Abstract: Systems and methods for driving and steering of a robot, or mobile vessel, for operation in a downhole pipe of an oil/gas/water well are presented. According to one aspect, the mobile vessel includes a plurality of wheels arranged outwardly from the mobile vessel so that each wheel may contact the inner wall of the casing. According to another aspect, the plurality of wheels may include respective wheel-centerlines that intersect the centerline of the casing that is at an offset from a centerline of the mobile vessel. The plurality of wheels includes at least two drive wheels and at least one passive wheel. According to a further aspect, the drive wheels are configured to rotate about their respective wheel-centerlines to steer the mobile vessel during traversal of the casing. In one case, the mobile vessel includes two drive and steering wheels and one passive wheel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring flow velocity of a fluid mixture in a lateral section of an oil/gas/water well with a dual beam laser doppler velocimetry (LVD) based flow sensor are presented. According to one aspect, the flow velocity is measured by tracking movement of particles and/or features in the fluid mixture while traversing an interference pattern generated by the intersection of two separate coherent beams that are perpendicular to a direction of the flow. Flow velocity is derived based on a time it takes the particles to traverse consecutive fringes of the interference pattern as indicated by intensity peaks detected at the photodetector. The LDV-based flow sensor may be rotatable to measure flow velocities at different angular positions of a pipe in a lateral section of an oil well, rotation provided by rotation of an element of a mobile vessel to which the flow sensor is rigidly coupled.

Abstract: A downhole sensor tool includes a sensor outsert coupled into an exterior pocket of the tool body. The sensor outsert is a pressure vessel with an exterior electrical connector coupled to the interior sensor. The sensor outsert contains a sensor, and is pressure-sealed about the sensor. The outsert includes an electrical connector coupled to the sensor. The electrical connector maintains the pressure seal of the outsert. The electrical connector may be a hermetic connector. The electrical connector can be coupled to an electrical connector or a hermetic connector of the tool body while maintaining the sealing of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a formation probe assembly that includes a probe piston configured for reciprocal movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The apparatus also includes a draw down assembly in fluid communication with the formation probe assembly. The draw down assembly includes a draw down piston being actuatable between a first position and a second position in a cylinder to draw fluid into the cylinder through the piston in the formation probe assembly and a position indicator configured to determine a position of the draw down piston in the cylinder. The apparatus includes a controller configured to control at least one of a rate and a volume of the fluid being drawn into the cylinder of the draw down assembly based, at least in part, on the position of the draw down piston determined by the position indicator.

Abstract: A formation tester for use in a subterranean well can include a probe which extends outward into contact with an earth formation, and an adjustable flow control device which limits an extension pressure applied to extend the probe. A method of testing a subterranean formation can include positioning a formation tester in a wellbore, extending a probe of the formation tester outward into contact with the formation, and limiting a force applied by the probe to the formation, the limiting being performed by variable actuation of a flow control device downhole. Another formation tester can include a probe which extends outward into contact with an earth formation, with a force applied by the probe to the formation being remotely adjustable downhole.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a formation probe assembly that includes a probe piston configured for reciprocal movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The apparatus also includes a draw down assembly in fluid communication with the formation probe assembly. The draw down assembly includes a draw down piston being actuatable between a first position and a second position in a cylinder to draw fluid into the cylinder through the piston in the formation probe assembly and a position indicator configured to determine a position of the draw down piston in the cylinder. The apparatus includes a controller configured to control at least one of a rate and a volume of the fluid being drawn into the cylinder of the draw down assembly based, at least in part, on the position of the draw down piston determined by the position indicator.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to emit acoustic pulses into a drilling fluid in a well bore, using a first acoustic transducer in a downhole tool, and detecting the acoustic pulses after reflection from the wall of the well bore, using a second acoustic transducer in the downhole tool. The faces of the first and second acoustic transducers are non-parallel. Further activities include emitting additional acoustic pulses into the drilling fluid using the second acoustic transducer, and detecting them using the second acoustic transducer. The acoustic velocity of the drilling fluid can be determined based on respective travel times. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.

Abstract: A formation tester tool can include a longitudinal probe drill collar having a surface, a formation probe assembly located within the probe drill collar, the formation probe assembly including a piston reciprocal between a retracted position and an extended position beyond the probe drill collar surface, the piston being slidingly retained within a chamber, a seal pad located at an end of the piston, the seal pad including an outer surface defining a partial cylindrical surface. The piston includes an outer surface having non-circular cross-sectional shape and the chamber includes an inner surface having a non-circular shape similar to the shape of the piston outer surface. The formation tester tool can include interchangeable draw down assemblies and a flow bore having a curving path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to which a sample bottle drill collar section is assembled. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a drill collar that includes an outer surface; a pocket accessible through an aperture in the outer surface, the pocket defining a first side wall and a second side wall; a bottle assembly disposed within the pocket, the bottle assembly comprising a sample bottle having an axial length; one or more clamps coupled to the outer surface and abutting or overlapping the bottle assembly, the one or more clamps at least partially retaining the bottle assembly in the pocket; and one or more spacers disposed within the pocket, the one or more spacers abutting the bottle assembly and at least one of the first and second side walls of the pocket.

Abstract: A downhole measurement apparatus includes a tool body supporting a logging tool. The logging tool includes a detector outsert coupled into and exposed through an exterior pocket of the tool body to position the outer surface of the outsert adjacent or in close proximity to the outer diameter of the tool body. A stabilizer or off-center stabilizer may be provided to further deflect the outsert portion of the logging tool toward an earth formation to increase detector proximity to the formation. Radial and axial distances can be calibrated and maintained across multiple different tool collars.

