DOWNHOLE SAMPLE MODULE WITH AN ACCESSIBLE CAPTURED VOLUME ADJACENT A SAMPLE BOTTLE
Systems and methods for accessing a second or additional volume of sampled formation fluids identical to a first volume of formation fluids collected in a primary sample bottle during the downhole sampling process. The second volume can be accessed, extracted and analyzed without having to interfere with the first volume or the integrity of the primary sample. The second volume may be captured in a flowline coupled to the primary sample bottle and accessed using a secondary or mini-sample bottle.
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This application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 national stage application of PCT/US2011/042631, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUNDDuring the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells, it may be necessary to engage in ancillary operations, such as evaluating the production capabilities of formations intersected by the wellbore. For example, after a well or well interval has been drilled, zones of interest are often tested or sampled to determine various formation properties such as permeability, fluid type, fluid quality, formation temperature, formation pressure, bubblepoint and formation pressure gradient. When a formation is sampled, a formation fluid or other material is drawn into the formation tester and captured for later analysis. These tests are performed in order to determine whether commercial exploitation of the intersected formations is viable and how to optimize production. The acquisition of accurate data from the wellbore is critical to the optimization of hydrocarbon wells. This wellbore data can be used to determine the location and quality of hydrocarbon reserves, whether the reserves can be produced through the wellbore, and for well control during drilling operations.
Downhole fluid sampling is conducted to obtain representative fluid and gas samples in sample chambers of the downhole formation tester tool. Then, the samples can be removed to the surface and analyzed in Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) laboratories to perform chemical and gas composition analysis. It is important that the formation fluid samples be stored in containers and maintained under conditions that retain the composition of the original sample over time. However, the time it takes to get a captured sample in a sample bottle chamber to the lab under the conditions the sample was taken is undesirably long. Therefore, there remains a need for a sample module including a readily available sample volume for efficient and flexible testing. The principles of the present disclosure overcome the limitations of the prior art.
For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the drawings and description that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the disclosure may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present disclosure is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure, and is not intended to limit the disclosure to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results.
in the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ”, Unless otherwise specified, any use of any form of the terms “connect”, “engage”, “couple”, “attach”, or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. Reference to up or down will be made for purposes of description with “up”, “upper”, “upwardly” or “upstream” meaning toward the surface of the well and with “down”, “lower”, “downwardly” or “downstream” meaning toward the terminal end of the well, regardless of the well bore orientation. In addition, in the discussion and claims that follow, it may be sometimes stated that certain components or elements are in fluid communication. By this it is meant that the components are constructed and interrelated such that a fluid could be communicated between them, as via a passageway, tube, or conduit. Also, the designation “MWD” or “LWD” are used to mean all generic measurement while drilling or logging while drilling apparatus and systems. The various characteristics mentioned above, as well as other features and characteristics described in more detail below, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
Referring initially to
In some embodiments, and with reference to
Referring to
The formation tester 120 may include a plurality of transducers 115 disposed on the formation tester 120 to relay downhole information to the operator at surface or to a remote site. The transducers 115 may include any conventional source/sensor (e.g., pressure, temperature, gravity, etc.) to provide the operator with formation and/or borehole parameters, as well as diagnostics or position indication relating to the tool. The telemetry network 100 may combine multiple signal conveyance formats (e.g., mud pulse, fiber-optics, acoustic, EM hops, etc.). It will also be appreciated that software/firmware may be configured into the formation tester 120 and/or the network 100 (e.g., at surface, downhole, in combination, and/or remotely via wireless links tied to the network).
Referring briefly to
Referring next to
The piston assembly 208 includes a piston chamber 252 containing a piston 254 and a manifold 256 including various fluid and electrical conduits and control devices. The piston assembly 208, the probe 220, the sensor 206 (e.g., a pressure gauge) and the valve assembly 212 communicate with each other and various other components of the probe collar 200, such as the manifold 244 and hydraulic system 242, as well as the tool 10 via conduits 224a, 224b, 224c and 224d. The conduits 224a, 224b, 224c, 224d include various fluid flow lines and electrical conduits for operation of the probe assembly 210 and probe collar 200.
