Abstract: In one embodiment, a downhole drilling tool configured to engage a formation to form a wellbore includes one or more channels formed in a bit body, the channels configured to direct electromagnetic radiation. The downhole drilling tool also includes an opto-analytical device integrated with the downhole drilling tool, the opto-analytical device configured to receive electromagnetic radiation directed through the one or more channels and detect a drilling characteristic based on the received electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: Downhole core sampling apparatus including first and second sealing elements and at least one pump configured to pump wellbore fluid from the annular space defined by the sealing elements. The downhole core sampling apparatus is capable of obtaining formation fluid saturated core samples for laboratory testing and reservoir evaluation. Method and system for obtaining formation fluid saturated core samples from the sidewall of subterranean wellbores is provided.

Abstract: A telemetry apparatus for use in a well can include multiple segments, the segments comprising at least one buoyancy control device, at least one telemetry device, and at least one articulation device that controls a relative orientation between adjacent ones of the segments. A method of communicating in a subterranean well can include installing at least one telemetry apparatus in the well, the telemetry apparatus comprising a telemetry device and a buoyancy control device, and the telemetry device communicating with another telemetry device at a remote location. A well system can include at least one telemetry apparatus disposed in a wellbore, the telemetry apparatus comprising multiple segments, the segments including at least one buoyancy control device and at least one telemetry device.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of fabricating an integrated computational element for use in an optical computing device. One method includes providing a substrate that has a first surface and a second surface substantially opposite the first surface, depositing multiple optical thin films on the first and second surfaces of the substrate via a thin film deposition process, and thereby generating a multilayer film stack device, cleaving the substrate to produce at least two optical thin film stacks, and securing one or more of the at least two optical thin film stacks to a secondary optical element for use as an integrated computational element (ICE).

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to sensors having reactive filter materials for detecting analytes in wellbores. The sensor includes at least one reactive filter material arranged in a flow line, wherein the reactive filter material sorbs an analyte in a wellbore fluid in the flow line; and at least one detector that detects a sorption signal specific to the analyte at at least a first location and a second location of the reactive filter material, wherein the first location is upstream in the flow line relative to the second location. The detector either (1) calculates a balanced measurement corresponding to the presence of the analyte in the wellbore or (2) relays the measurements to a signal processing unit to calculate a balanced measurement corresponding to the presence of the analyte in the wellbore.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems related to a thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry cell; electrically coupling a second end of a working electrical wire lead, a second end of a counter electrical wire lead, and a second end of a reference electrical wire lead to a potentiostat; introducing a conductive fluid into a cell body in the spectroelectrochemistry cell; introducing a detection species into the cell body; introducing a sample into the cell body; applying a voltage potential across the transparent sample window to drive an electrochemical reaction between the detection species and the sample in the transparent sample window fluid; transmitting electromagnetic radiation into an optical path through the transparent sample window, thereby optically interacting the electromagnetic radiation with the transparent sample window fluid to generate modified electromagnetic radiation; receiving the modified electromagnetic radiation with a detector; and generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of

Abstract: A sensor is calibrated to determine a first offset parameter. The sensor has a boundary condition that affects the first offset parameter. A first viscosity of a first fluid is calculated using a calculated parameter adjusted by the first offset parameter. The calculated parameter is calculated from an output of the sensor being applied to the first fluid. An operational decision is made based on the calculated first viscosity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to vibration frequency sensors comprising a vibratable flow tube having an interior for receiving a fluid, a vibration detector coupled to the flow tube for detecting a frequency of the fluid received by the flow tube during vibration thereof; and measurement circuitry coupled to the vibration detector for determining a frequency shift over time of the detected frequency. At least a portion of a surface of the interior of the flow tube is functionalized with a reactant sensitive to the analyte, and the frequency shift corresponds to the presence of the analyte, the analyte having reacted with the reactant.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in one example described below, more particularly provides for controlling the buoyancy in a monitoring apparatus disposed within the subterranean well. A monitoring apparatus for use in a well, the monitoring apparatus comprising: multiple segments interconnected to one another; a buoyancy control device disposed in at least one of the segments, wherein the buoyancy control device comprises: a reservoir comprising at least one chemical reactant for reacting to evolve a gas; and one or more ports configured to couple an interior volume of the buoyancy control device to an environment external to the buoyancy control device.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for configuring an integrated computational element (ICE) to measure a property of a sample of interest. The system includes an illumination source to provide a sample light which is reflected from or transmitted through a sample. A dispersive element disperses the sample light into wavelength portions. An intensity modulation device having an array of electronically controllable modulation elements is disclosed that forms a pattern which modulates the dispersed sample light. Collection optics focuses the modulated sample light on a detector, which generates a signal that correlates to a property of the sample. The electronically controllable modulation elements can be readily altered to conform to a different measurable property of a sample of interest as desired.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an optical element including selecting a lamp spectrum and bandpass filter spectrum, obtaining a spectral characteristics vector to quantify the concentration of a component in a sample and obtaining a target spectrum from the lamp spectrum, the bandpass filter spectrum, and the spectral characteristics vector, is provided. Further including selecting a number of layers less than a maximum value, and performing an optimization routine using the index of refraction and thickness of each of the number of layers until an error between a model spectrum and the target spectrum is less than a tolerance value, or a number of iterations is exceeded. And reducing the number of layers if the error is less than a tolerance and stopping the procedure if the number of iterations is exceeded. A device using an optical element for optically-based chemometrics applications fabricated using the method above is also provided.

Abstract: A method of calibration transfer for a testing instrument includes: collecting a first sample; generating a standard response of a first instrument based, at least in part, on the first sample; and performing instrument standardization of a second instrument based, at least in part, on the standard response of the first instrument. Data corresponding to a second sample is then obtained using the second instrument and a component of the second sample is identified based, at least in part, on a calibration model.

Abstract: A device including an integrated computational element (ICE) positioned to optically interact with electromagnetic radiation from a fluid and to thereby generate optically interacted radiation corresponding to a characteristic of the fluid, and a method for using the system are provided. The device includes a detector positioned to receive the optically interacted radiation and to generate an output signal proportional to an intensity of the optically interacted radiation. And the device further includes a processor positioned to receive the output signal and to determine the characteristic of the fluid. The device is coupled to a controller configured to provide instructions to a transfer system for storage and readout.

Abstract: Systems, tools, and methods are presented for processing a plurality of spectral ranges from an electromagnetic radiation that has been interacted with a fluid. Each spectral range within the plurality corresponds to a property of the fluid or a constituent therein. In one instance, a series of spectral analyzers, each including an integrated computational element coupled to an optical transducer, forms a monolithic structure to receive interacted electromagnetic radiation from the fluid. Each spectral analyzer is configured to process one of the plurality of spectral ranges. The series is ordered so spectral ranges are processed progressively from shortest wavelengths to longest wavelengths as interacted electromagnetic radiation propagates therethrough. Other systems, tools, and methods are presented.

Abstract: A microfluidic optical computing device having a microfluidic layer including a microfluidic channel that receives a portion of a sample, and a method for using it are provided. The device includes one light source to interact with the portion of the sample in the microfluidic channel to generate a sample interacted light. The device may also include an integrated computational element (ICE) layer including an ICE core, to generate a modified light from the sample interacted light, and a detector layer configured to measure an intensity of the modified light and to generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the sample.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring a density of a fluid is provided. The sensor (200) includes a flow tube (104) for receiving the fluid and a vibration driver (102) coupled to the flow tube, the vibration driver configured to drive the flow tube to vibrate. The sensor also includes a vibration detector (106) coupled to the flow tube, the vibration detector detecting characteristics related to the vibrating flow tube, and a distributed temperature sensor (202) coupled to the flow tube, the distributed temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the flow tube as the flow tube vibrates. The sensor further includes measurement circuitry (110) coupled to the vibration detector and the distributed temperature sensor, the measurement circuitry determining a density of the fluid from the detected characteristics related to the vibrating flow tube and the measured temperature of the flow tube.

Abstract: An apparatus to determine fluid viscosities downhole in real-time includes a housing and an excitation element positioned therein. Electrical circuitry provides a drive signal that excites an excitation element into rotational oscillations. A detector produces a response signal correlating to the detected oscillating movement of the excitation element. Circuitry onboard the apparatus utilizes the drive and response signals to determine the fluid viscosity.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for calibrating integrated computational elements. One method includes measuring with a spectrometer sample interacted light comprising spectral data derived from one or more calibration fluids at one or more calibration conditions, the one or more calibration fluids circulating in a measurement system, programming a virtual light source based on the spectral data, simulating the spectral data with the virtual light source and thereby generating simulated fluid spectra corresponding to the spectral data, conveying the simulated fluid spectra to the one or more ICE and thereby generating corresponding beams of optically interacted light, and calibrating the one or more ICE based on the corresponding beams of optically interacted light.

Abstract: In one embodiments, a method includes drilling a wellbore in a formation with a drilling tool. The method further includes receiving electromagnetic radiation using an opto-analytical device coupled to the drilling tool. The method also includes determining torsion associated with drilling the wellbore based on the received electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring and characterizing well bores, subterranean formations, and/or fluids in a subterranean formation using well evaluation pills are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: introducing a well evaluation pill into a portion of a well bore penetrating a portion of a subterranean formation; allowing the well evaluation pill to interact with one or more components in the portion of the subterranean formation; detecting a change in the composition or properties of the well evaluation pill; and determining the presence of one or more components in the portion of the subterranean formation based at least in part on the detected change in the composition or properties of the well evaluation pill.