Methods for offshore drill stem testing

Claim 1

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipMent suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a packer and a tester and slip joints disposed in the pipe string above and below the tester, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by a sequence of upward and downward movements, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment into the well bore and setting the packer to isolate the interval of formations to be tested; lowering the pipe string to close the slip joints and to open the tester; flowing fluid from the formations for a period of time; raising the pipe string to close the tester and shut in the formation; during said raising step, observing a first indication at the surface that the upper slip joint is extending and a second indication that the lower slip joint is extending; upon observing said second indication, lowering the pipe string to close both slip joints; and applying pipe weight to the tester and to the packer while maintaining the tester in a closed condition.

Claim 2

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipMent suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a packer and a tester and slip joints disposed in the pipe string above and below the tester, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by a sequence of upward and downward movements, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment into the well bore and setting the packer to isolate the interval of formations to be tested; lowering the pipe string to close the slip joints and to open the tester; flowing fluid from the formations for a period of time; raising the pipe string to close the tester and shut in the formation; during said raising step, observing a first indication at the surface that the upper slip joint is extending and a second indication that the lower slip joint is extending; upon observing said second indication, lowering the pipe string to close both slip joints; and applying pipe weight to the tester and to the packer while maintaining the tester in a closed condition.

Claim 3

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipment suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a packer adapted to isolate an interval of the well bore to be tested, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by vertical extensive and contractive movement to alternately flow and shut in the formations, said pipe string including an upper section and a lower section coupled together by a slip joint, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment in the well bore and setting the packer above said interval; closing the slip joint by lowering said upper section and then suspending said upper section in the well bore from a preselected point in said upper section ; applying the weight of said lower section to cause contractive movement of the tester to open the tester and flow formation fluids into the pipe string; raising the upper section to extend the slip joint and providing a surface indication of the extension of said slip joint; raising both sections of the pipe string to cause extensive movement of the tester to close the tester and shut-in formations and providing a surface indication of the extension thereof; upon observing said indication of extension of said tester, lowering said pipe string sections to close said slip joint and apply the weight of said lower section to the tester while maintaining the tester in a closed condition; and again suspending said upper section in the well bore from the same preselected point therein.

Claim 4

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipment suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a packer adapted to isolate an interval of the well bore to be tested, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by vertical extensive and contractive movement to alternately flow and shut in the formations, said pipe string including an upper section and a lower section coupled together by a slip joint, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment in the well bore and setting the packer above said interval; closing the slip joint by lowering said upper section and then suspending said upper section in the well bore from a preselected point in said upper section ; applying the weight of said lower section to cause contractive movement of the tester to open the tester and flow formation fluids into the pipe string; raising the upper section to extend the slip joint and providing a surface indication of the extension of said slip joint; raising both sections of the pipe string to cause extensive movement of the tester to close the tester and shut-in formations and providing a surface indication of the extension thereof; upon observing said indication of extension of said tester, lowering said pipe string sections to close said slip joint and apply the weight of said lower section to the tester while maintaining the tester in a closed condition; and again suspending said upper section in the well bore from the same preselected point therein.

Claim 5

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipment suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a tester and a packer coupled together by a first slip joint, said pipe string including an upper section and a lower section coupled together by a second slip joint, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by upward and downward movement, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment in the well bore and setting the packer at a predetermined elevation therein; closing both the lower and the upper slip joints and then suspending the upper section of the pipe string in the well bore from a preselected point in said upper section; applying the weight of the lower section of the pipe string to the tester to open the tester and flow formation fluids into the pipe string; raising the upper section of the pipe string to extend the upper slip joint and providing a surface indication of extension of said upper slip joint; raising both sections of the pipe string to close said tester and to extend said lower slip joint; providing a surface indication of extension of said lower slip joint; upon observing said indication of extension of said lower slip joint, lowering said pipe string sections to close the slip joints and again apply the weight of the lower section of the pipe string to the tester and packer while maintaining said tester in a closed condition; and again suspending said upper seCtion of the pipe string in the well bore at the same preselected point therein.

Claim 6

A method of testing earth formations traversed by an offshore well bore with test equipment suspended by a pipe string from a floating vessel, said test equipment including a tester and a packer coupled together by a first slip joint, said pipe string including an upper section and a lower section coupled together by a second slip joint, said tester being opened and closed to fluid flow by upward and downward movement, comprising the steps of: positioning the equipment in the well bore and setting the packer at a predetermined elevation therein; closing both the lower and the upper slip joints and then suspending the upper section of the pipe string in the well bore from a preselected point in said upper section; applying the weight of the lower section of the pipe string to the tester to open the tester and flow formation fluids into the pipe string; raising the upper section of the pipe string to extend the upper slip joint and providing a surface indication of extension of said upper slip joint; raising both sections of the pipe string to close said tester and to extend said lower slip joint; providing a surface indication of extension of said lower slip joint; upon observing said indication of extension of said lower slip joint, lowering said pipe string sections to close the slip joints and again apply the weight of the lower section of the pipe string to the tester and packer while maintaining said tester in a closed condition; and again suspending said upper seCtion of the pipe string in the well bore at the same preselected point therein.