System for near real time surface logging of a geothermal well, a hydrocarbon well, or a testing well using a mass spectrometer

• US 9,528,367 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Selman and Associates Limited
• Original Assignee: Selman and Associates Limited
• Inventors: Selman, Thomas H., Jennings, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Satanovsky, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUAN, JOHN CHUNYANG
• Application Number:
  US14/038,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/005 Testing the nature of borehole walls or the formation by using drilling mud or cutting data
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0027 Methods for using particle spectrometers

Abstract

A system for providing geological trends and real time mapping of a geological basin. The system provides in real time, information from a mass spectrometer on fluid samples from a wellbore, and forms a geochemical surface well log with graphical tracks. The system uses a dataset that includes geochemical, engineering, and geological information. The geochemical surface well log is viewable on a client device connected to a network. The geochemical well log provides information on well fluids and rocks, and displays data in graphical tracks. The mass spectrometer receives samples from a total hydrocarbon analyzer or a gas trap connected to the wellbore. The mass spectrometer performs analysis on fluid samples, and communicates in real time to the geochemical surface well log.

Claims

1. A system for creating a geochemical surface well log for a wellbore in near real time for a geothermal well, a hydrocarbon well, or testing well, using a well fluid processor to collect analyzed data from fluid analyzers, form the geochemical surface well log, and communicate the formed geochemical surface well log to at least one client device using a network, the system comprising:

a. a well fluid processor and well fluid data storage electronically connected to a network;

b. a mass spectrometer electronically connected to the network and fluidly connected to receive fluid samples from at least one total hydrocarbon analyzer and a wellbore, the mass spectrometer comprising;

i. a mass spectrometer processor;

ii. a mass spectrometer data storage;

iii. computer instructions in the mass spectrometer data storage to measure a mass to charge ratio of molecular weights for components in fluid samples from the wellbore; and

iv. computer instructions in the mass spectrometer data storage to communicate the measured mass to charge ratio in fluid samples from the wellbore to the well fluid processor;

c. at least one rig sensor on a drilling rig, at least one downhole sensor in a wellbore, or the at least one rig sensor on the drilling rig and the at least one downhole sensor in the wellbore connected to the well fluid processor;

d. a third party processor with a third party data storage that receives sensor information from at least one downhole sensor in the wellbore connected to the well fluid processor;

e. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to form a geochemical well log template;

f. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to calculate molecular concentrations of molecular species of the fluid samples using the mass to charge ratio measured by the mass spectrometer;

g. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to calculate a plurality of graphical molecular curves from the calculated molecular concentrations and plotting the plurality of graphical molecular curves into the geochemical well log template;

h. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to populate the geochemical well log template with user information, well information, and at least one of;

engineering information from a third party processor connected to downhole sensors, engineering information from rig sensors, additional fluid analysis information from the at least one total hydrocarbon analyzer, measured values from a carbon dioxide sensor, and measured values from a hydrogen sulfide sensor forming a geochemical well log;

i. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to transmit the formed geochemical well log to the at least one client device using the networks;

j. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to edit values of the geochemical surface well log using a pointer and performing the steps of;

(i) providing a pattern when the pointer connects with a track;

(ii) automatically displaying a selected pattern and a percent value of the selected pattern where the pointer connects with the track;

(iii) automatically changing a percent value of the selected pattern by moving the pointer in the track; and

(iv) connecting the pointer to an index of the track and inserting the selected pattern into the track by moving the pointer along the index; and

k. a remote processor with a remote data storage containing engineering information on equipment in the wellbore to obtain information for populating the geochemical well log template connected to the well fluid processor.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to create at least one graphical drilling track in the geochemical surface well log for the geothermal well, the hydrocarbon well, or the testing well.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising computer instructions in at least one of the well fluid data storage and a client data storage, to form a plurality of job buttons on the geochemical surface well log comprising:

a. create a new job;

b. open an existing job;

c. restore a job from backup;

d. close an open job;

e. import data into the geochemical surface well log template comprising well sensor data, fluid testing data;

f. export data from the geochemical surface well log template;

g. print the geochemical surface well log;

h. edit the geochemical surface well log;

i. save the geochemical surface well log; and

j. exit the geochemical surface well log.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to change the geochemical surface well log from a plurality of graphical information tracks to a grid view.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to import pictures into a track of the geochemical well log template.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising:

computer instructions in the well fluid data storage for calculating a plurality of well sensor curves using well sensor information, downhole sensor data, and plotting the plurality of well sensor curves into the geochemical surface well log template.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage for scaling at least one of:

the plurality of well sensor curves, at least one of a plurality of synthetic curves, and at least one of the plurality of graphical molecular curves.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage for calculating ratios using calculated molecular concentrations, forming the plurality of synthetic curves, for the calculated molecular concentrations and plotting the plurality of synthetic curves into the geochemical well log template.

9. The system of claim 8, comprising at least one of the following:

a. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to identify trends in the plurality of synthetic curves, the plurality of graphical molecular curves, and the plurality of well sensor curves and placing a visual marker across at least one of;

the plurality of synthetic curves, the plurality of graphical molecular curves, and the plurality of well sensor curves;

b. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to create and transmit a first alarm to the at least one client device using the network, identifying when a value in at least one of;

the plurality of graphical molecular curves, the plurality of synthetic curves, and the plurality of well sensor curves exceeds or falls below a first user defined preset limit, stored in at least one;

the well fluid data storage, and a client device data storage; and

c. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to create and transmit a second alarm to the at least one client device connected to the network when;

i. at least two graphical molecular curves of the plurality of graphical molecular curves intersect;

ii. at least two synthetic curves of the plurality of synthetic curves intersect;

or

iii. at least one graphical molecular curve of the plurality of graphical molecular curves and at least one synthetic curve of the plurality of synthetic curves intersect.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to calculate for at least one of the plurality of graphical molecular curves, well sensor curves and synthetic curves, at least one of the following:

a. a slope;

b. a rate of change for the slope; and

c. a difference between slopes or a difference between rates of change for the slopes to a second user defined preset limit, wherein the second user defined preset limit is in at least one of;

the client device data storage and the well fluid data storage and using the difference to determine if an anomaly is present for either;

a drilling process, a rock formation, or for a drilling process and a rock formation.

11. The system of claim 10, comprising forming at least one of:

a safety interpretation for drilling and economic analysis;

a geochemical interpretation for at least one of;

mapping regionally, mapping locally, timeline modeling of a geological reservoir, economic analysis, and operations;

a geological interpretation for at least one of;

drilling, mapping, modeling, operations, and economic analysis; and

an engineering interpretation for at least one of;

drilling, operations, and economic analysis;

in near real time using the geochemical surface well log.

12. The system of claim 1, comprising computer instructions to create an executive dashboard that can present user information on the executive dashboard and well sensor information, and fluid testing information, and into a formed geochemical surface well log in at least one of:

a. a microview log plot comprising;

i. at least one of;

a graphical molecular curve of the plurality of graphical molecular curves, a well sensor curve of the plurality of well sensor curves, and a synthetic curve of the plurality of synthetic curves; and

ii. at least one of;

a measured depth index and a measured time index; and

b. a macroview log plot comprising;

i. at least one of;

a graphical molecular curve of the plurality of graphical molecular curves, a well sensor curve of the plurality of well sensor curves, and a synthetic curve of the plurality of synthetic curves; and

ii. a compressed view of an entire drilling project at any point in time during drilling and at all the depths of the wellbore.

13. The system of claim 12, having computer instructions that display the macroview plot log and the microview log plot simultaneously on the geochemical surface well log.

14. The system of claim 13, comprising computer instructions in at least one of:

a client device data storage and the well fluid data storage to form a track header for the curves, wherein the track header has at least one of;

a. a benzene concentration;

b. a toluene concentration;

c. an ethyl benzene concentration;

d. a xylene concentration;

e. a naphthalene concentration;

f. a naphthene and cylcloalkane concentration;

g. an acetic acid concentration;

h. a nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and water vapor concentration;

i. a carbon dioxide, helium and hydrogen concentration;

j. a sulfur species concentration;

k. a methane concentration (C1);

l. an ethane concentration (C2);

m. a propane concentration (C3);

n. a butane concentration (C4);

o. a pentane concentration (C5);

P. a hexane concentration (C6);

q. a heptane concentration (C7);

r. an octane concentration (C8);

s. a nonane concentrate (C9); and

t. a decane concentration (C10).

15. The system of claim 14, comprising computer instructions in at least one of:

the well fluid data storage and the client device data storage, to provide a track header having at least one of;

a. a Pixler ratio;

b. a wetness ratio;

c. a balance ratio;

d. a character ratio; and

e. an air to hydrocarbon ratio.

16. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to import well event based observational data comprising lithology analysis and drill cuttings analysis from a remote data storage;

b. computer instructions in at least one of;

the well fluid data storage and a client device data storage to present the imported well event based observational data as a lithology track; and

c. computer instructions in at least one of the well fluid data storage and the client device data storage to present drill cuttings analysis from the mass spectrometer and the at least one total hydrocarbon analyzer as a graphical drill cuttings track.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to allow insertion of lithology observational comments into the geochemical surface well log; and

b. computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to automatically update the geochemical surface well log continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, comprising;

at least one of the plurality of graphical molecular curves, the plurality of synthetic curves, the plurality of well sensor curves, engineering data, geological information including lithology observational comments.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to form color coded comments, wherein the colors are selected to separately indicate at least one of:

a. a trend identification;

b. at least one drill pipe connection;

c. survey comments to authenticate actual survey information or reference actual survey information;

d. a drilling parameter;

e. a gas peak indicated as a text value on the top of each total gas peak;

f. at least one piece of faulty equipment;

g. a dated depth; and

h. a gas show.

19. The system of claim 1, comprising computer instructions in at least one of:

the well fluid data storage and a client device data storage, to plot on the geochemical surface well log at least one of;

a. a porosity histogram track;

b. a gas graph track;

c. a symbol track;

d. a horizontal line track; and

e. a wellbore profile track.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to import into the operator dashboard downhole sensor data from the third party data storage.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to import into the geochemical well log and the operator dashboard fluid testing analysis from at least one:

(1) the at least one total hydrocarbon analyzer, (2) the carbon dioxide sensor, and (3) the hydrogen sulfide sensor.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to present a report using the geochemical surface well log.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to present a sample picture in the geochemical surface well log.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the well fluid data storage to form an operator dashboard for viewing analysis from (i) the mass spectrometer analyzer and (ii) the at least one rig sensor to present:

a real time depth graphical display;

a lag depth graphical display;

a lag depth digital display;

a hole depth;

a mass spectrometer reaction chamber pressure;

a current value of analyzed components of a fluid sample; and

well sensor information.