Downhole formation fluid sampling allows representative fluid and gas samples to be moved to the surface in sample chambers, such as to be available for analysis in PVT laboratories apart from the well site. The PVT laboratory may perform chemical and gas compositional analysis, among other tests. Depending on how critical the downhole fluid information is to the well operation, the fluid sample may be rushed to the laboratory or opened on the well site to make basic measurements. These actions generally require additional, multiple, or redundant samples to be taken. The fluid samples should be substantially free of contamination for accurate analysis in the PVT laboratory. Contamination may include fluid introduced by the drilling process. As the drilling mud invades the formation, it becomes a contaminant of the pristine formation fluids and is commonly called filtrate. Once a sample bottle is removed to the surface, analysis requires that it be opened so that the contained fluid can be tested. If the sample is tested at an offsite PVT laboratory, the time needed to transport the sample bottle and sample fluids to the PVT laboratory generally exceeds what is considered a reasonable time to wait on the well site (due to the high cost of welt and rig time). Further, the ability to generate a high quality lab measurement requires the sample bottle to be heated and agitated for long periods of time to ensure that the fluid sample is at the sample chemical composition as when it was captured downhole.
Referring now to
When the formation tester 300 is engaged and testing is begun, formation fluid enters the formation tester at probes 338 and passes through fluid sensors 312, 322 into the pump module 330. The flow path from the probes 338 to the inlet of the pump module 330 is at or below formation pressure if communication with the surrounding formation is established. The pump module 330 operates to draw fluid into the pump module, reducing the pressure further and then expelling the fluid into the flowlines 335, 345 at the outlet of the pump module. The fluid travels to the sensor 342 and is expelled through a purge valve in the sample bottle module 350. The formation fluids are generally pumped from the formation until the desired minimum contamination is reached, at which time the formation fluids can be re-directed to the sample bottles 360 in the sample bottle module 350.
Referring now to
The module 350 includes multiple removeable sample bottles. In some embodiments, three removeable sample bottles 360a, 360b, 360c are mounted in the sample bottle module 350. Each sample bottle includes a manual transport valve 361a, 361b, 361c on the inlet of each respective bottle. The transport valves 361a, 361b, 361c are used to isolate the bottle chambers such that the bottles can be removed from the sample bottle module 350 and transported safely to the PVT laboratory. The transport valves 361a, 361b, 361c are open during the downhole sampling process. A series of feeder flowlines 362a, 362b, 362c couple the sample bottles 360a, 360b, 360c into the flowline 357, and are equipped with ports or drain adapters 364a, 364b, 364c.
In the beginning stages of the sampling process, the pump module 330 will pass fluid through the flowlines 355, 357 towards the purge valve 368, which is open, and out the check valve 370 to the borehole annulus 15. If fluid samples are ready to be taken, and the operator decides a sample is to be acquired, one or more sample valves 366a, 366b, 366c are opened. Once opened, the sample valves 366a, 366b, 366c allow the flow of formation fluid to enter the sample bottles 360a, 360b, 360c along the flow paths through flowlines 362a, 362b, 362c. For example, if the target bottle is sample bottle 360a, the sample valve 366a is opened and the purge valve 368 is closed allowing substantially all of the fluid pumped from the pump module 330 to enter the sample bottle 360a through the flowline 362a and through the open transport valve 361a. After the sample bottle 360a is filled, the system is overpressured causing the sample valve 366a to close and capturing the fluid sample in the sample bottle 360a and the flowline 362a. In various embodiments, the sampling operation will result in captured fluids from a single depth in the well or several depths, depending on the sampling job requirements. The formation testing tool is brought to the surface with first and primary sample volumes captured and isolated in sample bottles 360a, 360b, 360c by sample valves 361a, 361b, 361c, with additional second fluid sample volumes also captured in the flowlines 362a, 362b, 362c adjacent and leading into the sample bottles. The sample bottles 360a, 360b, 360c include basic, generic fluid chambers, but additional embodiments are also contemplated as will be described below, including sample chambers that can be referenced to hydrostatic pressure using a floating piston or a nitrogen buffer.
