Patent US4452076A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4452076A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Well logging tool
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1982-06-21
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Granted: 1984-06-05
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Expires: 2002-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A well logging tool, for use within a well borehole having a flowing fluid therein, has a selective bypass means for directing a portion of the flowing fluid away from the housing of the well logging tool upon the flowing fluid exerting a predetermined pressure force upon a packer, whereby damage to the packer from increased pressure forces is minimized and flow characteristics of a fluid flowing at widely varying flow rates may be measured.
Inventors
- 👤 Alain H. Gavignet
- 👤 Walter E. Cubberly, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:51
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/10; E21B33/12; E21B33/126; E21B47/00; E21B47/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A well-logging tool, for use within a well borehole for measuring a characteristic of a flowing fluid therein, comprising: a housing; means for measuring a characteristic of the flowing fluid, the means for measuring being disposed within the housing; means for sealing the annulus between the well borehole and the housing and for directing the flowing fluid into the housing; and selective bypass means for directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through said annulus, to bypass the housing upon the flowing fluid exerting a predetermined pressure force upon the sealing and directing means, whereby damage to the sealing and directing means from increased pressure forces is minimized and fluid characteristics of fluids having widely varying flow rates may be measured.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A well-logging tool, for use within a well borehole for measuring a characteristic of a flowing fluid therein, comprising: a housing; means for measuring a characteristic of the flowing fluid, the means for measuring being disposed within the housing; means for sealing the annulus between the well borehole and the housing and for directing the flowing fluid into the housing; and selective bypass means for directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through said annulus, to bypass the housing upon the flowing fluid exerting a predetermined pressure force upon the sealing and directing means, whereby damage to the sealing and directing means from increased pressure forces is minimized and fluid characteristics of fluids having widely varying flow rates may be measured.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
The well logging tool of claim 1, wherein the means for sealing and directing comprises a plurality of flexible vanes having upper, lower, and side edges, with the side edges of adjacent vanes being disposed in an overlapping relationship; the lower edges of the vanes being disposed adjacent to the interior surface of the well borehole; the upper edges of the vanes being disposed in a first position in an abutting relationship with the housing when the pressure force is below the predetermined force; and at least one of the upper edges of the vanes being disposed in a second position spaced from the housing when the pressure force exceeds the predetermined force.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The well logging tool of claim 2, wherein the selective bypass means comprises a plurality of elongate spring members each having first and second ends, the first ends being operatively associated with the housing; and the vanes being flexibly attached to the elongate spring members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The well logging tool of claim 3, wherein each of the second ends of the elongate spring members are mounted to a bottom nose assembly for relative longitudinal movement therebetween; and the flexible vanes are flexibly attached to the elongate spring members intermediate their first and second ends.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The well logging tool of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a mandrel secured thereto; the mandrel having at least one passageway in fluid transmitting relationship between the seling and directing means, and the means for measuring; the first ends of the elongate spring members being slidably mounted with respect to the mandrel; and a first portion of the bottom nose assembly is slidably mounted to the mandrel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The well logging tool of claim 5, wherein a second portion of the bottom nose assembly is secured to the mandrel, and the first portion of the bottom nose assembly is resiliently biased toward the vanes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The well logging tool of claim 3, wherein the selective bypass means further includes a plurality of elongate booster spring members which are operatively associated with the housing and which overlie the elongate spring members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The well logging tool of claim 3, further including a plurality of back-up spring members attached to the flexible vanes, the vanes being disposed between the elongate and back-up spring members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
The well-logging tool of claim 3, further including an actuator sleeve slidably mounted about the housing, the actuator sleeve being operatively associated with the first ends of the elongate spring members, whereby upon movement of the actuator sleeve in a first direction, the lower edges of the vanes are moved adjacent the interior surface of the well casing, and upon movement of the vanes in a second direction, the lower edges of the vanes are moved away from the interior surface of the well casing to allow the well logging tool to be removed from the well casing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The well-logging tool of claim 9, wherein the actuator sleeve has at least one opening to allow fluid to flow out the housing into the well casing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The well-logging tool of claim 1, wherein the means for measuring is a flowmeter.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for measuring fluid characteristics of a fluid flowing at varying flow rates within a well borehole, comprising: moving a housing, having a means for measuring the fluid characteristics disposed within the housing, through the well borehole to a first location: sealing the annulus between the well borehole and the housing proximate the first location and directing the flowing fluid into the housing by utilizing a sealing and directing means; and directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through the annulus, to bypass the housing upon the flowing fluid exerting a predetermined pressure force upon the sealing and directing means, whereby damage to the sealing and directing means from increased pressure forces is minimized and fluid characteristics of fluids flowing at varying flow rates may be measured.