Formation squeeze monitor apparatus

• US 5,105,881 A
• Filed: 02/06/1991
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGM, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AGM, Inc.
• Inventors: Gehle, Richard M., Thoms, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang C.
• Application Number:
  US07/653,674
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250, 166/113, 166/187, 166/191, 73/784
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1243 with inflatable sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/08 Measuring diameters or related dimensions at the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/006 Measuring wall stresses in the borehole

Abstract

A fluid squeeze monitor downhole tool and a method of monitoring formation squeeze features a tool body that can be placed downhole at a desired elevational location to produce a controlled, localized reduction of pressure head and measure the resultant inward displacement of the borehole wall. The reduction in head is accomplished by draining the fluid in a bladder (or collapsible container) located on the tool body into a reservoir "sump" that is incorporated into the downhole tool.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring formation squeeze in a well borehole having a borehole wall comprising:

a) an elongated tool body;

b) sump means in the tool body for containing a source of fluid;

c) means on the tool body and extendable to engage the borehole wall for holding the tool body in the borehole and spaced from the borehole wall to define a test interval;

d) collapsible container means carried by the tool body and inflatable with the source of fluid; and

e) means for providing a controlled, localized reduction of pressure head at a test interval adjacent the collapsible container; and

f) measuring means for measuring a resulting inward displacement of the borehole wall in response to said reduction of pressure head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the providing means includes means for transmitting fluid between the collapsible container means and the sump means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an elongated line for lowering the tool body into the well borehole.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluid transmitting line communicating with the well surface area for supplying fluid to the tool body.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the collapsible means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced collapsible bladders.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes caliper means carried by the tool body for measuring the diameter of the borehole.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the providing means includes packer means on the tool body for defining the test interval.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the packer means includes a pair of packer members that are spaced vertically apart on the tool body and define the test interval therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising valve means for controlling fluid flow between the sump means and collapsible container means.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sump means is placed vertically above the collapsible container means on the tool body.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the collapsible container means includes one or more inflatable flexible wall bladders that each have an outer wall surface that can be flexibly restricted to a smaller diameter.

12. A method of monitoring formation squeeze in a borehole having a borehole wall, comprising the steps of:

a) lowering an elongated tool body having a pair of spaced-apart expandable packers with a collapsible fluid containing container therebetween into the borehole, to an elevational position wherein formation squeeze is to be monitored;

b) expanding the pair of spaced-apart packers until the formation borehole wall is contacted to define a test interval therebetween;

c) obtaining an initial reading of fluid pressure head inside the test interval;

d) draining some fluid from the collapsible container to produce a controlled, localized reduction of pressure head in the test interval at the borehole wall; and

e) monitoring the resulting inward displacement of the borehole wall.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "d" the fluid is drained from the container into a fluid sump carried by the tool body.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "a" the packers have a flexible surface portion that conforms to the borehole wall flexibility upon expansion of the container.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "d" the fluid is drained into a sump and within the tool body to produce the controlled, localized reduction of pressure head.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "c" there are a plurality of vertically spaced collapsible containers between the packers and fluid is drained from each container.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "d" pressure inside the flexible container is monitored.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein in steps "c" and "d" the fluid pressure in the test interval is remotely monitored at the well surface area.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein in step "e", displacement of the borehole wall is monitored with instrumentation at the well surface area.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of transmitting fluid under a desired pressure value between the tool body and the well surface are via a transmission line.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the transmission line extends between the well surface area and a fluid sump on the tool body.