulders are spatially separated whenever said first and second movable members are in their respective advanced positions and said opposed shoulders are coengaged as said second movable member is moved to its said intermediately-retracted position, and means normally biasing said first movable member toward its said advanced position until said opposed shoulders are coengaged and said first movable member is carried toward its said retracted position as said second movable member is moved further toward its said more-retracted position.

10. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said control means include:

selectively-operable hydraulic means cooperatively arranged for developing elevated actuating pressures; and

first and second piston actuators respectively coupled to said first and second movable members and cooperatively coupled to said hydraulic means for selectively moving said first and second movable members between their respective advanced and retracted positions in response to said elevated actuating pressures.

11. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 7 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

12. Formation-testing apparatus adapted for testing earth formations penetrated by a borehole and comprising:

a support;

fluid-admitting means on said support including a packing member defining a fluid entry and adapted for engagement with a borehole wall for isolating a portion thereof from borehole fluids and placing said fluid entry into isolated communication with earth formations therebeyond, fluid passage means between said support and said fluid entry, and a tubular filter member coaxially arranged within said fluid entry and adapted to retain inflowing loose formation particles as connate fluids from earth formations therebeyond pass laterally through said filter member into said fluid passage means;

particle-collecting means on said support including inner and outer movable members coaxially arranged within said fluid-admitting means with said outer member having a forward portion defining a forwardly-opening particle-receiving chamber situated in said fluid entry ahead of said filter member for blocking said filter member when said outer member is in an advanced position and adapted for movement rearwardly therefrom to a retracted position for uncovering said filter member, said inner member having an enlarged forward portion cooperatively arranged within said particle-receiving chamber for closing the forward end thereof when said inner member is in an advanced position and adapted for movement rearwardly therein to an intermediately-retracted position for expanding said particle-receiving chamber to induct plugging materials from an isolated borehole wall ahead of said fluid entry into said particle-receiving chamber and thereafter carrying said outer member toward its said retracted position to remove such plugging materials from the flow path through said filter member as said inner member moves toward a fully-retracted position;

actuating means including first and second piston means on the rearward of said inner and outer members respectively and means on said fluid-admitting means defining a piston chamber for receiving said first and second piston means and providing a rearward enclosed spaced behind said first piston means and a forward enclosed space ahead of said first piston means and behind said second piston means; and

selectively-operable control means on said support and cooperatively arranged for alternately supplying a pressured actuating fluid to said forward enclosed space for moving said inner member from its said advanced position toward its said retracted position and temporarily biasing said outer member toward its said advanced position until said inner member reaches its said intermediately-retracted position and carries said outer member toward its said retracted position as said inner member continues toward its said fully-retracted position and for alternately supplying a pressured actuating fluid to said rearward enclosed space for moving said inner and outer members from their said retracted positions toward their said advanced positions.

13. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 12 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

14. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 12 further including:

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample chamber adapted for receiving connate fluids, and means adapted for selectively communicating said sample chamber with said fluid passage means.

15. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 14 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

16. Formation-testing apparatus adapted for obtaining samples of connate fluids from earth formations penetrated by a borehole and comprising:

a support;

fluid-admitting means including a tubular fluid-admitting member movably mounted on said support and adapted to be extended from a retracted position to an advanced position for establishing communication with a borehole wall lined with fluent plugging materials, and filtering means adapted for passing connate fluids and retaining loose formation materials cooperatively arranged within said fluid-admitting member and defining a fluid-receiving space therebetween along an intermediate portion of the internal wall of said fluid-admitting member;

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample receiver adapted for receiving connate fluids, fluid passage means arranged between said sample receiver and said fluid-receiving space for conducting connate fluids passing through said filtering means into said sample receiver, and selectively-operable valve means adapted for controlling communication between said fluid passage means and said sample receiver;

a movable material receiver coaxially disposed in said fluid-admitting member defining a forwardly-opening chamber for receiving fluent plugging materials entering said fluid-admitting member and adapted for longitudinal movement back and forth therein between an advanced position ahead of said filtering means and a retracted position to the rear of said filtering means;

first means operable following placement of said fluid-admitting member against a borehole wall for inducting fluent plugging materials therefrom into said chamber;

second means operable upon the induction of fluent plugging materials into said chamber for shifting said material receiver from its said advanced position to its said retracted position to carry such plugging materials out of the flow path to said filtering means and then to expose at least a portion of said filtering means for the admission of connate fluids into said fluid-admitting member; and

control means selectively operable for repetitively moving said fluid-admitting member between its said extended and retracted positions as well as repetitively operating said first and second means to successively admit connate fluids into said fluid passage means.

17. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 16 further including:

packing means operatively mounted on said fluid-admitting means and adapted for sealing engagement with a borehole wall upon extension of said fluid-admitting member to its said advanced position.

18. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 16 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

19. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 16 wherein said first means include a plunger member movably arranged within said chamber for movement relative thereto between an advanced position to a retracted position for inducting plugging materials into said chamber.

20. The formation-testing means of claim 19 wherein said second means include opposed surfaces cooperatively arranged on said plunger member and said material receiver respectively and adapted to be coengaged for shifting said material receiver to its said retracted position only as said plunger member is being moved to its said retracted position, and biasing means normally urging said material receiver towards its said advanced position until said opposed shoulders are coengaged.

21. Formation-testing apparatus adapted for testing earth formations penetrated by a borehole and comprising:

a support;

fluid-admitting means on said support and including packing means having a central opening therein and adapted for engagement with a borehole wall lined with fluent plugging materials to isolate a portion thereof adjacent to said central opening from borehole fluids, a tubular fluid-admitting member having a forward portion projecting through said central opening, a tubular filter member cooperatively mounted within said fluid-admitting member and defining a fluid-receiving space therebetween along the internal wall of the intermediate portion of said fluid-admitting member, and fluid passage means communicated with said fluid-receiving space;

means cooperatively arranged on said support for selectively clearing fluent plugging materials from an isolated portion of a borehole wall adajcent to said central opening and including a tubular material-receiving member coaxially arranged for movement within said fluid-admitting member and having an enlarged forward portion defining a forwardly-opening chamber, a plunger member coaxially arranged for movement within said material-receiving member and having an enlarged plunger head disposed in said forwardly-opening chamber and an enlarged piston head disposed to the rear of the rearward portion of said material-receiving member, and means defining a piston chamber around said enlarged piston head and said rearward portion of said material-receiving member and providing an enclosed rearward space to the rear of said enlarged piston head and an enclosed forward space between said enlarged piston head and said rearward portion of said material-receiving member; and

control means on said support and cooperatively arranged for alternately directing a pressured hydraulic fluid into said enclosed rearward space for selectively moving said plunger member forwardly from a retracted position to an advanced position where said enlarged piston head has engaged said rearward portion of said material-receiving member to carry said material-receiving member forwardly from a fully-retracted position to an advanced position where said enlarged forward portion thereof is in said forward portion of said fluid-admitting member for blocking communication with said filter member and said enlarged plunger head is in the forward portion of said forwardly-opening chamber for closure thereof and for alternately directing a pressured hydraulic fluid into said enclosed forward space for selectively moving said plunger member rearwardly to an intermediate retracted position and temporarily biasing said material-receiving member toward its said advanced position until said enlarged plunger head is moved fully into said forwardly-opening chamber for expanding said forwardly-opening chamber to induct fluent plugging materials thereinto and thereafter carrying said material-receiving member toward its said retracted position as said plunger member is moved toward its said fully-retracted position for opening communication with said filter member and carrying fluent plugging materials in said forwardly-opening chamber to the rear of said filter member.

22. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 21 further including:

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample receiver adapted for receiving connate fluids, and selectively-operable valve means adapted for controlling communication between said fluid passage means and said sample receiver.

23. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 21 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to said fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluids therein.

24. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 21 further including:

pressure-monitoring means cooperatively coupled to siad fluid passage means and adapted for providing signals representative of the pressure of fluid therein; and

sample-collecting means on said support including a sample receiver adapted for receiving connate fluids, and selectively-operable valve means adapted for controlling communication between said fluid passage means and said sample receiver.

25. The formation-testing apparatus of claim 21 wherein the volume of said forwardly-opening chamber which is unoccupied by said enlarged plunger head is about equal to the anticipated volume of fluent plugging materials expected to be on an isolated borehole wall portion adjacent to said central opening.