Referring now to
Upon closing the transport valve 381a to seal the primary formation fluid sample in the sample chamber 378a, an additional or secondary volume of formation fluid remains trapped or captured in the flowline 362a at the pressure at which the transport valve 381a is closed. The secondary volume of formation fluid is captured upstream of the transports valve 381a and the sample bottle 380a, or between the transport valve 381a and the sample valve 366a. Such a captured fluid sample volume has testing value. The adapter 364a (and adapters 364b, 364c of
The drain adapter 364a may include manual or mechanical valves that will maintain pressure in the flowline 362a while also allowing the mini-sample bottle 390a to be connected thereto for retrieval of gas and liquids from the flowline 362a. Once the sample is retrieved or the bottle appropriately filled, the mini-sample bottle 390a can be removed from the flowline 362a, independently of the primary sample bottle 380a, such that the formation fluids therein can be tested and analyzed. Further, the flowline 362a is pressure-reduced to atmospheric such that the first or primary sample bottle 380a can safely be removed at any time thereafter and provided for PVT analysis.
In another embodiment, and still referring to
Referring now to
Still referring to
As will now be described, the several embodiments described above can be used in various processes to enable sampled formation fluids identical to those captured in the primary sample bottle during the downhole sampling process to be extracted and analyzed without having to interfere with the primary sample integrity. Further, the embodiments enable live or real-time formation fluid analysis at the well site without having to disturb the primary sample integrity in the main sample bottles. Alternatively, the embodiments allow easy and safe transport to a laboratory of a second volume of the sample formation fluids, using a sample container separate from the primary sample bottle. These and other processes and methods are now detailed more fully below.
Referring now to
In other embodiments, a method 600 for accessing and analyzing a formation fluid sample includes drawing a formation fluid into a sample module and through a flowline at 602, flowing the formation fluid toward a sample bottle module at 604, capturing a first formation fluid volume in a first sample bottle at 606, and capturing a second formation fluid volume in the flowline at 608. The method 600 further includes retrieving the sample module and the sample bottle module to the surface of a well at 610, applying pressure from an external source to the first sample bottle to increase the formation fluid pressure in the first sample bottle and the flowline at 612, closing a valve in the first sample bottle at 614, capturing the second formation fluid volume in the flowline at the increased pressure at 616, and coupling a second sample bottle into the flowline to access the second formation fluid volume at 618. The method 600 may further include maintaining the increased formation fluid pressure in the flowline using a drain adapter, then coupling the second sample bottle to the drain adapter to access and retrieve the increased formation fluid pressure from the flowline at 620.
In various embodiments described herein, a formation fluid sampling process includes capturing fluids in a sampling tool flowline and then accessing those fluids, independently of the primary sample fluid, while maintaining the fluids in a single phase. The fluids can then be transported and analyzed. In some embodiments, the fluids are contained and transported in a secondary sample bottle relative to the primary sample bottle. In some embodiments, the secondary sample bottle is smaller than the primary sample bottle, and thus may be referred to as a miniature or mini-sample bottle. The secondary formation fluid sample can then be tested or analyzed, independently of the primary formation fluid sample, to obtain characteristics of the formation fluid such as chemical or gas composition, gas/oil ratio (GOR), live oil signatures, and others. In some embodiments, the secondary formation fluid sample in the mini-sample bottle can be analyzed for argon, H2S, CO2, paraffins, and other substances.
In certain embodiments, the secondary or mini-bottle provides efficient and flexible access to formation fluids for testing and analysis separate from the formation fluids captured by the primary sample bottles. Now with reference to
Still referring to
The disclosure herein includes embodiments of an apparatus for accessing a formation fluid sample including a downhole sample bottle module including a formation fluid flowline coupled to a primary sample bottle, an adapter coupled into the formation fluid flowline, and a second sample bottle to couple to the adapter and communicate with the formation fluid flowline. In some embodiments, the coupling between the primary sample bottle and the flowline is separate and apart from the coupling at the adapter between the second sample bottle and the flowline. In some embodiments, the adapter seals the formation fluid flowline, and a transport valve seals the primary sample bottle such that the second sample bottle is connectable to and removable from the flowline independently of the primary sample bottle. In some embodiments, a fluid flow is established between the second sample bottle and the flowline while a primary formation fluid sample is contained in the primary sample bottle. The apparatus may include a transport valve to seal the primary sample bottle from the formation fluid flowline, and wherein the adapter is coupled into the formation fluid flowline upstream of the transport valve. The apparatus may include a sample valve upstream of the adapter to capture a second volume of formation fluid separated from the primary sample bottle by the transport valve.
