Bore Hole Or Casing Condition Patents (Class 181/105)
  • Patent number: 11959376
    Abstract: A method and system for determining cement bonding, or other materials attached to a pipe string. A well measurement system for determining cement bonding or other materials attached to a pipe string may comprise an acoustic logging tool, wherein the acoustic logging tool comprises at least one receiver and at least one transmitter. The well measurement system may further comprise an information handling system, wherein the information handling system is configured to broadcast a signal with the transmitter, record the reflected signal with a receiver; and determine an integrity of a cement using a Quintero Wellbore Index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis F. Quintero, Reinaldo Jose AnguloYznaga, Ehab Abdel Rahman Ali Najm Abdel Rahman Najm
  • Patent number: 11808136
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a sealing material positioned between a casing of a wellbore and a subsurface formation in which the wellbore is formed includes emitting an acoustic waveform outward from a position within the casing and detecting a return waveform that is generated in response to the acoustic waveform interacting with a region of interest that includes at least a portion of the sealing material. The method includes determining a first time window of the return waveform associated with the region of interest and trimming the return waveform based on the first time window. The method further includes determining a first spectral power density for the first time window of the trimmed return waveform and determining a composition ratio for the region of interest based on the first spectral power density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Vieira Rego, Randolph S. Coles, Jeffrey James Crawford, Chung Chang
  • Patent number: 11725500
    Abstract: Method for characterizing subterranean formation is described. One method includes inducing one or more fractures in a portion of the subterranean formation. Determining a poroelastic pressure response due to the inducing of the one or more fractures. The poroelastic pressure response is measured by a sensor that is in at least partial hydraulic isolation with the portion of the subterranean formation. Monitoring closure of the one or more fractures via the poroelastic pressure response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicolas Patrick Roussel, Horacio Florez, Adolfo Antonio Rodriguez, Samarth Agrawal
  • Patent number: 11662496
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for implementing acoustic logging and determining wellbore material characteristics. In some embodiments, a method may include determining a polar differential signal for each of one or more pairs of azimuthally offset acoustic measurements within a wellbore. A reference azimuth is identified based, at least in part, on comparing the polar differential signals to a modeled bonding differential signal within a target response window. The method further includes determining differences between an acoustic measurement at the reference azimuth and acoustic measurements at one or more other azimuths and determining a wellbore material condition based, at least in part, on the determined differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Brenno Caetano Troca Cabella, Ruijia Wang, Chung Chang, Qingtao Sun, Yao Ge, Xiang Wu, Pablo Vieira Rego, Marco Aurelio Luzio, João Vicente Gonçalves Rocha
  • Patent number: 11384635
    Abstract: A method for determining the location of a leak within a tubular having tubular components by sending an acoustic signal from an acoustic tool, receiving reflective signals from the acoustic signal, correlating the reflective signals with known tubular components, identifying an unexpected reflective signal and determining the location of a leak by correlating the location of the unexpected reflective signal with the known tubular components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher M. McMillon
  • Patent number: 11339646
    Abstract: A method for identifying a shape of a borehole may comprise disposing a downhole tool into the borehole, wherein the downhole tool comprises at least one transducer, transmitting a pressure pulse from the at least one transducer, wherein the pressure pulse is reflected as an echo, recording the echo with the at least one transducer, producing data points based at least in part on the echo, each data point including a radial distance value and an azimuthal value corresponding to the radial distance value, performing a pre-selection, fitting a geometric shape to a plurality of data points within the borehole, and sorting out at least one of the plurality of data points based at least in part on the shape. A system for identifying shape of a borehole may comprise at least one transducer and an information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Nam Nguyen, David Orlando Torres, Gary Wayne Kainer
  • Patent number: 11112398
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a volume stability of well cement including a reaction kettle, a radial contraction, an expansion ring, a heater, a pressurizer, and a volume change parameter tester. The radial contraction and expansion ring include a first casing and a second casing, the first casing is a casing made of elastic material, the second casing is a steel casing, and the first casing sheathes the second casing. The heater and the pressurizer are used to provide a preset temperature and a preset pressure respectively and the volume change parameter tester is used to detect a radial volume change parameter of the well cement. The apparatus is provided with the radial contraction and expansion ring to acquire the radial volume change parameter of the well cement, and comprehensively evaluates the volume stability of the well cement using the radial volume change parameter of the well cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: PetroChina Company Limited
    Inventors: Fuyun Wang, Youzhi Zheng, Jie Li, Huiyun Ma, Libin Jiao, Tao Yang, Jiang Yu, Qiyan Tan
  • Patent number: 11015436
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a wellbore treatment includes inducing an acoustic wave in the wellbore prior to treatment. Acoustic energy propagating as pressure waves in the wellbore is detected. A formation in fluid communication with the wellbore is treated. The inducing an acoustic wave and detecting acoustic energy are repeated. A characteristic of the treatment is determined based on differences between the detected acoustic energy prior to the treating and at the end of the treating. In some embodiments, the observed differences are then also compared to differences observed in prior treatment stages to assess benefit of changes to treatment design. In some embodiments, the treatment design parameters are continuously iterated, adjusted, and improved to maximize the contribution to production of all subsequent stages in same or any other well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Seismos Inc.
