Abstract: In or near real-time monitoring of fluids can take place using an opticoanalytical device that is configured for monitoring the fluid. Fluids can be monitored prior to or during their introduction into a subterranean formation using the opticoanalytical devices. Produced fluids from a subterranean formation can be monitored in a like manner. The methods can comprise providing at least one fracturing fluid component; combining the at least one fracturing fluid component with a base fluid to form a fracturing fluid; and monitoring a characteristic of the fracturing fluid using a first opticoanalytical device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the fracturing fluid.

Abstract: In or near real-time monitoring of fluids can take place using an opticoanalytical device that is configured for monitoring the fluid. Fluids can be monitored prior to or during their introduction into a subterranean formation using the opticoanalytical devices. Produced fluids from a subterranean formation can be monitored in a like manner. The methods can comprise providing a fracturing fluid comprising a base fluid and at least one fracturing fluid component; introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture therein, thereby performing a fracturing operation in the subterranean formation; and monitoring a characteristic of the fracturing fluid or a formation fluid using at least a first opticoanalytical device within the subterranean formation, during a flow back of the fracturing fluid produced from the subterranean formation, or both.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive interacted energy at an optical calculation device attached to a down hole housing to be deployed in a down hole environment. Further activities may include optically compressing data carried by the interacted energy into at least one orthogonal component, using the optical calculation device, sending a signal associated with the at least one orthogonal component to a remote surface computer, and determining a property of petroleum located in the down hole environment using the remote surface computer, based on the signal. The optical calculation device may comprise a multivariate optical element (MOE). Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Light sources are provided with enhanced low-frequency (e.g., near infrared) emission. Some disclosed embodiments include a filament and at least one re-radiator element. The filament heats the re-radiator element to a steady-state temperature that is at least one quarter of the filament's absolute temperature. As disclosed herein, the increased surface area provided by the re-radiator element provides enhanced IR radiation from the light source. Patterning or texturing of the surface can further increase the re-radiator element's surface area. Various shapes such as disks, collars, tubes are illustrated and can be combined to customize the spectral emission profile of the light source. Some specific embodiments employ a coating on the bulb as the re-radiator element. The coating can be positioned to occlude light from the filament or to augment light from the filament, depending on the particular application. The various re-radiator elements can be positioned inside or outside the bulb.

Abstract: Logging systems and methods that employ nanosensors to obtain spectral measurements downhole. The nanosensors can be dispersed in borehole fluids (including cement slurries) that circulate, diffuse, or get injected in a borehole. Because the nanosensors have diameters on the order of 10 nm to 1000 nm, they readily penetrate into cracks, pores, and other voids where their carrier fluids can reach. The nanosensors transport light sources and recording media to measure spectra in these otherwise inaccessible regions. The nanosensors are then recovered and analyzed to reconstruct the measured spectra and determine relevant material characteristics. Among other things, spectral measurements can reveal the presence of certain elements and molecules in the formation and fluids, from which information scientists determine composition and phases of formation fluids and the formation itself.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive incident energy within a chamber defining a first part of an interaction volume that attenuates the incident energy as a function of path length to provide attenuated energy. Additional activity may include simultaneously transforming the attenuated energy characterized by a substantially exponential intensity function into resultant energy characterized by a substantially polynomial intensity function. The transformation may be accomplished using an interacted energy transformation element that defines a second part of the interaction volume, the transformation element operating to intercept the attenuated energy along a plurality of path lengths. Other activity may include transmitting the resultant energy to a receiver. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Interaction of adsorbing chemicals with a downhole tool presents inaccuracies in the adsorbing chemical measurement and analysis. The principles of the present disclosure provide a method and system of sampling fluids including an adsorbing chemical in a subterranean reservoir. One method may include modeling an interaction between the adsorbing chemical and a downhole tool, applying the model to a measurement of the adsorbing chemical, and adjusting the measurement in response to applying the model.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing optical analysis downhole with an interferogram (a light beam having frequency components with a time variation that identifies those frequency components. The interferogram is produced by introducing an interferometer into the light path, with the two arms of the interferometer having a propagation time difference that varies as a function of time. Before or after the interferometer, the light encounters a material to be analyzed, such as a fluid sample from the formation, a borehole fluid sample, a core sample, or a portion of the borehole wall. The spectral characteristics of the material are imprinted on the light beam and can be readily analyzed by processing electronics that perform a Fourier Transform to obtain the spectrum or that enable a comparison with one or more templates. An interferometer designed to perform well in the hostile environments downhole is expected to enable laboratory-quality measurements.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to draw a formation fluid sample into a sampling port included in a down hole tool, to vaporize some part of the fluid sample to substantially fill an injection port with a gas phase, to differentiate gas components in the gas phase to provide differentiated gas components along a concentration gradient, to detect the differentiated gas components, and to determine a fingerprint of the differentiated gas components. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An example method includes introducing a movable inline inspection device into a pipeline, the movable inline inspection device having a housing that defines a conduit therein which provides fluid communication through the movable inline inspection device in the form of a bypass fluid, the conduit having one or more optical computing devices arranged thereon for monitoring the bypass fluid, wherein each optical computing device has at least one integrated computational element arranged therein, generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the bypass fluid with at least one detector arranged within each optical computing device, receiving the output signal from each optical computing device with a signal processor communicably coupled to the at least one detector of each optical computing device, and determining with the signal processor the characteristic of the bypass fluid detected by each optical computing device.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for inspecting and monitoring an inner surface of a pipeline. One system includes a pig arranged within the pipeline and having a housing that defines a conduit therein for providing fluid communication through the pig, one or more optical computing devices arranged on the conduit for monitoring a bypass fluid flowing through the conduit. The one or more optical computing devices including at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the bypass fluid and generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the bypass fluid. A signal processor is communicably coupled to the at least one detector of each optical computing device for receiving the corresponding output signals and determining the characteristic of the fluid.