In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a first fluid transfer sensor coupled to the second sample bottle, a second fluid transfer sensor coupled to the adapter, or a combination thereof. The apparatus may include a sample module including a formation probe to receive formation fluids and direct the formation fluids to the flowline.
In some embodiments, a method for accessing a formation fluid sample includes drawing a formation fluid into a sample module and through a flowline, flowing the formation fluid toward a sample bottle module and into a first sample bottle to capture a first formation fluid volume, capturing a second formation fluid volume in the flowline, and coupling a second sample bottle into the flowline to access the second formation fluid volume. The method may include re-directing at least a portion of the second formation fluid volume into the second sample bottle. The method may include maintaining the re-directed portion of the second formation fluid volume in a single phase. The method may include removing the second sample bottle from the flowline independently of the first sample bottle. The method may include testing the second formation fluid in the second sample bottle independently of the first formation fluid sample in the first sample bottle. The method may include removing the second sample bottle from the flowline and transporting the second sample bottle from a well site. The method may include collecting evolved gas from the second formation fluid in the second sample bottle. The method may include accessing the second sample bottle prior to accessing the first sample bottle. The method may include, prior to coupling the second sample bottle into the flowline, retrieving the sample module and sample bottle module to the surface of a well, applying pressure from an external source to the first sample bottle to increase the formation fluid pressure in the first sample bottle and the flowline, closing a valve in the first sample bottle, and capturing the second formation fluid volume in the flowline at the increased pressure. The method may include maintaining the increased formation fluid pressure in the flowline using a drain adapter, then coupling the second sample bottle to the drain adapter to access and retrieve the increased formation fluid pressure from the flowline.
In some embodiments, a method for accessing a formation fluid sample includes capturing a second formation fluid volume in a flowline coupled to a primary sample bottle with a primary formation fluid volume, accessing the second formation fluid volume with a second sample bottle coupled into the flowline, and receiving the second formation fluid with the second sample bottle. In some embodiments, the capturing the second formation fluid volume in the flowline further includes drawing a formation fluid into a sampling tool and through the flowline, flowing the formation fluid into the primary sample bottle, and closing a primary sample bottle valve to capture the primary formation fluid volume and isolate the second formation fluid volume in the flowline. The method may include closing a sample valve upstream of the primary sample bottle valve to capture the second formation fluid volume in the flowline upstream of the primary sample bottle. The method may include analyzing the second formation fluid at a well site. The method may include analyzing the second formation fluid, and determining a quality of the primary formation fluid based on the second formation fluid analysis. The method may include analyzing a plurality of second formation fluid volumes each corresponding with a different primary sample bottle, and removing or replacing one or more of the primary sample bottles based on the second formation fluid analyses. The method may include analyzing a plurality of second formation fluid volumes each corresponding with a different primary sample bottle, and returning one or more of the primary sample bottles to the wellbore based on the second formation fluid analyses.
