Downhole deployable tools for measuring tracer concentrations

• US 8,952,319 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Rose, Peter E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malkowski, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US13/041,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 250/264
• US Class Current: 250/264
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/11 using tracers; using radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/111 using radioactivity

Abstract

Downhole deployable tools for measuring tracer concentrations are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a support cable configured to allow the apparatus to be lowered into and raised from a wellbore. A housing is attached to the support cable. The housing includes a detector window on the exterior of the housing. A detector system within the housing includes a detector that measures tracer concentrations. The detector is operably connected to the detector window to direct energy or particles from the detector window to the detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a support cable configured to allow the apparatus to be lowered into and raised from a wellbore;

a housing attached to the support cable, where the housing includes a detector window on the exterior of the housing;

a tracer delivery system that delivers a tracer composition having a first tracer concentration at a given pump rate into the wellbore; and

a detector system within the housing that includes a detector that measures a second tracer concentration, wherein the second tracer concentration is a concentration after the tracer composition has substantially completely mixed with a well fluid in the wellbore, wherein the detector is operably connected to the detector window to direct energy from the detector window to the detector, and wherein the detector system includes a processing unit that determines a flow rate of the well fluid in the wellbore based on the first tracer concentration, the second tracer concentration, and the given pump rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system is at least partially encased in a vacuum insulation vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid coolant system to reduce temperatures of the detector system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system is at least partially encased in a heat sink.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system is configured to operate in high temperature fluid and gas environment for at least 2 hours, wherein high temperature fluids and gases exceed a temperature of 300°

C.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to measure at least one of fluorescence, radioactivity, electron capture, absorption, photo-ionization, and conductivity.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to measure laminar and turbulent flows.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system further includes a light source configured to emit light through the detector window sufficient to trigger a response from target materials outside of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the light source is at least one of a light-emitting diode (LED) and a laser light source.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to measure at least one of a liquid-phase tracer and gas-phase tracer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support cable includes a communication cable configured to communicate data from the detector system to a receiving station.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system includes a data storage module and the support cable is free of data communication.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is operably connected to the detector window using a fiber optic cable.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is at least one of a photomultiplier and a photodiode.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system further includes a splitter to spatially distribute incoming energy according to wavelength.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector system further includes a microcontroller operably connected to the detector to process signals from the detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tracer delivery system which includes a tracer reservoir.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the tracer delivery system further includes a high pressure pump.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the tracer reservoir includes a tracer fluid selected from the group consisting of perhalogenated compounds, light absorbing dyes, fluorescent dyes, electrically charged compounds, short-chain aliphatic alcohols and combinations thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the tracer delivery system is electrically connected to the detector system to allow coordination of delivery of tracer and measurement of tracer concentration.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow rate is determined using the formula

22. A method, comprising:

delivering a tracer composition having a first tracer concentration at a given pump rate into a wellbore from one end of a tool;

lowering the tool into the wellbore;

determining a second tracer concentration of the delivered tracer composition in the wellbore, wherein the second tracer concentration is a concentration after the tracer composition has substantially completely mixed with a well fluid in the wellbore; and

determining a flow rate of the well fluid in the wellbore based on the first tracer concentration, the second tracer concentration and the given pump rate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the tracer composition is a fluorescent tracer, a perhalogenated tracer, a short-chain aliphatic alcohol or an electrically charged tracer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the wellbore is a geothermal wellbore.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the flow rate is determined using the formula