Abstract: A processor accepts sensor data about a geological formation from a sensor. The sensor data is such that processing the sensor data using a processing technique to estimate a parameter of the geological formation without a constraint, whose value is not yet known, produces a plurality of non-unique estimates of the parameter. The processor accepts more than two time-displaced images of fluid sampled from the geological formation. The time displacements between the images are substantially defined by a mathematical series. The processor processes the images to determine the constraint. The processor processes the sensor data using the processing technique constrained by the constraint to estimate the parameter of the geological formation. The processor uses the estimated parameter to affect the drilling of a well through the geological formation.

Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to monitor flow of single and multiple phase fluids. Sensors of a tool can be dispersed along the tool to collect measurements to be processed using an autocorrelation operation on the collected measurements to provide information relative to the phases of the fluid. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for inspecting and monitoring an inner surface of a pipeline. One system includes a pig arranged within the pipeline, one or more optical computing devices arranged on the pig adjacent the inner surface of the pipeline for monitoring at least one substance present on the inner surface. The optical computing devices include at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the at least one substance and thereby generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the at least one substance. A signal processor is communicably coupled to the at least one detector of each optical computing device for receiving the output signal of each optical computing device and determining the characteristic of the at least one substance.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for inspecting and monitoring an inner surface of a pipeline. One system includes a pig arranged within the pipeline and having a housing that defines a conduit therein for providing fluid communication through the pig, one or more optical computing devices arranged on the conduit for monitoring a bypass fluid flowing through the conduit. The one or more optical computing devices including at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the bypass fluid and generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the bypass fluid. A signal processor is communicably coupled to the at least one detector of each optical computing device for receiving the corresponding output signals and determining the characteristic of the fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for inspecting and monitoring an inner surface of a pipeline. One system includes a pig arranged within the pipeline and having first and second ends, one or more optical computing devices arranged on at least one of the first and second ends for monitoring a fluid within the pipeline. The optical computing devices including at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the fluid and thereby generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the fluid. The system also includes a signal processor communicably coupled to the at least one detector of each optical computing device for receiving the output signal of each optical computing device and determining the characteristic of the fluid as detected by each optical computing device.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for inspecting and monitoring an inner surface of a pipeline. One system includes a pig arranged within the pipeline, the pipeline being divided into first and second radial divisions, and first and second sets of optical computing devices arranged on the pig adjacent the inner surface of the pipeline, the first set being configured to monitor a first substance on the first radial division and the second set being configured to monitor a second substance on the second radial division. Each optical computing device includes an integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the first or second substance and thereby generate optically interacted light, and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the first or second substance.

Abstract: Downhole spectrometer tools are provided with two ways to increase the number of filters on an optical path. A first approach employs multiple filter wheels that rotate alternately in a common plane to intersect the optical path. Portions of the wheels are cut out to avoid mechanical interference between the wheels. A second approach drives the one or more filter wheels with a wobble that causes the filters to trace one or more hypocycloidal curves that each intersect the optical path.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive interacted energy at an optical calculation device attached to a down hole housing to be deployed in a down hole environment. Further activities may include optically compressing data carried by the interacted energy into at least one orthogonal component, using the optical calculation device, sending a signal associated with the at least one orthogonal component to a remote surface computer, and determining a property of petroleum located in the down hole environment using the remote surface computer, based on the signal. The optical calculation device may comprise a multivariate optical element (MOE). Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining an unknown property or information of a reservoir fluid. The method includes measuring a set of responses of a measuring instrument to the fluid and measuring one or more physical or chemical properties of the fluid. The method further includes determining the unknown property or information of the fluid based on the relationship between the instrument responses and the measured properties of the fluid using equation-of-state (EOS) model.