The embodiments set forth herein are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure or the details therein. It will be appreciated that many other modifications and improvements to the disclosure herein may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure or the inventive concepts herein disclosed. For example, the secondary or mini-sample bottles described herein for accessing and receiving the captured secondary formation fluid volume may be other types of fluid containers and vehicles for receiving and/or transporting the formation fluids from the captured volume section of the formation fluid flowline leading into the primary sample bottle. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, including equivalent structures or materials hereafter thought of, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. An apparatus for accessing a formation fluid sample comprising:
- a downhole sample bottle module including a formation fluid flowline coupled to a primary sample bottle;
- an adapter coupled into the formation fluid flowline; and
- a second sample bottle to couple to the adapter and communicate with the formation fluid flowline.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coupling between the primary sample bottle and the flowline is separate and apart from the coupling at the adapter between the second sample bottle and the flowline.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adapter seals the formation fluid flowline, and a transport valve seals the primary sample bottle such that the second sample bottle is connectable to and removable from the flowline independently of the primary sample bottle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a fluid flow is established between the second sample bottle and the flowline while a primary formation fluid sample is contained in the primary sample bottle.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transport valve to seal the primary sample bottle from the formation fluid flowline, and wherein the adapter is coupled into the formation fluid flowline upstream of the transport valve.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a sample valve upstream of the adapter to capture a second volume of formation fluid separated from the primary sample bottle by the transport valve.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a first fluid transfer sensor coupled to the second sample bottle, a second fluid transfer sensor coupled to the adapter, or a combination thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a sample module including a formation probe to receive formation fluids and direct the formation fluids to the flowline.
9. A method for accessing a formation fluid sample comprising:
- drawing a formation fluid into a sample module and through a flowline;
- flowing the formation fluid toward a sample bottle module and into a first sample bottle to capture a first formation fluid volume;
- capturing a second formation fluid volume in the flowline; and
- coupling a second sample bottle into the flowline to access the second formation fluid volume.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising re-directing at least a portion of the second formation fluid volume into the second sample bottle.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising maintaining the re-directed portion of the second formation fluid volume in a single phase.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the second sample bottle from the flowline independently of the first sample bottle.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising testing the second formation fluid in the second sample bottle independently of the first formation fluid sample in the first sample bottle.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the second sample bottle from the flowline and transporting the second sample bottle from a well site.
15. The method of claim 10 further comprising collecting evolved gas from the second formation fluid in the second sample bottle.
16. The method of claim 9 further comprising accessing the second sample bottle prior to accessing the first sample bottle.
17. The method of claim 9 further comprising, prior to coupling the second sample bottle into the flowline:
- retrieving the sample module and sample bottle module to the surface of a well;
- applying pressure from an external source to the first sample bottle to increase the formation fluid pressure in the first sample bottle and the flowline;
- closing a valve in the first sample bottle; and
- capturing the second formation fluid volume in the flowline at the increased pressure.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising maintaining the increased formation fluid pressure in the flowline using a drain adapter, then coupling the second sample bottle to the drain adapter to access and retrieve the increased formation fluid pressure from the flowline.
19. A method for accessing a formation fluid sample comprising:
- capturing a second formation fluid volume in a flowline coupled to a primary sample bottle with a primary formation fluid volume;
- accessing the second formation fluid volume with a second sample bottle coupled into the flowline; and
- receiving the second formation fluid with the second sample bottle.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the capturing the second formation fluid volume in the flowline further comprises:
- drawing a formation fluid into a sampling tool and through the flowline;
- flowing the formation fluid into the primary sample bottle; and
- closing a primary sample bottle valve to capture the primary formation fluid volume and isolate the second formation fluid volume in the flowline.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising closing a sample valve upstream of the primary sample bottle valve to capture the second formation fluid volume in the flowline upstream of the primary sample bottle.
22. The method of claim 19 further comprising analyzing the second formation fluid at a well site.
23. The method of claim 19 further comprising analyzing the second formation fluid, and determining a quality of the primary formation fluid based on the second formation fluid analysis.
24. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
- analyzing a plurality of second formation fluid volumes each corresponding with a different primary sample bottle; and
- removing or replacing one or more of the primary sample bottles based on the second formation fluid analyses.
25. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
- analyzing a plurality of second formation fluid volumes each corresponding with a different primary sample bottle; and
- returning one or more of the primary sample bottles to the wellbore based on the second formation fluid analyses.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 30, 2011
Publication Date: Nov 27, 2014
Applicant: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC. (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Anthony Herman Van Zuilekom (Houston, TX), Jim Randall Wilson (Montgomery, TX)
Application Number: 14/129,967
International Classification: E21B 49/08 (20060101); E21B 27/00 (20060101);