Method and apparatus for subsurface fluid sampling
First Claim
1. A downhole tool positionable in a wellbore surrounded by a layer of contaminated fluid, the wellbore penetrating a subsurface formation having virgin fluid therein beyond the layer of contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
- a probe engageable with a sidewall of the wellbore, the probe fluid communication with the subsurface formation whereby the fluids flow from the subterranean formation through the probe and into the downhole tool; and
a sampling intake positioned within said probe and in non-engagement with the sidewall of the wellbore during sampling, the sampling intake adapted to receive a cross-sectional portion of the fluids flowing through the probe.
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Abstract
The apparatuses and methods herein relate to techniques for extracting fluid from a subsurface formation. A downhole sampling tool is provided with a probe having an internal wall capable of selectively diverting virgin fluids into virgin flow channels for sampling, while diverting contaminated fluids into contaminated flow channels to be discarded. The characteristics of the fluid passing through the channels of the probe may be measured. The data generated during sampling may be sent to a controller capable of generating data, communicating and/or sending command signals. The flow of fluid into the downhole tool may be selectively adjusted to optimize the flow of fluid into the channels by adjusting the internal wall within the probe and/or by adjusting the flow rates through the channels. The configuraton of the internal wall and/or the flow rates may be automatically adjusted by the controller and/or manually manipulated to further optimize the fluid flow.
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Citations
91 Claims
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1. A downhole tool positionable in a wellbore surrounded by a layer of contaminated fluid, the wellbore penetrating a subsurface formation having virgin fluid therein beyond the layer of contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
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a probe engageable with a sidewall of the wellbore, the probe fluid communication with the subsurface formation whereby the fluids flow from the subterranean formation through the probe and into the downhole tool; and
a sampling intake positioned within said probe and in non-engagement with the sidewall of the wellbore during sampling, the sampling intake adapted to receive a cross-sectional portion of the fluids flowing through the probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A downhole tool useful for extracting fluid from a subsurface formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by a layer of contaminated fluid, the subsurface formation having virgin fluid therein beyond the layer of contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
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a probe carried by the downhole tool, the probe positionable in fluid communication with the formation whereby the fluids flow from the subterranean formation through the probe and into the downhole tool;
wherein the probe has at least one wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel, the at least one wall adjustably defining a cross-sectional area within the probe whereby the flow of the virgin fluid through the first channel and into the downhole tool is optimized. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A downhole tool useful for extracting virgin fluid from a subsurface formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
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a probe positionable in fluid communication with the formation, the probe having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel, the wall adjustably defining a cross-sectional area within the probe whereby the flow of virgin fluid into the first channel is optimized; and
a first flow line in fluid communication with the first channel;
a second flow line in fluid communication with the second channel; and
at least one pump for drawing the fluids from the formation into the flow lines. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of sampling virgin fluid from a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the subterranean formation having virgin fluid therein, the method comprising:
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positioning a downhole tool in the wellbore adjacent the subterranean formation, the downhole tool having a probe adapted to draw fluid therein;
positioning the probe in fluid communication with the formation, the probe having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel;
drawing at least a portion of the virgin fluid through the first channel and into the downhole tool;
selectively adjusting the wall to define a cross sectional area within the probe whereby the flow of virgin fluid into the downhole tool is optimized. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of sampling virgin fluid from a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the subterranean formation having virgin fluid therein, the method comprising:
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positioning a downhole tool in the wellbore adjacent the subterranean formation, the downhole tool having a probe adapted to draw fluid therein;
positioning the probe in fluid communication with the formation, the probe having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel;
drawing at least a portion of the virgin fluid into the first channel in the probe;
selectively adjusting the wall to define a cross-sectional area within the probe whereby the flow of virgin fluid into the probe is optimized. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A downhole tool useful for extracting virgin fluid from a subsurface formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
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a probe positionable in fluid communication with the formation and adapted to flow the fluids from the formation into the downhole tool, the probe having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel, the first channel adapted to receive a cross-sectional portion of the fluids flowing through the second channel;
a contamination monitor adapted to measure fluid parameters in at least one of the channels; and
a controller adapted to receive data from the contamination monitor and send command signals in response thereto whereby the wall is selectively adjusted within the probe to optimize the flow of the virgin fluid through the first channel and into the downhole tool. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A downhole tool useful for extracting virgin fluid from a subsurface formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the downhole tool comprising:
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a probe positionable in fluid communication with the formation and adapted to flow the fluids from the formation into the downhole tool, the probe having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel;
a first flow line in fluid communication with the first channel;
a second flow line in fluid communication with the second channel;
at least one pump for drawing the fluids from the formation into the flow lines;
a contamination monitor adapted to measure fluid parameters in at least one of the channels; and
a controller adapted to receive data from the contamination monitor and send command signals in response thereto whereby the pump is selectively activated to draw fluid into the flow lines to optimize the flow of the virgin fluid through the first channel and into the downhole tool. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A method of sampling virgin fluid from a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore surrounded by contaminated fluid, the subterranean formation having virgin fluid therein, the method comprising:
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positioning a probe in fluid communication with the formation, the probe carried by a downhole tool and having a wall therein defining a first channel and a second channel;
flowing the fluids through the probe and into the downhole tool;
monitoring fluid parameters of the fluid passing through the probe;
selectively adjusting a cross-sectional area defined by the wall in response to the probe in response to the fluid parameters whereby the flow of virgin fluid through the first channel and into the downhole tool is optimized. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84)
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85. A downhole apparatus for separating virgin fluid and contaminated fluid extracted from a subsurface formation, the downhole apparatus comprising:
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a fluid sampling probe having first and second pathways in fluid communication with each other and the subsurface formation; and
means for separating virgin fluid extracted from the subsurface formation and contaminated fluid extracted from the subsurface formation, whereby separation of the virgin and contaminated fluids occurs within said fluid sampling probe, and whereby contaminated fluid is extracted through said first pathway and virgin fluid is extracted through said second pathway. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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Specification