    Inventors: Panagiotis Adamopoulos, Jim Cannon, Jakub Felkl
  • Patent number: 11015427
    Abstract: A technique facilitates cement bonding evaluation including collecting waveform data and pre-processing the waveform data. The technique also may utilize processes which provide a time window position for the pre-processed waveform data and calculation of waveform amplitude and/or attenuation. Additionally, the technique may include deriving an amplitude-based bond index and/or attenuation-based bond index through the use of a model or other suitable waveform data processing technique which enables preparation of quality control plots with respect to the processing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Izuhara, Naoki Sakiyama, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Shin'ichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10989041
    Abstract: Systems and methods of logging in a well include utilizing a solidifying fluid, such as magnetorheological fluid, in at least one annulus surrounding a logging tool. Given production tubing may remain in the well during the logging as desired for efficiency, space between the production tubing and a casing string may form the annulus. Filling the annulus with the solidifying fluid and selective activation of the solidifying fluid to a solidified state during the logging limits interference in data collected as a result of transmitting across the annulus. Deactivation of the solidifying fluid to a liquefied state enables recovery of the solidifying fluid from the well after the logging. Embodiments employ the logging in various applications, such as assessing a cemented casing string in well abandonment operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Cromar, Ian Milne
  • Patent number: 10977489
    Abstract: A system, method and program product for processing borehole images to delineate between natural fractures and induced fractures. A system is disclosed that includes: an image analysis platform that inputs a noisy image from a borehole, processes the image using a set of filtering strategies, and renders a set of suggested filtered images via a user interface, the user interface including a mechanism for allowing a user to choose a selected filtered image from the set of suggested filtered images that best delineates between natural fractures and induced fractures, and wherein the image analysis platform further includes a feedback system for packaging and outputting the noisy image and selected filtered image as feedback; and a learning platform having a knowledge registration system that collects and stores training data and the feedback and in a knowledgebase, and a machine learning system that generates filtering strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carmen N. Mena Paz, Matthias Kormaksson, Paulo R. Cavalin, Paul Borrel
  • Patent number: 10954774
    Abstract: Method for characterizing subterranean formation is described. One method includes inducing one or more fractures in a portion of the subterranean formation. Determining a poroelastic pressure response due to the inducing of the one or more fractures. The poroelastic pressure response is measured by a sensor that is in at least partial hydraulic isolation with the portion of the subterranean formation. Monitoring closure of the one or more fractures via the poroelastic pressure response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Nicolas Patrick Roussel, Horacio Florez, Adolfo Antonio Rodriguez, Samarth Agrawal
  • Patent number: 10954780
    Abstract: The subject disclosure provides for a method of eccentricity correction of a borehole shape computation. The method includes deploying a caliper tool into a borehole penetrating a subterranean formation and acquiring field measurements with the deployed caliper tool. The method includes applying, in a processor circuit, an eccentricity correction algorithm to one or more standoff samples from the obtained field measurements, wherein the eccentricity correction algorithm produces a shape fitted curve that represents a measured borehole with a least number of points outside of the shape fitted curve and a least amount of error. The method includes determining eccentricity-corrected borehole coordinates with the applied eccentricity correction algorithm and determining a borehole shape from the eccentricity-corrected borehole coordinates. The method includes determining tool location coordinates relative to the borehole with the determined borehole shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Yao Ge, Jing Jin, Xiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10859728
    Abstract: A method of quantifying borehole properties, comprising: injecting an electric current from an outer button and an inner button disposed on an equipotential pad into a subterranean formation surround by the borehole, measuring an apparent conductivity or a scaled current for each button, modeling the measurements at a sequence of standoff locations, and, using an inversion technique to determine at least one of the following borehole properties: mudcake thickness, mudcake resistivity, diameter of invasion, flushed zone resistivity and true formation resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: David Gouyu Hu
  • Patent number: 10808522
    Abstract: Distributed fiber optic monitoring of vibration within a region of interest includes acquiring distributed vibration data from optical backscatter generated in response to an interrogating pulse of optical energy launched into an optical fiber deployed in a region of interest having a fluid flow, and generating a noise log from the distributed vibration data that includes a plurality of traces representing vibration energy above or below selected frequencies at a plurality of locations in the region of interest. Characteristics of the fluid flow in the region of interest are then determined based on the noise log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul Dickenson
