Abstract: The present disclosure describes various antenna assemblies, each antenna coil being disposed about a tool body section in an antenna pathway. The antenna pathway passes through alternating grooves and lands. In each embodiment, at least one of the grooves is disposed in the tool body section at a non-axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool body section. In an embodiment, the antenna coil is an axial coil or a tilted coil. Additional grooves oriented at axial direction may be disposed on the tool body section. Each of the antenna assemblies disclosed may be employed in an electromagnetic logging tool for providing directional measurements while drilling.

Abstract: A removable real time clock battery (“RRTCB”) assembly is disclosed herein. The RRTCB assembly has an outer housing removably mounted in a port of a downhole tool. The outer housing is adapted to receive at least a portion of an inner housing. The inner housing has a cavity therein and is mounted in the port of the downhole tool. The inner housing is removably disposed within the outer housing. A real time clock battery is removably disposed in the cavity of the inner housing. The real time clock battery electrically connects to a clock disposed within the downhole tool. The RRTCB assembly can be readily removed from the downhole tool or bottomhole assembly (while at the earth's surface) without otherwise disassembling the downhole tool. The real time clock battery can then be removed and replaced or installed if not present.

Abstract: A removable real time clock battery (“RRTCB”) assembly is disclosed herein. The RRTCB assembly has an outer housing removably mounted in a port of a downhole tool. The outer housing is adapted to receive at least a portion of an inner housing. The inner housing has a cavity therein and is mounted in the port of the downhole tool. The inner housing is removably disposed within the outer housing. A real time clock battery is removably disposed in the cavity of the inner housing. The real time clock battery electrically connects to a clock disposed within the downhole tool. The RRTCB assembly can be readily removed from the downhole tool or bottomhole assembly (while at the earth's surface) without otherwise disassembling the downhole tool. The real time clock battery can then be removed and replaced or installed if not present.

Abstract: A mating connector that is rotatable and wet-mateable is disclosed herein. The connector has mating components that can be characterized as male and female. The connector may have one or more electrical and/or non-electrical contacts. As used herein, “wet-mateable” or “wet-connectable” means proper mating of the male and female components can be achieved even in the presence of conductive fluid. Being rotatable means the male and female components can be rotated independently during the mating process. A male component of a rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector is provided that has conductive and non-conductive sealing elements. A female component of the rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector is provided having conductive elements that are complementary to the male component. The male component is inserted into a chamber within the female component to produce the rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector.

Abstract: A mating connector that is rotatable and wet-mateable is disclosed herein. The connector has mating components that can be characterized as male and female. The connector may have one or more electrical and/or non-electrical contacts. As used herein, “wet-mateable” or “wet-connectable” means proper mating of the male and female components can be achieved even in the presence of conductive fluid. Being rotatable means the male and female components can be rotated independently during the mating process. A male component of a rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector is provided that has conductive and non-conductive sealing elements. A female component of the rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector is provided having conductive elements that are complementary to the male component. The male component is inserted into a chamber within the female component to produce the rotatable and wet-mateable mating connector.

Abstract: A downhole electromagnetic logging tool having two or more antenna groups spaced along a longitudinal axis of the logging tool, each antenna group having one antenna or multiple antennas proximally located or collocated, each antenna group having at least one tilted antenna, at least one antenna group having, in addition to the tilted antenna, at least one transverse or axial antenna, and any given pair of antenna groups comprising at least four antennas is disclosed. The logging tool is disposed in a wellbore penetrating a formation and, while rotating, measures a tool rotation angle, transmits an electromagnetic signal from one antenna group, and receives the electromagnetic signal with another antenna group. Elements of an electromagnetic coupling tensor are determined using the received electromagnetic signal and the measured tool rotation angle, and properties of the formation using one or more elements of the determined electromagnetic coupling tensor are inferred.

Abstract: A downhole electromagnetic modular system has two or more antenna modules incorporated into a drill string, each antenna module comprising an antenna sub and an antenna. The antenna modules may be spaced apart by one or more spacer modules, battery modules, spacer-battery modules, and/or downhole tools. The connected modules (and/or downhole tools) provide an electrical pathway throughout the modular system. An antenna module may have an inner connector formed on its antenna sub between the antenna of that antenna module and a retainer of that antenna sub. An antenna module may have two antenna groups located towards opposite ends of the antenna module and spaced apart by more than half the length of the antenna module. If an antenna group has more than one antenna, those antennas may be co-located or in proximity to one another. A probe may be held fixed by the retainer of the inner pin connector.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various antenna assemblies, each antenna coil being disposed about a tool body section in an antenna pathway. The antenna pathway passes through alternating grooves and lands. At least one of the grooves is disposed in the tool body section at a non-axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool body section. The antenna coil may be an axial coil or a tilted coil. Additional grooves oriented at axial direction may be disposed on the tool body section. Various methods include acquiring a plurality of data pairs using one or more antenna coils, each data pair comprising an induced signal at a receiver and a corresponding toolface angle using a tool including at least one antenna assembly, to generate a measurement including obtaining information about the directionality of the formation by calculating areas of an induced signal function approximated by the plurality of data pairs.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sub with recesses along an exterior wall to receive inserts, an antenna case including a coil surrounded by a sacrificial wear portion of a material through which signals between the coil and a formation of interest may pass. An eroded outer wall of the sacrificial wear portion is restorable by application of an uncured restorative material to the antenna case. A method includes securing an antenna case having a coil there within onto a sub, surrounding the coil with a metal sleeve shield, and radially receiving and securing a multi-piece sacrificial wear member intermediate the antenna case and a retainer ring having a threaded bore. The multi-piece sacrificial wear member is replaceable after use by unthreading the retainer ring to release the sacrificial wear member for radial removal from the sub.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for configuring a well logging assembly having an elongate sub with a bore therethrough, a leading end connection and a trailing end connection, a plurality of sets of recesses in an exterior wall of the sub to receive a plurality of sets of inserts, each having a threaded exterior surface, a plurality of internally threaded retainer rings, and a plurality of well logging devices securable to the exterior wall of the sub using the retainer rings to threadably engage the inserts received in the recesses. The system enables convenient configuration and reconfiguration of the well logging assembly by enabling convenient securing of a first well logging instrument to the sub at a variety of spacings from a second well logging instrument to provide a variety of depths of investigation into a geologic formation penetrated by a drill string containing the well logging assembly.

