Packer and packer outer layer

• US 9,291,027 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Kristensen, Morten, Ayan, Cosan, Corre, Pierre-Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Jennifer H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butcher, Caroline
• Application Number:
  US13/750,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20140209302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/12 Packers; Plugs used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1208 characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means E21B33/1277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells

Abstract

A packer is disclosed comprising a body with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are configured to establish a connection with downhole equipment and wherein at least one of the first end and the second end is configured to establish a fluid flow between the downhole equipment, at least one guard drain, at least one sample drain, at least one guard drain flow line, at least one sample drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least one sample drain and one of the first end and the second end of the body, two swivel connections and a sealing element.

Claims

1. A packer, comprising:

a body with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are configured to establish a connection with downhole equipment and wherein at least one of the first end and the second end is configured to establish a fluid flow between the downhole equipment and the packer, and wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to expand from a first unexpanded configuration to a second expanded configuration;

at least two guard drains with a circular shape through the body;

at least two sample drains with an oval shape through the body, at least one of the two sample drains located in an axial line with a first one of the two guard drains with the circular shape, wherein a second one of the two guard drains is circumferentially aligned with the at least two sample drains and disposed radially therebetween;

at least one guard drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least two guard drains;

a swivel connection connected to the at least one guard drain flow line and one of the first end and the second end, the swivel connection configured to transport fluid from the at least one guard drain flow line to one of the first end and the second end;

at least one sample drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least two sample drains;

a second swivel connection connected to the at least one sample drain flow line and one of the first end and the second end, the second swivel connection configured to transport fluid to and from the at least one sample drain flow line to one of the first end and the second end; and

a sealing element placed around a periphery of the body incorporating the at least two guard drains and the at least two sample drains, the sealing element configured to create a seal between the sealing element and a downhole geological formation.

2. The packer according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is made of rubber.

3. The packer according to claim 1, wherein the downhole equipment is a wireline tool.

4. The packer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heater configured to heat formation fluid to change formation fluid viscosity.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the body comprises an expandable bladder.

6. A packer, comprising:

a body with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are configured to establish a connection with downhole equipment and wherein at least one of the first end and the second end is configured to establish a fluid flow between the downhole equipment and the packer;

at least two guard drains, each of the guard drains with one half circular shape;

at least one sample drain with a rectangular shape, the at least one sample drain located in an axial line with the at least two guard drains with the one half circular shape;

a pad disposed between and coupled to both the at least two guard drains and the at least one sample drain, wherein the pad is configured to provide sealing between the at least two guard drains and the at least one sample drain;

at least one guard drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least two guard drains;

at least one swivel connection between the at least one guard drain flow line and one of the first end and the second end, the at least one swivel connection configured to transport fluid to and from the at least one guard drain flow line to one of the first end and the second end;

at least one sample drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least one sample drain;

at least one second swivel connection between the at least one sample drain flow line and one of the first end and the second end, the at least one second swivel connection configured to transport fluid; and

a sealing element placed around a periphery of the body incorporating the at least two guard drains and the at least one sample drain with a rectangular shape, the sealing element configured to create a seal between the sealing element and a downhole geological formation.

7. The packer according to claim 6, wherein the sealing element is made of rubber.

8. The packer according to claim 6, wherein the downhole equipment is a wireline tool.

9. A method of sampling, comprising:

expanding a packer from a first contracted state to a second expanded state, wherein the second expanded state occurs downhole to form an environment between the packer and a downhole formation when in the second expanded state;

establishing a guard drain flow in the packer through a guard drain;

establishing a sample drain flow in the packer through a sample drain, wherein the sample drain flow and the guard drain flow are in an axial relationship;

providing sealing between the guard drain and the sample drain using a pad disposed between and coupled to both the guard drain and the sample drain; and

sampling at least a portion of the sample drain flow.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the guard drain flow is established through at least two guard drains.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least two guard drains are rectangular shaped.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least two guard drains are half-circle shaped.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least two guard drains are positioned adjacent to the sampling drain.