Downhole fluid analysis

• US 7,937,223 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Vannuffelen, Stephane, Yamate, Tsutomu, Kamiya, Akira, Ciglenec, Reinhart, Villareal, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US11/965,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20090166085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 702/9, 702/12, 731/521.8, 731/525.5, 731/522.7, 175/24, 175/40, 175/49, 175/50, 175/59, 175/61, 166/250.01, 166/331, 166/100, 166/252.1, 166/250.07, 166/264, 166/266, 166/250.15, 166/313, 166/311, 166/250.03
• US Class Current: 702/12
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells

Abstract

A method that uses downhole fluid analysis in order to selectively collect and retain formation fluid samples in a drilling environment, as well as, control drilling using downhole fluid analysis.

Claims

1. A method for downhole fluid analysis comprising:

providing a fluid sampling tool within a downhole;

acquiring information about formation fluids collected by the fluid sampling tool during drilling;

analyzing the acquired information for making a decision about whether to retain collected fluid samples by using a fluid sampling tool controller; and

controlling one or more downhole operations based on the decision,

wherein said fluid sampling tool controller includes a first memory device for storage of job control parameters, a second memory device for storage of collected data, a data pre-processor, a control algorithm bank, and a data compressor, and

wherein said first memory device may include information regarding one or a combination of maximum acceptable pumping time, required level of contamination, criteria on composition of a sample that is worthy of retention, criteria on sample integrity, and a station where samples should not be taken.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid sampling tool includes a Probe Module, a DFA Module, a Pumpout Module, and a Sample Carrier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said DFA module can collect information about downhole fluid pressure and temperature, fluid density and viscosity, fluid electrical resistivity, fluid optical absorption, fluid emitted fluorescence light, CO₂ content, H₂S content, fluid bubble point, fluid refractive index measurement, and flow line imaging.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said data compressor compresses data for transmission to the surface, said compressed data including one or more of tool status based on tool self-diagnosis capabilities, optical fluid analyzer status based on tool self-diagnosis capabilities, DFA data quality, DFA data quality trend, sample quality, sample quality trend, water fraction, oil fraction, oil color, and gas to oil ratio.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a fluid sampling tool controller is used to makes a decision about optimizing pumping of the formation fluids.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling one or more downhole operations comprises using fluid contamination level to determine whether to retain a fluid sample.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling one or more downhole operations comprises using fluid phase behavior to determine whether to retain a fluid sample.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending high level commands to said fluid sampling tool from surface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising communicating said collected information with the surface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising using information obtained by said fluid sampling tool in varying a drilling operation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said varying includes changing course of drilling.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said varying includes interrupting drilling operation.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing said fluid sampling tool into a drill string to reside within a borehole.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling other modules in the drill string based on the acquired information about formation fluids.

15. A downhole fluid sampling tool, comprising:

a fluid sampling tool that includes at least one chamber for the retention of a fluid sample; and

a fluid sampling tool controller operatively connected to said fluid sampling tool to receive data from said fluid sampling tool and to send control signals to said fluid sampling tool;

wherein said fluid sampling tool and said fluid sampling tool controller are configured for downhole operation and said fluid sampling tool controller is configured to make a decision and send control signals related to retention of fluid samples to said fluid sampling tool during drilling

wherein said fluid sampling tool controller includes a first memory device for storage of job control parameter, a second memory device for storage of collected data, a data pre-processor, a control algorithm bank, and a data compressor, and

wherein said first memory device includes information regarding one or a combination of maximum acceptable pumping time, required level of contamination, criteria on composition of sample that is worthy of collection, criteria on sample integrity, and a station where samples should not be taken.

16. The tool of claim 15, wherein said fluid sampling tool includes a Probe Module, a DFA Module, a Pumpout Module, and a Sample Carrier.

17. The tool of claim 16, wherein said DFA module can collect information about downhole fluid pressure and temperature, fluid density and viscosity, fluid electrical resistivity,.fluid optical absorption, fluid emitted fluorescence light, CO₂ content, H₂S content, fluid bubble point, fluid refractive index measurement, and flow line imaging.

18. The tool of claim 15, wherein said data compressor compresses data for transmission to the surface, said compressed data including one or more of tool status based on tool self-diagnosis capabilities, optical fluid analyzer status based on tool self-diagnosis capabilities, DFA data quality, DFA data quality trend, sample quality, sample quality trend, water fraction, oil fraction, oil color, and gas to oil ratio.

19. The tool of claim 15, wherein the operation comprises using fluid contamination level to determine whether to retain a fluid sample.

20. The tool of claim 15, wherein the operation comprises using fluid phase behavior to determine whether to retain a fluid sample.

21. The tool of claim 15, further comprising a master controller that sends control signals related to the operation of a drill based on information collected by said fluid sampling tool.

22. The tool of claim 21, wherein a trajectory of said drill is altered based on said collected information by said fluid sampling tool.

23. The tool of claim 15, wherein the tool is placed into a drill string to reside within a borehole.