Abstract: A downhole electromagnetic modular system has two or more antenna modules incorporated into a drill string, each antenna module comprising an antenna sub and an antenna. The antenna modules may be spaced apart by one or more spacer modules, battery modules, spacer-battery modules, and/or downhole tools. The connected modules (and/or downhole tools) provide an electrical pathway throughout the modular system. An antenna module may have an inner connector formed on its antenna sub between the antenna of that antenna module and a retainer of that antenna sub. An antenna module may have two antenna groups located towards opposite ends of the antenna module and spaced apart by more than half the length of the antenna module. If an antenna group has more than one antenna, those antennas may be co-located or in proximity to one another. A probe may be held fixed by the retainer of the inner pin connector.

Abstract: A downhole electromagnetic logging tool having two or more antenna groups spaced along a longitudinal axis of the logging tool, each antenna group having one antenna or multiple antennas proximally located or collocated, each antenna group having at least one tilted antenna, at least one antenna group having, in addition to the tilted antenna, at least one transverse or axial antenna, and any given pair of antenna groups comprising at least four antennas is disclosed. The logging tool is disposed in a wellbore penetrating a formation and, while rotating, measures a tool rotation angle, transmits an electromagnetic signal from one antenna group, and receives the electromagnetic signal with another antenna group. Elements of an electromagnetic coupling tensor are determined using the received electromagnetic signal and the measured tool rotation angle, and properties of the formation using one or more elements of the determined electromagnetic coupling tensor are inferred.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various antenna assemblies, each antenna coil being disposed about a tool body section in an antenna pathway. The antenna pathway passes through alternating grooves and lands. At least one of the grooves is disposed in the tool body section at a non-axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool body section. The antenna coil may be an axial coil or a tilted coil. Additional grooves oriented at axial direction may be disposed on the tool body section. Various methods include acquiring a plurality of data pairs using one or more antenna coils, each data pair comprising an induced signal at a receiver and a corresponding toolface angle using a tool including at least one antenna assembly, to generate a measurement including obtaining information about the directionality of the formation by calculating areas of an induced signal function approximated by the plurality of data pairs.

Abstract: A directional antenna, system and method are provided. The methods include acquiring a plurality of data pairs, each data pair comprising an induced signal at a receiver and a corresponding toolface angle using a tool including at least one antenna assembly, as described herein. It further discloses a method to generate a measurement containing information about the directionality of the formation by calculating areas of an induced signal function approximated by the plurality of data pairs.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sub with recesses along an exterior wall to receive inserts, an antennae case including a coil surrounded by a sacrificial wear portion of a material through which signals between the coil and a formation of interest may pass. An eroded outer wall of the sacrificial wear portion is restorable by application of an uncured restorative material to the antennae case. A method includes securing an antennae case having a coil there within onto a sub, surrounding the coil with a metal sleeve shield, and radially receiving and securing a multi-piece sacrificial wear member intermediate the antennae case and a retainer ring having a threaded bore. The multi-piece sacrificial wear member is replaceable after use by unthreading the retainer ring to release the sacrificial wear member for radial removal from the sub.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for configuring a well logging assembly having an elongate sub with a bore therethrough, a leading end connection and a trailing end connection, a plurality of sets of recesses in an exterior wall of the sub to receive a plurality of sets of inserts, each having a threaded exterior surface, a plurality of internally threaded retainer rings, and a plurality of well logging devices securable to the exterior wall of the sub using the retainer rings to threadably engage the inserts received in the recesses. The system enables convenient configuration and reconfiguration of the well logging assembly by enabling convenient securing of a first well logging instrument to the sub at a variety of spacings from a second well logging instrument to provide a variety of depths of investigation into a geologic formation penetrated by a drill string containing the well logging assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sub with recesses along an exterior wall to receive inserts, an antennae case including a coil surrounded by a sacrificial wear portion of a material through which signals between the coil and a formation of interest may pass. An eroded outer wall of the sacrificial wear portion is restorable by application of an uncured restorative material to the antennae case. A method includes securing an antennae case having a coil there within onto a sub, surrounding the coil with a metal sleeve shield, and radially receiving and securing a multi-piece sacrificial wear member intermediate the antennae case and a retainer ring having a threaded bore. The multi-piece sacrificial wear member is replaceable after use by unthreading the retainer ring to release the sacrificial wear member for radial removal from the sub.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for configuring a well logging assembly having an elongate sub with a bore therethrough, a leading end connection and a trailing end connection, a plurality of sets of recesses in an exterior wall of the sub to receive a plurality of sets of inserts, each having a threaded exterior surface, a plurality of internally threaded retainer rings, and a plurality of well logging devices securable to the exterior wall of the sub using the retainer rings to threadably engage the inserts received in the recesses. The system enables convenient configuration and reconfiguration of the well logging assembly by enabling convenient securing of a first well logging instrument to the sub at a variety of spacings from a second well logging instrument to provide a variety of depths of investigation into a geologic formation penetrated by a drill string containing the well logging assembly.