Patent US2072479A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0457650A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ultrasonic measurement apparatus and method for boreholes
Assignee: SLB NV
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Filing: 1991-05-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-05-07
Abstract
Abstract Pulse echo apparatus and methods are disclosed for measuring characteristics of a borehole while it is being drilled. A component of a bottomhole assembly, preferably a drilling collar , is provided with one or more ultra-sonic transceivers. A pulse echo sensor of the transceiver is preferably placed in a stabilizer fin of the collar, but may also be placed in the wall of the collar, preferably close to a stabilizing fin. Electronic processing and control circuitry for the pulse-echo sensor is provided in an electronic module placed within such collar. Such pulse echo apparatus, which preferably includes two diametrically opposed transceivers, generates signals from which standoff from a borehole wall may be determined. A method and apparatus are provided for measuring standoff and borehole diameter in the presence of drilling cuttings entrained in the drilling fluid. In a preferred embodiment, such signals are assessed by the electronic processing and control circuitry to determine if gas has entered borehole. Three methods and apparatus are provided for such gas entry determination. The first relies on measurement of sonic impedance of the drilling fluid by assessing the amplitude of an echo from an interface between the drilling fluid and a delay-line placed outwardly of a ceramic sensor. The second relies on measurement of drilling fluid attenuation of a borehole wall echo. The third relies on measurement of the phase of oscillations of echoes to identify large gas bubble entries. The pulse-echo sensor includes a sensor stack including a backing element, a piezo-electric ceramic disk, and a delay-line.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacques Orban
- 👤 James Mayes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:16
CPC Classifications
B; B06; B06B; B06B1/00; B06B1/02; B06B1/06; B06B1/0644; B06B1/0662; B06B1/0681; E; E21; E21B; E21B21/00; E21B21/08; E21B47/00; E21B47/08; E21B47/085; E21B47/10; E21B47/107; G; G01; G01B; G01B17/00; G01B17/06; G01H; G01H15/00; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/02; G01N29/024; G01N29/032; G01N29/22; G01N29/222; G01N29/28; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/40; G01V1/52; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/01; G01N2291/011; G01N2291/012; G01N2291/015; G01N2291/018; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/024; G01N2291/02416; G01N2291/02433
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
Borehole measurement apparatus being adapted for connection in a drill string in a borehole, said apparatus having a generally cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis, said apparatus characterized by: a) ultra-sonic sensor means including at least one ultra-sonic pulse-echo sensor mounted in said apparatus for generating a signal; and b) electronic means for controlling the operation of said pulse-echo sensor and for processing said signals received from said sensor for giving indications of characteristics of downhole conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said downhole condition is the diameter of said borehole or the presence of formation gas in borehole drilling fluid in an annulus defined by said borehole and the outside of said tool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further characterized by a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly from said body and wherein said ultra-sonic sensor means includes first and second transceivers mounted respectively on diametrically opposed fins.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
253 words
Borehole measurement apparatus including a tool adapted for connection in a drill string in said borehole through earth formations, said tool having a cylindrical body defining an annulus between said borehole wall and said body, said annulus having drilling fluid with entrained drilling cuttings disposed therein, said apparatus characterized by: first and second ultra-sonic transmitter means disposed diametrically opposed from each other in said cylindrical body for emitting first and second ultra-sonic transmitter pulses in said drilling fluid toward said borehole wall, said ultra-sonic pulses being reflected from said borehole wall as first and second borehole echoes and from said drilling cuttings toward said cylindrical body as first and second cuttings echoes, first and second ultra-sonic transducer means disposed in said cylindrical body for generating first and second borehole echo signals representative of said first and second borehole echo amplitudes and time delays, and first and second cuttings echo signals representative of said cuttings echoes, and logic means for identifying said first borehole echo signal and its time delay in the presence of said first cuttings echo signal and for generating a first standoff signal proportional to said time delay of said first borehole echo signal from said emitting of said first ultra-sonic transmitter pulse and for identifying said second borehole echo signal and its time delay in the presence of said second cuttings echo signal and for generating a second standoff signal proportional to said time delay of said second borehole echo signal from said launching of said second ultra-sonic transmitter pulse.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first and second transmitter means emit said first and second ultra-sonic transmitter pulses alternately in time with said logic means identifying said first borehole echo signal after said first ultra-sonic transmitter pulse is emitted and said logic means identifying said second borehole echo signal after said second ultra-sonic transmitter pulse is emitted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