  • Patent number: 10809406
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for vibration control for a wellbore logging tool is disclosed. The method may include measuring an initial output signal of the wellbore logging tool. Additionally, the method may include generating a first braking signal based on the initial output signal of the wellbore logging tool. The method may further include transmitting the first braking signal to the wellbore logging tool. The first braking signal may be designed to dampen the vibration of the wellbore logging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Yiming Zhao, Xingyong Song, Jason D. Dykstra
  • Patent number: 10711554
    Abstract: A subsea wellhead assembly provides a positive indication of landing of a wellhead member and locking of a wellhead member to a wellhead. The subsea wellhead assembly includes at least one positive indicator assembly disposed within a wellhead member, and a communication line extending down a running string from a platform to a running tool disposed in a subsea wellhead. The at least one positive indicator assembly provides confirmation of setting of the wellhead member, and the communication line is in communication with the positive indicator assembly to communicate the confirmation of setting with the platform following setting of the wellhead member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventor: Rodney Mark Fenwick
  • Patent number: 10712466
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for determining a thickness of a well casing are described. In some aspects, the thickness of the well casing is determined based on results of comparing a measured waveform and model waveforms. The measured waveform and model waveforms are generated based on operating an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver within a wellbore comprising the well casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Tianrun Chen, Yibing Zheng, Tatiana Gilstrap, Arthur Chuen Hon Cheng, Robert Eric Epstein
  • Patent number: 10684384
    Abstract: A downhole measurement tool configured to be run through a bore includes a source and a 3-component receiver. The source is configured to emit a signal into a volume of material surrounding the bore. The source signal propagates through the material surrounding the bore and reflects off of features within the material surrounding the bore. The three-component receiver includes a first, a second, and a third element. The first element is oriented in a first plane, orthogonal to an axis of the bore, and receives a first component of the set of reflections of the source signal. The second element is oriented in the first plane, orthogonal to the first element, and receives a second component of the set of reflections of the source signal. The third element is oriented parallel to the axis and receives a third component of the set of reflections of the source signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Debashish Sarkar, Michael Wells, Stewart Blake Brazil, James Verna Leggett, III
  • Patent number: 10597998
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include a method for estimating casing wear including the operations of: obtaining locations of survey points along a borehole, said survey point locations representing a borehole trajectory; casing at least a portion of the borehole with a casing string; deriving locations of adjusted survey points that represent a casing trajectory along said portion of the borehole, the casing trajectory being different from the borehole trajectory; estimating, as a function of position along said casing string, a side force of a drill string against the casing string; computing, as a function of position along the casing string, casing wear based at least in part on the side force; and generating a notification of any positions where casing wear exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robello Samuel, Aniket
  • Patent number: 10577908
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product estimate anisotropic properties of an anisotropic formation based at least in part on determinations of a deviation of a wellbore associated with the anisotropic formation and an availability of non-sonic measurement data associated with the anisotropic formation. The determinations are used in the selection of at least one computer-implemented model that in turn may be applied to determine one or more unknown elastic constants for an elastic stiffness matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Saad Kisra, John Adam Donald, Vincenzo De Gennaro
  • Patent number: 10577915
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for detecting fluid in at least one annulus around at least one casing installed in a borehole traversing a formation utilizing a sonic tool. The sonic tool is activated in the borehole and the received sonic waveforms are processed to obtain a dispersion plot. A reference dispersion plot is generated using a model of the borehole where the casing is well-bonded by cement. The obtained and reference dispersion plots are compared. An indication of fluid and in some cases, the specific radial location thereof is obtained based on the signature of the obtained plot as opposed to the reference plot. The methods are effective in doubly-cased boreholes using monopole and/or dipole sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bikash K. Sinha, Ting Lei, Smaine Zeroug
