Downhole carbon dioxide gas analyzer

• US 6,218,662 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Western Atlas International Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Atlas International Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Civarolo, Marcelo F., Forgang, Stanislav W., DiFoggio, Rocco, Fanini, Otto N., Tchakarov, Borislav J., Hunziker, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US09/065,159
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 250/256, 250/255, 250/258, 250/261, 250/343, 250/338.1, 250/339.01, 250/339.06, 250/339.12, 250/339.13, 250/340
• US Class Current: 250/256
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/552 Attenuated total reflection

Abstract

A logging tool system for analyzing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid sample downhole in a borehole. A chamber is filled with the fluid sample and is closed to isolate the fluid sample from the borehole. The interior chamber volume is expanded to decompress the fluid sample, and a transmitter discharges light in the mid-infrared range. A sensor measures the absorbance of mid-infrared light by the decompressed fluid sample and generates a signal representing the carbon dioxide concentration. Mid-infrared light absorbance in the range between 4.1 and 4.4 microns can be analyzed by the processor to identify the carbon dioxide concentration in the fluid sample, and infrared absorbance in the mid-infrared range between 3.2 and 3.6 microns can be analyzed to identify methyl and metheylene components. A wiper cleans the transmitter and sensor between readings to reduce measurement errors caused by fluid sample contamination.

Claims

1. A bore hole apparatus for analyzing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid sample down hole in a bore hole, comprising:

a decompression chamber having a piston for defining an initial volume in the decompression chamber for containing the fluid sample wherein the piston is slidably disposed within the decompression chamber for controllably expanding the decompression chamber initial volume of the decompression chamber and decreasing the pressure within the decompression chamber to decompress the fluid sample;

a transmitter for discharging mid-infrared light;

a first sensor for measuring the absorption of mid-infrared light by the decompressed fluid sample and for generating a signal representing the carbon dioxide concentration in the fluid sample; and

a processor for receiving said signal and for determining the fluid sample carbon dioxide concentration.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sensor measures infrared absorbance in a range suitable for detection of carbon dioxide.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising a second sensor for measuring infrared absorbance in a range suitable for the detection of selected hydrocarbon gases.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising a third sensor suitable for detection of an interfering molecule resident within the fluid sample.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the piston is capable of precisely expanding the expansion chamber initial volume of the fluid sample, and precisely controlling the initial volume of the initial fluid sample until the fluid sample expands to transform to its substantially one hundred percent gas phase.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wiper disposed inside of the decompression chamber for cleaning the inside of the decompression chamber.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the wiper is attached to the piston so that the wiper cleans the inside of the decompression chamber during at least one of:

compression or decompression of the decompression chamber so that at least one of the sensor window and transmitter window is cleaned.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the wiper comprises at least one blade.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the wiper blade is spring loaded.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wiper disposed in the decompression chamber, wherein the transmitter and sensor are adjacent the expansion chamber so that the wiper cleans at least one of a transmitter window and sensor window during at least one of:

compression and decompression of the decompression chamber.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a piston and an integrated wiper are integrated in the chamber for selectively expanding the initial chamber volume and for returning the apparatus to the initial chamber volume.

12. A method for analyzing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid sample down hole in a bore hole, comprising the steps of:

deploying into a bore hole a housing containing a decompression chamber having a piston and integrated wiper for defining an initial volume in the decompression chamber to define the piston being set to define an initial chamber volume;

receiving a measured quantity of the fluid sample into the initial chamber volume;

closing said chamber to isolate the fluid sample from the bore hole;

expanding said initial chamber volume to decompress the fluid sample;

operating a transmitter to discharge mid-infrared light through the decompressed fluid sample; and

operating a sensor to measure the decompressed fluid sample mid-infrared light absorbance and to generate a signal representing the carbon dioxide concentration.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of operating a processor to receive said signal.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of operating said processor to store said signal.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of operating said processor to determine the carbon dioxide concentration.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said initial chamber volume is expanded until the fluid sample is at a pressure below the critical pressure for transforming carbon dioxide from liquid phase to 100 per cent gas phase.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said transmitter is operated to discharge mid-infrared light in a range suitable for detection of carbon dioxide.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of operating a second transmitter to discharge mid-infrared light in a range suitable for detection of hydrocarbon gases.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of operating a second sensor for measuring mid-infrared light absorbance in a range between 3.2 and 3.6 microns.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of operating the piston and integrated wiper for cleaning the transmitter and the sensor before the sensor is operated to measure the absorbance of mid-infrared light.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the initial chamber volume is expanded by extending the piston and wiper substantially positioned with the initial chamber volume in a position outside of the initial chamber volume.

22. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of cleaning the transmitter and the sensor with the integrated wiper attached to the piston.

23. A method for analyzing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid sample down hole in a bore hole, comprising the steps of:

deploying a decompression chamber having a piston and integrated wiper for defining an initial volume in the decompression chamber into the bore hole, the piston being set to define an initial chamber volume;

decompressing the decompression chamber so that a vacuum exists in the decompression chamber;

moving the fluid sample into the evacuated chamber volume;

operating a transmitter to discharge mid-infrared light through the decompressed fluid sample; and

operating a sensor to measure the decompressed fluid sample mid-infrared light absorbance and to generate a signal representing the carbon dioxide concentration.