Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for use in a wellbore formed in a formation is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a device for supplying a hydraulic fluid under pressure to a common hydraulic line, a first pump in hydraulic communication with the common hydraulic line via a first variable fluid control device, a second pump in hydraulic communication with the common hydraulic line via a second variable fluid control device, and at least one controller that controls flow of the hydraulic fluid from the first variable flow control device to the first pump and the flow of the hydraulic fluid from the second variable flow control device to the second pump to independently control the operation of the first pump and the second pump. In another aspect, the first pump is coupled to a first probe for extracting fluid from the formation and the second pump is coupled to a second probe for extracting the fluid from the formation.

Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for use in a wellbore formed in a formation is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a device for supplying a hydraulic fluid under pressure to a common hydraulic line, a first pump in hydraulic communication with the common hydraulic line via a first variable fluid control device, a second pump in hydraulic communication with the common hydraulic line via a second variable fluid control device, and at least one controller that controls flow of the hydraulic fluid from the first variable flow control device to the first pump and the flow of the hydraulic fluid from the second variable flow control device to the second pump to independently control the operation of the first pump and the second pump. In another aspect, the first pump is coupled to a first probe for extracting fluid from the formation and the second pump is coupled to a second probe for extracting the fluid from the formation.

Abstract: A formation testing apparatus and method are disclosed. In one aspect, a fluid is drawn from a formation, one or more sensors measure pressure of the fluid during the during drawing of the fluid, and a processor estimates an inflection point from the pressure measurements and controls the drawing of the fluid from the inflection point until the pressure of the fluid drops to a selected level.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring a resistivity parameter of an earth formation. The method includes: applying a first electric measurement current including a first series of pulses to a first electrode and inducing a first formation current in the earth formation; applying a second electric measurement current including a second series of pulses to a second electrode and inducing a second formation current in the earth formation, the first series of pulses and the second series of pulses occupying distinct portions of a time domain in a selected time window; measuring the first measurement current, the first formation current, the second measurement current and the second formation current by coherent in-phase demodulation; and calculating at least one resistivity parameter by i) comparing the first measurement current to the first formation current and ii) comparing the second measurement current to the second formation current.

Abstract: A sensor electrode for imaging a formation. The sensor includes a geometry either reduces or substantially limits spatial aliasing in formation data. The aliasing is the result of imaging the formation with an array of the sensor electrodes.

Abstract: A Full-Duplex Pre-equalized OFDM system for high speed telemetry down-hole wire-line communication. The system compensates for the narrow bandwidth, high attenuation of, and noise in a downhole wireline using Trellis Code Modulation and Reed Solomon encoding.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring a resistivity parameter of an earth formation. The method includes: applying a first electric measurement current including a first series of pulses to a first electrode and inducing a first formation current in the earth formation; applying a second electric measurement current including a second series of pulses to a second electrode and inducing a second formation current in the earth formation, the first series of pulses and the second series of pulses occupying distinct portions of a time domain in a selected time window; measuring the first measurement current, the first formation current, the second measurement current and the second formation current by coherent in-phase demodulation; and calculating at least one resistivity parameter by i) comparing the first measurement current to the first formation current and ii) comparing the second measurement current to the second formation current.

Abstract: A formation testing apparatus and method are disclosed. In one aspect, a fluid is drawn from a formation, one or more sensors measure pressure of the fluid during the during drawing of the fluid, and a processor estimates an inflection point from the pressure measurements and controls the drawing of the fluid from the inflection point until the pressure of the fluid drops to a selected level.

Abstract: A sensor electrode for imaging a formation, includes a geometry that one of reduces or substantially limits spatial aliasing in formation data, the aliasing resulting from imaging the formation with an array of the sensor electrodes. A method and a computer program product for designing sensor electrodes are provided. A sensor with a one-row wavelet geometry is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for two-way communication for controlling production from a formation having at least one producing well and a plurality of producing zones. In one embodiment, the method comprises installing a flow control device with a controller proximate each of the producing zones, where each controller has a predetermined communication address, and each controller is adapted to act as a repeater on command from a surface controller; connecting each controller to a transmission bus where the transmission bus is connected to the surface controller; transmitting a command message from the surface controller to a predetermined downhole controller, where the command message determines a predetermined path along the transmission bus according to a predetermined protocol; receiving the command message by the predetermined controller; and executing the command message to control the flow control device. Transmitting a response message back along the predetermined path.

Abstract: A compensated flow measuring system for measuring a multi-phase fluid flow in a well. An impeller intercepts a downhole multi-phase flow. Capacitance and conductivity sensors are mounted in close proximity to the impeller and provide a measure of electrical admittance of the fluid. In one embodiment, the capacitance and conductivity sensors are mounted in at least one single probe mounted near the impeller. An electronics system contains a phase detector for separating the capacitive and conductive signals and providing a signal related to a compensated multiphase flow rate.

Abstract: A compensated flow measuring system for measuring a multi-phase fluid flow in a well. An impeller intercepts a downhole multi-phase flow. Capacitance and conductivity sensors are mounted in close proximity to the impeller and provide a measure of electrical admittance of the fluid. In one embodiment, the capacitance and conductivity sensors are mounted in at least one single probe mounted near the impeller. An electronics system contains a phase detector for separating the capacitive and conductive signals and providing a signal related to a compensated multiphase flow rate.

Abstract: A method for two-way communication for controlling production from a formation having at least one producing well and a plurality of producing zones. In one embodiment, the method comprises installing a flow control device with a controller proximate each of the producing zones, where each controller has a predetermined communication address, and each controller is adapted to act as a repeater on command from a surface controller; connecting each controller to a transmission bus where the transmission bus is connected to the surface controller; transmitting a command message from the surface controller to a predetermined downhole controller, where the command message determines a predetermined path along the transmission bus according to a predetermined protocol; receiving the command message by the predetermined controller; and executing the command message to control the flow control device. Transmitting a response message back along the predetermined path.

Abstract: An apparatus for communicating signals from a well logging tool to a recording unit is disclosed. The logging tool includes a transmitter comprising a source of digital bits representing measurements made by the tool, an encoder connected to the source of digital bits for transforming groups of the digital bits into multivalued symbols, a first in-phase filter and a first quadrature filter connected to the encoder so that first coordinates of the symbols are filtered in the in-phase filter, second coordinates of the symbols are filtered in the quadrature filter, the filters having responses forming a Hilbert transform pair, a digital subtractor connected to the first filters for calculating a difference between outputs of the filters, and a digital-to-analog converter connected to the output of the subtractor for generating signals to be communicated to the recording unit over a communication channel.