  • Patent number: 10557831
    Abstract: A method includes emitting an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a transducer, receiving a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen and the first reflected ultrasonic signal is internally reflected within the test specimen three times prior to being received, and determining a threshold depth of the feature in the test specimen based on receiving the first reflected ultrasonic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jochen Uwe Giese, Andrew Robinson, Markus Holger Blust, Christian Alexander Goldmann
  • Patent number: 10533410
    Abstract: A method of model-based acoustic measurements for a wellbore comprises creating an interpretation chart of acoustic measurements by a downhole tool in a wellbore using a numerical modeling and performing an evaluation with respect to the wellbore based on the interpretation chart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hori, Ram Sunder Kalyanraman, Hiroshi Nakajima, Henri-Pierre Valero
  • Patent number: 10526884
    Abstract: A well monitoring system may provide a plurality of integrated chips dispersed in cement surrounding a well casing. Each of the integrated chips may provide energy harvesting circuitry, EM transceiver, modulator, additional sensor(s), processor or microprocessor, memory, power source, or the like. Upon analyzing data gather from the sensor(s), emitted and detected EM waves, the system may provide information about the cement thickness at different parts of the well, cement setting/curing, local electrical permittivity, local magnetic permeability, temperature, pressure, pH, local NMR spectrum, local ESR spectrum, local florescence response, local porosity, local permeability, etc. Further, the integrated chips may be utilized to transmit/receive the abovementioned data, other data (e.g. command data, power signal, etc.), or the like to/from the main transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventor: Aydin Babakhani
  • Patent number: 10527514
    Abstract: A system and method remotely measure in real time through sound waves, geometric parameters of a pipeline in the launch step. An acoustic transceiver positioned in a pipeline includes an acoustic transmitter emitting an input acoustic signal into the pipeline, based on an electric pilot signal. An acoustic receiver detects the input acoustic signal and generates a first electric measurement signal, dependent on the input acoustic signal. The acoustic receiver receives an input return signal dependent on the input acoustic signal and on pipeline geometric parameters, and generates a second electric measurement signal based on the return acoustic signal. A control unit generates an electric pilot signal and connects to the acoustic transceiver and receives the first electric measurement signal and the second electric measurement signal. The control unit measures the geometric parameters of the pipeline based on the first and second electric measurement signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SAIPEM S.p.A.
    Inventors: Adriano Calzavara, Giancarlo Bernasconi, Massimo Signori
  • Patent number: 10436020
    Abstract: An example casing and cement evaluation tool may include a tool body and a rotating portion coupled to the tool body. A first transducer may be coupled to the rotating portion at a radial offset from a longitudinal axis of the tool. A second transducer may be coupled to the rotating portion at a different radial offset from the longitudinal axis of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Batakrishna Mandal
  • Patent number: 10422910
    Abstract: A method of performing acoustic logging comprises generating a first acoustic signal from a first source at a first time, wherein the first source is a first distance away from a wellbore wall, and generating a second acoustic signal from a second source at a second time, wherein the second source is a second distance away from the wellbore wall. The difference between the first time and the second time depends on a calibration value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Elliott Willis
  • Patent number: 10408037
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a cement sheath in a wellbore, in some embodiments, comprises transmitting sonic or ultrasonic waves from a logging tool disposed in a wellbore, receiving reflected waves at the logging tool and recording waveforms based on the received waves, processing the waveforms to determine average absolute value amplitude data for each of a plurality of zones, and determining a number using average absolute value amplitude data for a first of the plurality of zones and average absolute value amplitude data for a second of the plurality of zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary James Frisch, Philip Edmund Fox
  • Patent number: 10392920
    Abstract: A method of quantitative cement evaluation is provided. The method includes deploying a logging-while-drilling downhole sonic tool into a wellbore inside a casing, measuring acoustic signals propagating through the casing with the logging-while-drilling downhole sonic tool, and performing quantitative cement evaluation with respect to cement bonding around the casing by using waveform data of the acoustic signals measured with the logging-while-drilling downhole sonic tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Izuhara, Hiroshi Hori, Vivian Pistre, Toshihiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10385686
