US4063151A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Microwave apparatus and method for determination of adsorbed fluid in subsurface formations surrounding a borehole
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1976-04-08
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Granted: 1977-12-13
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Expires: 1996-04-08
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in formations surrounding a borehole. In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for deriving a first quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of the formations as measured by passing electromagnetic energy of a first frequency through the formations. Means are also provided for deriving a second quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of the formations as measured by passing electromagnetic energy of a second frequency through the formations. Finally, means are provided for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in the formations as a function of the difference between the first and second quantities. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for deriving the first and second quantities comprise means for transmitting microwave electromagnetic energy through the formations and measuring the relative phase shift and attenuation of the microwave electromagnetic energy in traversing the formations of interest.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean A. Suau
- 👤 Rama A. Rau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V3/00; G01V3/18; G01V3/30; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A90/00; Y02A90/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for deriving a first quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a first frequency through said formations; means for deriving a second quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a second frequency through said formations; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in said formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for deriving a first quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a first frequency through said formations; means for deriving a second quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a second frequency through said formations; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in said formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for deriving said first and second quantities comprise means for transmitting microwave electromagnetic energy through said formations and for measuring the relative phase shift of said microwave electromagnetic energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid comprises means for detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein said means for determining the amount of adsorbed fluid comprises means for detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said first frequency is about 0.5 GHz and said second frequency is about 1.5 GHz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said first frequency is about 0.05 GHz and said second frequency is about 1.5 GHz.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: deriving a first quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a first frequency through said formations; deriving a second quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a second frequency through said formations; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of determining the amount of adsorbed fluid in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: deriving a first quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a first frequency through said formations; deriving a second quantity which is a function of the dielectric constant of said formations as measured by passing microwave electromagnetic energy of a second frequency through said formations; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined by claim 9 wherein the step of determining the amount of adsorbed water comprises the step of determining the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as defined by claim 9 wherein said steps of deriving said first and second quantities comprise the steps of passing microwave electromagnetic energy through said formations at said first and second frequencies and measuring the relative phase shift experienced by said energy during passing through said formations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as defined by claim 10 wherein said steps of deriving said first and second quantities comprise the steps of passing mirowave electromagnetic energy through said formations at said first and second frequencies and measuring the relative phase shift experienced by said energy during passage through said formations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined by claim 9 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined by claim 13 wherein said first frequency is about 0.5 GHz and said second frequency is about 1.5 GHz.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined by claim 12 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined by claim 12 wherein said first frequency is about 0.5 GHz and said second frequency is about 1.5 GHz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; means for measuring the relative attenuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; means for deriving a first quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said first frequency; means for deriving a second quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said second frequency; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; means for measuring the relative attenuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; means for deriving a first quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said first frequency; means for deriving a second quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said second frequency; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said first and second quantities are a function of the dielectric constant of said given portion of the surrounding formations at said first and second frequencies.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said means for determining the amount of adsorbed water comprises means for detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; measuring the relative attenuation and phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; deriving a first quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said first frequency; deriving a second quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said second frequency; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; measuring the relative attenuation and phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; deriving a first quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said first frequency; deriving a second quantity which is a function of the measured attenuation and phase shift at said second frequency; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as defined by claim 21 wherein said first and second quantities are a function of the dielectric constant of said given portion of the surrounding formations at said first and second frequencies.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined by claim 21 wherein the step of determining the amount of adsorbed water comprises the step of detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined by claim 2 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; means for measuring the relative attenuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; means for deriving a first quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said first frequency; means for deriving a second quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said second frequency; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising: means for injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; means for measuring the relative attenuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; means for deriving a first quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said first frequency; means for deriving a second quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said second frequency; and means for determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 25 wherein said means for determining the amount of adsorbed water comprises means for detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined by claim 25 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; measuring the relative attentuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; deriving a first quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said first frequency; deriving a second quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said second frequency; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for determining the amount of adsorbed water in formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of: injecting microwave electromagnetic energy at first and second frequencies into the surrounding formations; measuring the relative attentuation and relative phase shift of the microwave electromagnetic energy passing through a given portion of the surrounding formations; deriving a first quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said first frequency; deriving a second quantity which is indicative of the loss-corrected dielectric constant of the given portion of the formations by combining the attenuation and phase measurements taken at said second frequency; and determining the amount of adsorbed water in said given portion of the surrounding formations as a function of said first and second quantities.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined by claim 28 wherein the step of determining the amount of adsorbed water comprises the step of detecting the difference between said first and second quantities.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined by claim 27 wherein said first frequency is below about 1.0 GHz and said second frequency is above about 1.1 GHz.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-12 | 1981-06-13 | 1981-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-12 | 1985-06-13 | 1985-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-12 | 1989-06-13 | 1989-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |