Systems and methods for measuring parameters of a formation

• US 9,631,489 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Irani, Cyrus A., Buller, Daniel Robert, Dirksen, Ronald Johannes, Eyuboglu, Sami Abbas
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US14/112,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20140027112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/02 Determining slope or direction
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/006 Measuring wall stresses in the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 9/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods not provided for in groups G01V1/00 - G01V8/00

Abstract

A method of measuring parameters of a formation along multiple axes is disclosed. A formation tester tool is introduced into a wellbore. The formation tester tool includes a first probe oriented at an angle from a second probe about an axis of the formation tester tool. The first and second probes are positioned against a surface of the wellbore. Fluid is injected via at least one of the first and second probes. Pressure parameters corresponding to the fluid injected into the formation are monitored. Formation stresses about the formation fractures along multiple axes are determined based, at least in part, on the pressure parameters.

Claims

1. A method of measuring parameters of a formation along multiple axes, the method comprising:

introducing a formation tester tool into a wellbore, wherein the formation tester tool comprises a pump and a first plurality of probes axially offset from a second plurality of probes about an axis of the formation tester tool;

positioning the first and second plurality of probes against a surface of the wellbore;

inducing formation fractures by injecting fluid into the formation via the first and second plurality of probes to induce formation fractures using the pump;

receiving a plurality of measurements from the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes, wherein the plurality of measurements are associated with a plurality of axial positions of the formation tester tool;

calculating a gradient along the wellbore axis based, at least in part, on the plurality of measurements;

monitoring at the formation tester tool pressure parameters corresponding to the fluid injected into the formation; and

determining formation stresses about the formation fractures along multiple axes based, at least in part, on the pressure parameters and the gradient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting fluid into the formation via at least one of the first and second plurality of probes further comprises injecting fluid to clean the borehole adjacent to the first and second plurality probes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a pressure profile based, at least in part, on the pressure parameters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure profile indicates one or more of a fracture volume and a fracture orientation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring pressure parameters further comprises monitoring pressure parameters to determine one or more of a fracture initiation pressure, a formation permeability, a formation pore pressure, and a fracture closure pressure.

6. A formation tester tool to measure parameters of a formation along multiple axes, the formation tester tool comprising:

a first plurality of probes axially offset from a second plurality of probes about an axis of the formation tester tool, wherein each of the first probe and the second probe comprises an inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the formation tester tool, and wherein each of the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes comprises an outer surface configured to hydraulically seal a region along a surface of a borehole;

a pump disposed about an axis of the formation tester tool configured to inject fluid into the formation to induce formation fractures via the first and second plurality of probes;

a pressure detection device configured to detect pressure parameters corresponding to the injected fluid; and

a downhole module comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more instructions stored on the memory to;

receive a plurality of measurements from the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes, wherein the plurality of measurements are associated with a plurality of axial positions of the formation tester tool;

calculating a gradient along the wellbore axis based, at least in part, on the plurality of measurements;

monitor the pressure parameters; and

determine formation stresses about the formation fractures along multiple axes based, at least in part, on the pressure parameters and the gradient.

7. The formation tester tool of claim 6, wherein the pump is configured to pump a fluid from the formation via one or more of the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes, and wherein one or more of the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes are configured to

measure fluid mobility parameters along multiple axes based, at least in part, on the fluid pumped from the formation via the first and second plurality of probes.

8. The formation tester tool of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes are configured to be repositionable to a plurality of positions against the surface of the borehole, and wherein one or more of the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes are configured to

measure fluid mobility parameters based, at least in part, on the fluid pumped from the formation.

9. The formation tester tool of claim 8, wherein the one or more of the first plurality of probes and the second plurality of probes are configured to measure fluid mobility parameters indicative of fluid mobility characteristics along three axes.

10. The formation tester tool of claim 7, further comprising:

a third probe oriented an angle from a fourth probe about the axis of the formation tester tool, wherein the pump is configured to pump the fluid from the formation via one or more of the third probe and the fourth probe, and wherein the third probe and the fourth probe are configured to

measure fluid mobility parameters based, at least in part, on the fluid pumped from the formation.

11. The formation tester tool of claim 10, wherein one or more of the third probe and the fourth probe are configured to measure fluid mobility parameters indicative of fluid mobility characteristics along three axes.