The apparatus of claim 4 or 5 further characterized by: processing means for generating a first standoff signal proportional to said time delay of said first borehole echo signal and for generating a second standoff signal proportional to said time delay of said second borehole echo signal, and processing means for generating said first and second standoff signals a plurality of times each second for a predetermined time interval, and for generating from said plurality of standoff signals an average first standoff signal and an average second standoff signal for said time interval.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 4, 5 or 6 further including memory means for storing a diameter signal representative of a diameter of said cylindrical body of said tool, and processing means for generating a hole diameter signal representative of a diameter of said borehole by adding said diameter signal to a said average first standoff signal and to said average second standoff signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claims 4-7 wherein said first ultra-sonic transmitter means and said first ultra-sonic transducer means and said second ultra-sonic transmitter means and said second ultrasonic transducer means are each a single transceiver in which one sensor element serves as a sonic transmitter and as a sonic receiver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
197 words
Borehole measurement apparatus including a tool adapted for placement within a borehole through earth formations, said tool having a cylindrical body defining an annulus between said borehole wall and said body, said annulus having drilling fluid disposed therein, said apparatus characterized by: an ultra-sonic transceiver means disposed in said cylindrical body having a sensor element for periodically emitting an ultra-sonic transmitter pulse in said drilling fluid toward said borehole wall and for generating echo signals when said pulse is reflected from a surface back to said transceiver means, a delay-line disposed between said sensor element and said drilling fluid of said annulus, whereby a delay-line echo is produced at an interface of said delay-line and said annulus fluid, logic means responsive to said echo signals of said transceiver means for identifying the presence of a delay-line echo signal and storing an approximate maximum amplitude of such echo signal periodically as a function of time, and logic means responsive to said approximate maximum amplitudes of said delay-line echoes stored as a function of time for monitoring a predetermined indicator of said amplitudes and generating a gas-influx alarm signal if said amplitude indicator is greater than a predetermined indicator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tool is connected in a drill string in said borehole, and said apparatus is further characterized by communication means disposed in said drill string for transmitting said gas-influx alarm signal to a surface means for generating an alarm.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of any of the preceeding claims wherein said ultra-sonic sensor means is characterized by a sensor stack having an inner sound absorbing backing element a piezo-electric ceramic disk stacked outwardly adjacent said backing element, a delay-line of rigid material disposed outwardly of said ceramic disk, said delay-line having an outwardly facing concave depression, and first and second electrical connectors, and inner and outer electrode means for connecting inner and outer sides of said disk to said first and second electrical connectors.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for detecting gas influx at a location in a borehole with the apparatus of any of the preceeding claims, said method characterized by the steps of placing said apparatus within said borehole, said cylindrical body of said apparatus defining an annulus between the wall of said borehole and said body, said annulus having a drilling fluid disposed therein, periodically emitting an ultra-sonic transmitter pulse from said ultra-sonic sensor means into said drilling fluid perpendicularly toward said borehole wall with said ultra-sonic pulse being reflected from said borehole wall as a borehole echo; generating a borehole echo signal representative of an approximate maximum amplitude A of said borehole echo and its time delay T from said emitting of said ultra-sonic pulse, storing a plurality N of borehole echo signal sets A N , T N and generating a drilling fluid sonic attenuation signal therefrom, and generating a gas-influx alarm signal if said drilling fluid sonic attenuation signal is above a predetermined level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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