    Abstract: A method for determining a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir quality prior to a hydraulic fracture treatment based on completions index is disclosed. The method comprises a step performing a test determining a hydraulic pressure at which a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir will begin to fracture by pumping a fluid in a wellbore, wherein the wellbore extends from a surface to the reservoir and the wellbore has one or more perforations in communication with reservoir; a step generating a pressure transient in the wellbore, the pressure transient travels from the surface to the reservoir through the perforations and reflects back the surface after contacting the reservoir; a step measuring response of the pressure transient at sufficiently high sampling frequency; a step determining fracture hydraulic parameters of the perforations and the reservoir using the measured response; and optimizing a stimulation treatment to the reservoir based on the determined fracture hydraulic parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: EOG RESOURCES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael James, Oscar A. Bustos, Evan Daniel Gilmore, Eric Robert Matus
  • Patent number: 10324218
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring material thickness of multiple tubulars by placing a logging tool in a well with multiple conductive tubulars and generating an electromagnetic field that interacts with the tubulars. A logging tool obtains the measurements using one or more receivers. A monitoring system or the logging tool applies the measurements to a mathematical model that considers at least a transition zone and one or both of a near field zone and a remote field zone of the electromagnetic field that interacts with the multiple conductive tubulars. Furthermore, the monitoring system or the logging tool may ascertain a thickness of the one or more conductive tubulars using the mathematical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward Nichols, James J. Kohring, Rafael Vinit
  • Patent number: 10295692
    Abstract: An acoustic array includes an acoustic transmitter and acoustic receivers radially or longitudinally offset from the acoustic transmitter. The acoustic array is disposed in a wellbore penetrating a subsurface formation. An acoustic signal is broadcast using the transmitter and a portion of the emitted signal is reflected by a reflector and received by the receivers. The presence or absence of fractures in the subsurface formation is inferred based on the received acoustic signal. Inferences are based on travel times and/or coherency of the received signals. Images can be made and fracture orientations determined. Frequencies in the sonic or ultrasonic range may be used. Measurements may be made while-drilling or while performing post-drilling operations. Processing may be done in real-time or post-processing may be performed on recorded data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dustin Cavin, Carl Robbins, Ralph M. D'Angelo, Kenneth W. Winkler
  • Patent number: 10253615
    Abstract: A well bore is inspected to detect cement defects that can give rise to leakage. The well bore comprises an inner metal pipe. Outside the inner metal pipe its configuration may vary with distance from the top of the well bore in terms of concentric pipes outside the inner metal pipe and presence of cement between the pipes. A probe with is lowered through the inner metal pipe. An ultrasound signal is transmitted from the probe into the inner metal pipe and responses to the transmitted signal are received at a series of ultrasound receivers at different axial positions. A selection of a spatial frequency of waves arriving along the axial direction at the ultrasound receivers and/or the apparent velocity of said waves is retrieved dependent on the configuration. The received responses are band pass filtered accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
    Inventors: Alan Joseph Hunter, Mariana De Soares Silva e Melo Mota, Arno Willem Frederik Volker
  • Patent number: 10190410
    Abstract: Methods of acoustically communicating acoustically within a wellbore and wells that utilize the methods are disclosed herein. The methods generally utilize an acoustic wireless network including a plurality of nodes spaced-apart along a length of a tone transmission medium. In some embodiments, the disclosure includes methods of conserving power in the acoustic wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Scott William Clawson, Limin Song, Yibing Zhang, Henry Alan Wolf
  • Patent number: 10174604
    Abstract: Methods and systems for logging a wellbore having a casing are described. Acoustic energy, typically ultrasonic acoustic energy, is used to stimulate reverberation of the casing at a harmonic (for example, the second or third harmonic) of the resonance frequency of the casing. One or more acoustic sensors are used to measure acoustic signals generated by the casing reverberation. Parameters of the casing are calculated based on the measured acoustic signals adjusted by an adjustment factor determined by the particular harmonic. The use of harmonics instead of the fundamental resonance frequency allows wellbores with casings having walls thicker than 0.625 inches to be logged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Lucio N. Tello, Edwin K. Roberts, Thomas J. Blankinship
  • Patent number: 10102315