Abstract: A sample bottle assembly is installed in a bore drilled into a drill collar section, wherein the bore may be drilled into a side wall of a pocket in the drill collar. The sample bottle assembly may be passed through the pocket and inserted into the bore. Drill collar material between the bore and the outer surface of the drill collar retains the sample bottle assembly in a radially inward direction, and a retention member in the pocket may retain the sample bottle assembly in an axial direction.

Abstract: A downhole sensor tool includes a sensor outsert coupled into an exterior pocket of the tool body. The sensor outsert is a pressure vessel with an exterior electrical connector coupled to the interior sensor. The sensor outsert contains a sensor, and is pressure-sealed about the sensor. The outsert includes an electrical connector coupled to the sensor. The electrical connector maintains the pressure seal of the outsert. The electrical connector may be a hermetic connector. The electrical connector can be coupled to an electrical connector or a hermetic connector of the tool body while maintaining the sealing of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to which one or more zones of interest within a hydrocarbon wellbore are tested. In several exemplary embodiments, the apparatus includes a drill collar section including an outer surface, a pocket accessible through an aperture in the outer surface, a bottle assembly disposed within the pocket, and an intermediate clamp coupled to the outer surface and spanning the pocket. In several exemplary embodiments, the intermediate clamp has an axial length less than an axial length of the bottle assembly. The intermediate clamp is adapted to at least partially retain a sample bottle assembly within the pocket when the sample bottle drill collar section is disposed within the hydrocarbon wellbore. In several exemplary embodiments, the drill collar section further includes at least one of: one or more spacers disposed within the pocket and an epoxy disposed within the pocket.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to which a sample bottle drill collar section is assembled. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a drill collar that includes an outer surface; a pocket accessible through an aperture in the outer surface, the pocket defining a first side wall and a second side wall; a bottle assembly disposed within the pocket, the bottle assembly comprising a sample bottle having an axial length; one or more clamps coupled to the outer surface and abutting or overlapping the bottle assembly, the one or more clamps at least partially retaining the bottle assembly in the pocket; and one or more spacers disposed within the pocket, the one or more spacers abutting the bottle assembly and at least one of the first and second side walls of the pocket.

Abstract: A sealing system can include an annular seal comprising a resilient material, and a spring which applies a compressive force to the seal as a resilience of the material diminishes, the spring being external to the seal. A sealing method can include installing a seal in a well tool, the seal being compressed radially as a result of the installing, and a spring external to the seal exerting a compressive force on the seal. A well tool can include a seal radially compressed between seal surfaces of the well tool, due to the seal having a greater radial dimension as compared to a radial distance between the seal surfaces, and a spring which exerts a compressive force on the seal, the spring being external to the seal.

Abstract: A downhole sensor tool includes a sensor outsert coupled into an exterior pocket of the tool body. The sensor outsert is a pressure vessel with an exterior electrical connector coupled to the interior sensor. The sensor outsert contains a sensor, and is pressure-sealed about the sensor. The outsert includes an electrical connector coupled to the sensor. The electrical connector maintains the pressure seal of the outsert. The electrical connector may be a hermetic connector. The electrical connector can be coupled to an electrical connector or a hermetic connector of the tool body while maintaining the sealing of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A formation tester seal pad includes a support member and a deformable seal pad element including an outer sealing surface having a plurality of raised portions and adjacent spaces. In some embodiments, the raised portions are deformable into the adjacent spaces in response to a compressive load on the outer sealing surface. In some embodiments, the support member includes an inner raised edge and an outer raised edge to capture the deformable seal pad element. In some embodiments, a deformable seal pad element includes a volume of seal pad material above a support member outer profile and a volume of space below the outer profile. In some embodiments, the space volume receives a portion of the seal pad volume in response to a compressive load.

Abstract: A sample bottle assembly. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are apparatuses including a first drill collar that includes: a first outer surface; a pocket accessible through an aperture in the first outer surface; a bottle assembly disposed within the pocket; a first end-clamp coupled within a first recess disposed at an upper end of the pocket to at least partially retain the bottle assembly in the pocket; and a second end-clamp coupled within a second recess disposed at the lower end of the pocket to at least partially retain the bottle assembly in the pocket. The bottle assembly further includes: a sample bottle having an axial length; and a sleeve comprising a bore, the sample bottle received within the bore, and the sleeve has an axial length substantially the same as the sample bottle.

Abstract: A formation tester tool can include a longitudinal probe drill collar having a surface, a formation probe assembly located within the probe drill collar, the formation probe assembly including a piston reciprocal between a retracted position and an extended position beyond the probe drill collar surface, the piston being slidingly retained within a chamber, a seal pad located at an end of the piston, the seal pad including an outer surface defining a partial cylindrical surface. The piston includes an outer surface having non-circular cross-sectional shape and the chamber includes an inner surface having a non-circular shape similar to the shape of the piston outer surface. The formation tester tool can include interchangeable draw down assemblies and a flow bore having a curving path.

Abstract: A downhole measurement apparatus includes a tool body supporting a logging tool. The logging tool includes a detector outsert coupled into and exposed through an exterior pocket of the tool body to position the outer surface of the outsert adjacent or in close proximity to the outer diameter of the tool body. A stabilizer or off-center stabilizer may be provided to further deflect the outsert portion of the logging tool toward an earth formation to increase detector proximity to the formation. The axial distance between the detector and a nuclear source can be calibrated using configurations of the nuclear source holder and the outsert. Retention mechanisms for the source holder and the outsert further enhance proximity and calibration.