Directional gamma ray spectrometer

• US 5,021,652 A
• Filed: 01/11/1990
• Issued: 06/04/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Logging Services Inc (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Logging Services Inc (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Arnold, Dan McCay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US07/463,587
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 250/267, 250/505.1, 250/256, 250/260, 250/366, 250/363.10, 250/363.01
• US Class Current: 250/267
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20 with scintillation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/06 for detecting naturally radioactive minerals
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/101 and detecting the secondary Y-rays produced in the surrounding layers of the bore hole

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a scintillation crystal surrounded by a sleeve and having a window formed therein. The scintillation crystal has end located first and second photomultiplier tubes which provide output signals. A scintillation event observed in the crystal is seen by both photomultiplier tubes and both form output signals. The output signals have a relationship determining the point of impingement along the length of crystal of the photon gamma radiation; in turn, that photon is located relative to a surrounding shield having a helical window formed therein so that the relative angle of impingement can be determined. The relative angle is then converted into the absolute angle relative to the well borehole by referencing a north seeking gyroscope supported by the sonde. The output signals are also used to determine the energy of the impinging gamma radiation using well known pulse height analysis spectroscopy techniques.

Claims

1. A directional gamma ray spectrometer comprising:

(a) an elongate scintillation device responsive to impinging gamma rays, said device having spaced ends and having an elongate outer surface shaped as a cylinder;

(b) end located scintillation responsive means for forming output indicative of scintillation events of said device;

(c) a surrounding sleeve about said device

(i) along the length thereof in the form of a single turn helix;

(ii) formed of a material attenuating gamma rays to a specified degree; and

(iii) having a window formed therein wherein the window encircles to defined a directional radiation bias and wherein the directional bias is a specified range of azimuth.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said end located scintillation responsive means comprise separate photomultiplier tubes providing separate outputs.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said scintillation device comprises an elongate scintillation crystal having a specified length and circular cross section.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said scintillation crystal is NaI.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sleeve comprises lead, tungsten or other material highly attenuating to gamma radiation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surrounding sleeve has a length equal to the length of said scintillation device, has the form of a wall of material attenuating gamma rays of specified thickness along the length and circumference there, and wherein said window is defined by radial lines relative to said crystal centerline axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including direction measuring means for providing direction orientation in azimuth of a sonde enclosing said directional gamma ray spectrometer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said direction measuring means is a gyroscope.

9. A method of determining azimuthal direction of a gamma ray source relative to a well borehole comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning an elongate scintillation means in a well borehole for exposure to gamma radiation;

(b) positioning a gamma radiation attenuation shield around the scintillation responsive means having a lengthwise window formed therein wherein the window is uniquely exposed in specific azimuthal directions along the length of the scintillation responsive means;

(c) observing scintillation events in the scintillation responsive means from spaced ends thereof so that two outputs of an event are observed and are represented by two output signals; and

(d) as a function of the two output signals, determining the direction of gamma radiation impingement relative to said scintillation responsive means.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the elongate scintillation means is supported in a sonde and is lowered on a logging cable in a well borehole.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said shield is fixedly positioned around said elongate scintillation means within said sonde.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein first and second end located photomultiplier tubes are positioned at the ends of an elongate cylindrical scintillation crystal to observe scintillation events occurring within the crystal.

13. The method of claim 9 further including the step of determining gamma ray energy from the two outputs.

14. The method of claim 9 further including the step of measuring the direction of gamma radiation impingement relative to a standard direction.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the standard direction is north.

16. The method of claim 14 including the step of positioning a north seeking gyroscope means within a sonde for forming a specified directional reference output signal relative to north to provide an azimuthal reference for the window in the shield.

17. The method of claim 9 including the step of causing radiation from a location beyond the well borehole, and determining the azimuth thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step of injecting a radioactive proppant into a formation adjacent to the well borehole.