    Abstract: Systems and methods process a measured ultrasonic response waveform to determine a well casing thickness and an acoustic impedance of a sealing medium surrounding the well casing. An array of simulated response waveforms corresponding to a set of candidate acoustic impedances for the sealing medium surrounding the well casing and a set of candidate well casing thicknesses is generated. A simulated response waveform from the array of simulated response waveforms is identified that best matches the measured response waveform so as to determine the sealing medium acoustic impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Ivan Pelivanov, Matthew O'Donnell, Abraham Vereide
  • Patent number: 10101494
    Abstract: A tool having an energy source and a surface roughness measurement device is provided. A baseline measurement of surface roughness of a sample is made. The sample is then exposed to energy from the energy source, causing the temperature of the sample to increase. A second measurement of surface roughness of the sample is made. The change in surface roughness of the sample is determined. Formation properties such as the total organic carbon in the sample is inferred based on the determined change in surface roughness of the sample. The tool may be disposed in a wellbore and may use packers to isolate a portion of the wellbore, or it may use a hydraulic seal on an extendible member to isolate a sample portion of the wellbore wall. The energy source may be a laser that produces radiation that selectively heats a particular component of the sample constituent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mohammed Badri, Reza Taherian
  • Patent number: 10012076
    Abstract: Disclosed is a monitoring probe for observing groundwater, which is put into an observation well for observing the groundwater to indicate a position of a fresh water-salt water interface of the groundwater. According to the present invention, both ends of a probe body are separated from an inner circumference of an observation well by a catch preventing portion having a convex curved portion or a dumbbell-shaped portion, so that the probe body can be smoothly moved up and down without being caught by a ground-water inlet port of the observation well, thus providing an exact position of a fresh water-salt water interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GROSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES
    Inventors: Yongcheol Kim, Heesung Yoon, Kyung-Seok Ko, Kyoochul Ha, Dong-Chan Koh
  • Patent number: 9988895
    Abstract: Method for characterizing subterranean formation is described. One method includes: placing a subterranean fluid into a well extending into at least a portion of the subterranean formation to induce one or more fractures; measuring pressure response via one or more pressure sensors installed in the subterranean formation; and determining a physical feature of the one or more fractures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicolas Patrick Roussel, Horacio Florez, Adolfo Antonio Rodriguez, Samarth Agrawal
  • Patent number: 9945975
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of vibration control for a wellbore logging tool is disclosed. The wellbore logging tool includes an acoustic transmitter. The method may include providing a braking signal to the acoustic transmitter. The braking signal may be based, at least in part, on at least one prior vibration in the acoustic transmitter. The method may include determining a present vibration in the acoustic transmitter after the braking signal has been provided to the acoustic transmitter. The method may include determining whether to update the braking signal and, if so, updating the braking signal based, at least in part, on the present vibration in the acoustic transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Xingyong Song, Yiming Zhao, Jason D. Dykstra
  • Patent number: 9927552
    Abstract: A system for generating eccentering corrected response includes a logging tool configured to examine a material filled in an annular space to generate a tool response. The material is filled in an annular space formed by an outer conduit and an inner conduit disposed in the outer conduit. The logging tool is disposed in an inner conduit. The tool response includes scattered gamma ray photon counts distorted by a radial shift of the logging tool. The system includes a data transmission device coupled to a plurality of detectors and configured to transmit data detected by the plurality of detectors. The system also includes a computer processor linked to the data transmission device and configured to receive the tool response. The computer processor is configured to process the tool response and generate an eccentered corrected response by correcting effects of the radial shift in the tool response using eccentering correction technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Lexa, Meena Ganesh, John Edward Smaardyk, Donald Kenney Steinman
  • Patent number: 9784875
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure may include systems and methods for estimating an acoustic property of an annulus in a cement evaluation system. In one embodiment, a casing arrival signal is acquired at acoustic receivers a cement evaluation tool. A spectral amplitude ratio is calculated based on the casing arrival signal. The spectral amplitude ratio is scanned to detect and identify discontinuities. If discontinuities are detected, the frequency at the discontinuity may be used to estimate a wavespeed of the annulus. If discontinuities are not detected, attenuation dispersions are calculated and estimated, and an estimated wavespeed and parameters are updated until the calculated and estimated attenuation dispersions match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Smaine Zeroug, Jiaqi Yang, Sandip Bose
  • Patent number: 9772419
