Apparatus and methods for making azimuthal resistivity measurements

• US 9,268,053 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Well Resolutions Technology
• Original Assignee: Well Resolutions Technology
• Inventors: Wang, Tsili
• Primary Examiner(s): LEDYNH, BOT L
• Application Number:
  US14/303,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 324/339
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1078 Stabilisers or centralisers for casing, tubing or drill pipes devices for off-center positioning E21B17/10; E21B17/1007 - E21B17/1064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/005 Below-ground automatic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/062 the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/26 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified either by the surrounding earth formation or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/28 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/30 operating with electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/34 Transmitting data to recording or processing apparatus; Recording data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24554 Unary operations; Data partitioning operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking

Abstract

A resistivity measuring tool used in a drillstring having a drill bit on a distal end for drilling a wellbore in a formation includes a tool body having a longitudinal axis, a sensor configured to measure the angular position of the tool body relative to the wellbore, at least one axial antenna including a wire winding for generating an axial magnetic moment parallel with the longitudinal axis, and at least one transverse antenna. The transverse antenna includes an antenna body disposed within a pocket extending radially inward from an outer surface of the tool body and one or more turns of wire wound around the antenna body, the wire winding generating a transverse magnetic moment orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A resistivity measuring tool used in a drill string having a drill bit on a distal end for drilling a wellbore in a formation, the tool comprising:

a tool body having a longitudinal axis;

a sensor configured to measure the angular position of the tool body relative to the wellbore;

at least one axial transmitting antenna including a wire winding symmetric about the longitudinal axis of the tool body for generating an axial magnetic moment parallel with the longitudinal axis; and

at least one transverse receiving antenna comprising;

an antenna body having a longer axis disposed longitudinally in the tool body; and

a wire coil having a central axis disposed around the antenna body, wherein the wire coil central axis is substantially perpendicular to the longer axis of the antenna body, and wherein the wire coil is configured to generate a transverse magnetic moment orthogonal to the tool body longitudinal axis,

wherein at least one antenna is configured to transmit electromagnetic energy into the formation and induce a voltage signal related to a parameter of the formation in a different antenna.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one transverse receiving antenna body is disposed within a pocket extending radially inward from an outer surface of the tool body.

3. The tool of claim 2, further comprising a non-conducting material disposed within the pocket beneath and around the wire coil.

4. The tool of claim 2, further comprising a magnetic material disposed within the pocket beneath and around the wire coil.

5. The tool of claim 2, wherein the pocket extends radially inward from the outer surface a maximum of approximately one inch.

6. The tool of claim 2, wherein the pocket extends axially a maximum of approximately ten inches.

7. The tool of claim 2, further comprising an antenna shield having openings therein covering the antenna body and wire coil within the pocket and attached to the tool body.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the openings in the antenna shield are curved.

9. The tool of claim 1, further comprising multiple transverse receiving antennas in pockets disposed proximate to the outer surface of the tool body and azimuthally-spaced around a circumference of the tool body.

10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the multiple transverse antennas are azimuthally-spaced at or less than 180 degrees apart.

11. The tool of claim 9, wherein the multiple transverse antennas are connected in series or parallel.