Acoustic isolator section

• US 8,220,583 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reeves Wireline Technologies Limited (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Reeves Wireline Technologies Limited (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Botting, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): LUKS, JEREMY AUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US11/944,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20080149415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 181/102, 181/104, 181/106, 181/108
• US Class Current: 181/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/523 Damping devices

Abstract

An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool, the isolator section comprising:

• • an isolator comprising:
  • (i) an isolator body;
  • (ii) a mass;
  • (iii) a resiliently deformable portion formed integrally with the isolator body;
  • (iv) a movement limiter.

Claims

1. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool, the isolator section comprising:

an isolator comprising;

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion formed integrally with the isolator body;

(iv) a movement limiter,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a second slot formed in the or each isolator body, and wherein each first slot is connected to a second slot.

7. An acoustic isolator section according to any claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein the mass, the resiliently deformable portion and the movement limiter are each formed integrally with the isolator body.

8. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein the isolator comprises a plurality of resiliently deformable portions.

9. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein the isolator comprises a plurality of masses.

10. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein the isolator comprises a plurality of movement limiters.

11. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 comprising a plurality of isolators.

12. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 comprising a plurality of isolators, wherein the isolators are integrally formed with one another.

13. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 comprising a plurality of isolators, wherein the resiliently deformable portions are joined via the masses.

14. An acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein each movement limiter comprises a second slot formed in the or each isolator body.

15. An acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6 wherein the isolator includes a plurality of masses that are formed separately from one another.

16. An isolator forming part of an acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6.

17. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6.

18. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6,

wherein the acoustic isolator section is positioned between the transmitter section and the receiver section.

19. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6,

wherein the transmitter section comprises one or more dipole transmitters for transmitting acoustic signals to a surrounding borehole formation.

20. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6,

wherein the transmitter section comprises one or more monopole transmitters.

21. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6,

comprising a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers.

22. An acoustic well logging tool having a tool body portion and comprising:

a transmitter section located on the tool body portion;

a receiver section located on the tool body portion, and spaced apart from the transmitter section, and

an acoustic isolator section according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or claims 4 to 6,

comprising a plurality of isolators each including a plurality of masses positioned between receivers in the receiver section.

2. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool, the isolator section comprising:

an isolator comprising;

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion;

(iv) a movement limiter formed integrally with the isolator body,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures, and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a second slot formed in the or each isolator body, and wherein each first slot is connected to a second slot.

3. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool the isolator section comprising

an acoustic isolator comprising:

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion formed in the isolator body; and

(iv) a movement limiter, formed integrally with the resiliently deformable portion,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures, and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a second slot formed in the or each isolator body, and wherein each first slot is connected to a second slot.

4. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool, the isolator section comprising:

an isolator comprising;

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion formed integrally with the isolator body;

(iv) a movement limiter,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a pair of interlocking lobes formed in the or each isolator body.

5. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool, the isolator section comprising:

an isolator comprising;

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion;

(iv) a movement limiter formed integrally with the isolator body,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures, and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a pair of interlocking lobes formed in the or each isolator body.

6. An acoustic isolator section for an acoustic well logging tool the isolator section comprising

an acoustic isolator comprising:

(i) an isolator body;

(ii) a mass;

(iii) a resiliently deformable portion formed in the isolator body; and

(iv) a movement limiter, formed integrally with the resiliently deformable portion,

wherein each resiliently deformable portion comprises a plurality of apertures, and at least one first slot formed in the or each isolator body, which first slot is connected to one or more of the plurality of apertures, wherein each movement limiter comprises a pair of interlocking lobes formed in the or each isolator body.