    Abstract: A method for estimating parameters of a propagating wave field, such as the direction of propagation in 3D space of an acoustic wave from borehole-acoustic data. The estimation technique uses phase delays between recordings made by the individual receivers related to a plane wave travelling across the receiver array. The estimated plane waves include the wave field generated directly by the acoustic source, as well as refracted and reflected components of these fields. The technique can be used with overlapping wave fields. This will provide significant improvements in the quality of formation properties estimated from full-waveform data that are obtained either from wireline or from while-drilling sonic data. The inventive method enables characterization of abnormalities outside multiple casing strings where acoustic signals are transmitted from a source located inside said multiple casing string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Read AS
    Inventors: Jakob B. U. Haldorsen, Espen Stensrud
  • Patent number: 9707363
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for use of acoustic reflectometry information in ventilation devices. The system and method includes a speaker to emit sound waves into an intubated endotracheal tube (“ETT”) and a microphone to detect returning acoustic reflections. In addition, the system and method includes a reflectometry device in communication with a ventilation device for analyzing timings and amplitudes of the returning acoustic reflections to determine a size of a passageway around an ETT tip, location and size of ETT obstructions, and relative movement of the ETT tip within a trachea. The reflectometry device is also configured to determine a resistance parameter representative of resistance to actual flow of air through the ETT based upon a function of the diameter of the ETT, length of the ETT, and percent obstruction of the ETT, where the resistance parameter is used to calculate the tracheal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SONARMED INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Mansfield, Catherine Johnson-Tieck
  • Patent number: 9664030
    Abstract: Among other things, there are disclosed embodiments of a well-logging tool that inspects features of the down-hole environment using ultrasonic signals with a frequency in the range of 3-5 MHz. The ultrasonic signals are encoded, and their time-of-flight and amplitude provide information on features of interior surface of the casing on the order of 1 mm, and on the quality of the cement bond behind the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Piezotech LLC
    Inventor: Gregory Pulley
  • Patent number: 9645269
    Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging method is provided. A wideband acoustic pulse is fired at a wall. A wideband response signal is received. The wideband response signal is processed to select an impedance measurement frequency. A wavelet having a characteristic frequency approximately equal to the impedance measurement frequency is fired. A wavelet response signal is received. A reflection coefficient is determined from the wavelet response signal. An impedance measurement is calculated from the reflection coefficient. Related tools and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Batakrishna Mandal, Clovis Bonavides
  • Patent number: 9594177
    Abstract: An acoustic logging tool emits a wideband acoustic pulse toward an inside surface of a borehole casing and an acoustic response is received. The acoustic response is analyzed at one or more higher order harmonics of the thickness mode resonance of the casing to determine the acoustic impedance of the material behind the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benoit Froelich, Andrew J. Hayman, Kenneth K Liang
  • Patent number: 9581723
    Abstract: Methods for characterizing a geological formation, the methods include retrieving measured data provided by a measuring tool along one or more logged borehole length for a borehole, another borehole or both in order to produce a borehole imaging log. Selecting depth-defined intervals of the borehole imaging log as training images for inputting in a multi-point geostatistical model. Determining pattern based simulations for each training image using a pixel-based template of the multi-point geostatistical model so as to obtain training image patterns. Using the pattern based simulation of each training image to assign to each of the training image a corresponding training image pattern. Constructing from the training image patterns one or more fullbore image log of a borehole wall of the borehole. Repeat the second to fourth steps through the one or more logged borehole length in order to construct fullbore images from successive, adjacent training images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Francis Hurley, Tuanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9582353
    Abstract: A method of obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data from a subterranean formation may include operating a tool in a subterranean formation for generating both NMR data and NMR scaled data based upon NMR measurements of the subterranean formation. The method also includes operating the tool for encoding and transmitting both the NMR data and NMR scaled data, and receiving and decoding, above the subterranean formation, both the NMR data and NMR scaled data from the tool. The method also includes performing error-correction of the received and decoded NMR data based upon the received and decoded NMR scaled data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholas N. Bennett, Lalitha Venkataramanan, Nicholas Heaton