Method and apparatus for obtaining selected samples of formation fluids

• US 4,535,843 A
• Filed: 06/08/1984
• Issued: 08/20/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amoco Corporation (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Standard Oil Company (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Jageler, Alfred H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goodwin, Michael
• Application Number:
  US06/618,613
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250, 166/264, 166/65 R, 166/66, 166/147, 166/169, 166/113, 166/191, 73/152, 73/154, 73/153, 73/155, 324/354, 324/357, 324/376, 324/324, 324/351
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1243 with inflatable sleeves
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus operable on a wireline logging cable for sampling and testing bore hole fluids, transmitting the results obtained from such testing to the surface for determination whether or not the particular sample undergoing testing should be collected and brought to the surface. The apparatus comprises a downhole tool having an inflatable double packer for isolating an interval of the bore hole coupled with a hydraulic pump, the pump being utilized sequentially to inflate the double packer and isolate an interval of the bore hole and to remove fluids from the isolated interval to test chamber means where resistivity, redox potential (Eh) and acidity (pH) are determined, and finally to dispose of selected samples to one or more sample container chambers within said tool or to reject them into the bore hole if not selected.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool suspended by a wireline into said bore hole to a preselected level;

(b) utilizing a pair of packers carried by said tool to isolate an interval of said bore hole by inflating said packers to expand them into sealing contact with said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated interval and measuring its resistivity in a resistivity test chamber within said tool and sending the resistivity measurement to the surface via said wireline;

(d) when the resistivity becomes constant, indicating that formation fluid uncontaminated by drilling mud components is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluid into a second test chamber and measuring therein the redox potential, acidity and temperature of said fluid and sending results thereof to the surface by said wireline;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid to one of a plurality of sample collection chambers within said tool, if the determination is negative returning said fluid to said bore hole;

(f) deflating said packers to free said tool for vertical movement and moving said tool to another preselected location;

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until the sample chambers in said tool are filled with desired samples; and

(h) retracting said wireline to return the tool and the collected samples to the surface.

2. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool suspended by a wireline into said bore hole to a preselected level;

(b) utilizing a pair of packers carried by said tool to isolate an interval of said bore hole by inflating said packers to expand them into sealing contact with said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated interval and measuring its resistivity in a resistivity test chamber within said tool;

(d) when the resistivity becomes constant, indicating that formation fluid uncontaminated by drilling mud components is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluid into a second test chamber and measuring therein properties of said fluid and sending results thereof to the surface by said wireline;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid to one of a plurality of sample collection chambers within said tool and if the determination is negative returning said fluid to said bore hole;

(f) deflating said packers to free said tool of vertical movement and moving said tool to another preselected location;

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until the sample chambers in said tool are filled with desired samples; and

(h) retracting said wireline to return the tool and the collected samples to the surface.

3. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool suspended by a wireline into said bore hole to a preselected level;

(b) utilizing a pair of packers carried by said tool to isolate an interval of said bore hole by inflating said packers to expand them into sealing contact with said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated interval and measuring its resistivity in a resistivity test chamber within said tool and sending the resistivity measurement to the surface via said wireline;

(d) when the resistivity measurement indicates that formation fluid is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluids into a second test chamber and measuring therein the redox potential, acidity and temperature of said fluids, sending results thereof to the surface by said wireline;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid to one of a plurality of sample collection chambers within said tool, if the determination is negative returning said fluid to said bore hole;

(f) deflating said packers to free said tool for vertical movement and moving said tool to another preselected location;

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until the sample chambers in said tool are filled with desired samples; and

(h) retracting said wireline to return the tool and the collected samples to the surface.

4. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool suspended by a wireline into said bore hole to a preselected level;

(b) utilizing a pair of packers carried by said tool to isolate an interval of said bore hole by inflating said packers to expand them into sealing contact with said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated interval and measuring its resistivity in a resistivity test chamber within said tool and sending the resistivity measurement to the surface via said wireline;

(d) when the resistivity becomes constant, indicating that formation fluid uncontaminated by drilling mud components is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluid into a second test chamber and measuring therein selected physical properties of said fluid and sending results thereof to the surface by said wireline;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid to a sample collection chamber associated with said tool;

(f) deflating said packers to free said tool for vertical movement; and

(g) retracting said wireline to return the tool and the collected sample to the surface.

5. An apparatus operable on a wireline logging cable for sampling and testing formation fluids, said apparatus comprising a downhole tool adapted to be connected to said wireline, said tool having:

(a) a pair of inflatable packers for isolating an interval of the bore hole when inflated;

(b) an electrically driven hydraulic pump for withdrawing fluids from the space between said packers and conduit means interconnecting the outlet of said pump to said packers whereby inflation thereof may be accomplished to isolate said interval of said bore hole;

(c) a resistivity test chamber through which said withdrawn fluids are conducted;

(d) a second test chamber in communication with the outlet of said pump and adapted to measure properties of said withdrawn fluids;

(e) a sample collection chamber adapted to be in communication with the outlet of said pump;

(f) signal transmission means for transmitting to the surface the results of resistivity and other properties measured in said second test chamber; and

(g) valve means controlled from the surface through said wireline for controlling the flow of said withdrawn fluids, initially to inflate said packers and subsequently to direct said fluids to said second test chamber and said sample collection chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the second test chamber is suitable to test acidity, redox potential and temperature.

7. The apparatus of claims 5 or 6 in which a plurality of sample collection chambers are provided.

8. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool into said bore hole;

(b) utilizing means associated with said tool to isolate a portion of said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated portion of said bore hole and measuring a physical property thereof within said tool and transmitting the measurement to the surface;

(d) when the measured property indication is constant indicating that formation fluid is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluid into a test chamber and measuring therein a second property of said fluid and transmitting results of the second measurement to the surface;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, transferring said fluid to a sample collection chamber within said tool, if the determination is negative, rejecting said fluid; and

(f) retracting the tool and the collected sample to the surface.

9. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool into said bore hole to a selected location;

(b) utilizing a pair of vertically spaced-apart sealing means associated with said tool to isolate a vertical interval of said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from the isolated interval of said bore hole and measuring a physical property thereof in a test chamber within said tool and sending the measurement to the surface;

(d) determining from the thus transmitted measurements whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid from said isolated interval of said bore hole to one of a plurality of sample collection chambers within said tool, if the determination is negative pumping the fluid directly to said bore hole at a point outside of said isolated interval;

(e) deactivating said sealing means to free said tool for vertical movement and moving said tool to another selected location;

(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) until the sample chambers in said tool are filled with desired samples; and

(g) retracting the tool and the collected samples to the surface.

10. A method for obtaining formation fluid samples from a bore hole which method comprises:

(a) lowering a tool into said bore hole to a selected level;

(b) utilizing means associated with said tool to isolate a portion of said bore hole by expanding said means into sealing contact with said bore hole;

(c) withdrawing fluid from said isolated portion of said bore hole and measuring its resistivity in a resistivity test chamber;

(d) when the resistivity becomes constant, indicating that formation fluid uncontaminated by drilling mud components is being withdrawn into said tool, directing the withdrawn fluid into a second test chamber, measuring therein properties of said fluid and transmitting results thereof to the surface;

(e) determining from the thus transmitted results whether it is desired to retain a sample and, if the determination is positive, pumping said fluid to a sample collection chamber associated with said tool and if the determination is negative returning said fluid to said bore hole at a location outside said isolated portion;

(f) freeing said tool for vertical movement and moving said tool and sample to the surface.

11. A method of collecting a fluid sample from a subterranean formation penetrated by a bore hole comprising:

(a) utilizing a pair of vertically spaced-apart sealing means to isolate a vertical interval of said bore hole between said sealing means;

(b) withdrawing fluid from the isolated vertical interval;

(c) testing, within the bore hole, a physical property of the withdrawn fluid, and transmitting the test results to the surface of the earth;

(d) if such test results are positive collecting, in a sample container within the bore hole, a selected sample of the withdrawn fluid from said isolated vertical interval, and if such test results are negative, discharging the withdrawn fluid directly into the bore hole outside of the isolated vertical interval; and

(e) transporting said sample container to the surface of the earth.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 including the step of determining the pressure in said isolated interval when fluid is not being withdrawn and transmitting to the surface signals indicative of the measured pressure.

13. An apparatus for sampling and testing bore hole formation fluids, said apparatus comprising a downhole tool adapted to be lowered in a bore hole, said tool having:

(a) sealing means for isolating an interval of the bore hole when actuated;

(b) means for withdrawing fluids from the isolated interval of the bore hole and conduit means interconnecting the outlet of said pump means to said sealing means whereby activation thereof may be accomplished to isolate said interval of said bore hole;

(c) a physical property test chamber through which said withdrawn fluids are conducted;

(d) a second test chamber in communication with the outlet of said pump means and adapted to measure properties of said withdrawn fluids;

(e) a sample collection chamber adapted to be in communication with the outlet of said pump means;

(f) signal transmission means for transmitting to the surface the results of properties measured in said test chambers; and

(g) valve means controlled from the surface through said wireline for controlling the flow of said withdrawn fluids, initially to actuate said sealing means and subsequently to direct said fluids to said second test chamber and said sample collection chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the second test chamber is suitable to test acidity.

15. The apparatus of claims 13 or 14 in which a plurality of sample collection chambers is provided.

16. An apparatus for use in a bore hole extending from the surface of the earth to a subterranean location, comprising:

(a) vertically spaced sealing means for isolating a vertical interval of the bore hole between said sealing means;

(b) withdrawing means for withdrawing fluid from said isolated vertical interval;

(c) testing means for testing a physical property of the withdrawn fluid;

(d) transmitting means for transmitting test results from said testing means to the surface of the earth;

(e) means for collecting at least one sample of the withdrawn fluid; and

(f) means for discharging fluid not sampled directly to the bore hole exterior of the isolated vertical interval.