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for measuring fluid characteristics of a fluid flowing at varying flow rates within a well borehole, comprising: moving a housing, having a means for measuring the fluid characteristics disposed within the housing, through the well borehole to a first location: sealing the annulus between the well borehole and the housing proximate the first location and directing the flowing fluid into the housing by utilizing a sealing and directing means; and directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through the annulus, to bypass the housing upon the flowing fluid exerting a predetermined pressure force upon the sealing and directing means, whereby damage to the sealing and directing means from increased pressure forces is minimized and fluid characteristics of fluids flowing at varying flow rates may be measured.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 12, including the steps of: utiliziing a sealing and directing means having a plurality of flexible vanes having upper and lower edges; disposing the lower edges of the vanes adjacent the interior surface of the well borehole; disposing the upper edges of the vanes in a first position in an abutting relationship with the housing when the pressure force is below the predetermined force; and disposing at least one of the upper edges of the vanes in a second position spaced from the housing when the pressure force exceeds the predetermined force.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 13 including the steps of flexibly attaching the plurality of flexible vanes to a plurality of elongate spring members having first and second ends, and operatively associating the first ends with the housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method claim 14, including the steps of mounting the second ends of the elongate spring members to a bottom nose assembly for relative longitudinal movement therebetween; and flexibly attaching the 5 flexible vanes to the elongate spring members intermediate their first and second ends.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 15 including the steps of: utilizing a mandrel secured to the housing; slidably mounting the first ends of the elongate spring members with respect to the mandrel; and slidably mounting a first portion of the bottom nose assembly to the mandrel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 16 including the steps of securing a second portion of the bottom nose assembly to the mandrel, and resiliently biasing the first portion of the bottom nose assembly toward the vanes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 14 including the steps of utilizing a plurality of elongate booster spring members, and disposing the booster spring members to overlie the elongate spring members.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 further including the steps of: utilizing a plurality of back-up spring members; attaching the backup spring members to the flexible vanes; and disposing the vanes between the elongate and back-up spring members.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method of claim 14 further including the steps of: slidably mounting an actuator sleeve about the housing; operatively associating the actuator sleeve with the first ends of the elongate spring members; moving the actuator sleeve in a first direction to move the lower edges of the vanes adjacent the interior surface of the well casing; and moving the actuator sleeve in a second direction to move the lower edges of the vanes away from the interior surface of the well borehole to allow the housing to be moved to a second location.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 20 including the step of providing the actuator sleeve with at least one opening to allow fluid to flow out the housing into the well casing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
103 words
A well-logging tool for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing within a well borehole, comprising: a housing, a flowmeter disposed within the housing, means for sealing the annulus between the borehole and the housing and for directing the flowing fluid into the housing, selective bypass means for directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through the annulus, to bypass the housing, upon a predetermined pressure force, resulting from a predetermined flow rate, being exerted on said sealing and directing means, said portion increasing at a known rate as the flow rate increases.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
103 words
A well-logging tool for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing within a well borehole, comprising: a housing, a flowmeter disposed within the housing, means for sealing the annulus between the borehole and the housing and for directing the flowing fluid into the housing, selective bypass means for directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through the annulus, to bypass the housing, upon a predetermined pressure force, resulting from a predetermined flow rate, being exerted on said sealing and directing means, said portion increasing at a known rate as the flow rate increases.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing within a well borehole, comprising: moving a housing having a flowmeter disposed therein through the borehole to a first location, sealing the annulus between the housing and the wall of the borehole and directing the flowing fluid into the housing, by utilizing sealing and directing means, directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through said annulus, to bypass the housing, upon a predetermined pressure force, resulting from a predetermined flow rate, being exerted on the sealing and directing means by the flowing fluid, said portion increasing at a known rate as the flow rate increases, measuring the flow rate within the housing by means of said flowmeter, the actual flow rate in the borehole being determinable from said measurement.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing within a well borehole, comprising: moving a housing having a flowmeter disposed therein through the borehole to a first location, sealing the annulus between the housing and the wall of the borehole and directing the flowing fluid into the housing, by utilizing sealing and directing means, directing a portion of the flowing fluid prevented by said sealing and directing means from flowing through said annulus, to bypass the housing, upon a predetermined pressure force, resulting from a predetermined flow rate, being exerted on the sealing and directing means by the flowing fluid, said portion increasing at a known rate as the flow rate increases, measuring the flow rate within the housing by means of said flowmeter, the actual flow rate in the borehole being determinable from said measurement.
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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) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-12-05 | 1988-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-05 | 1991-12-05 | 1992-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-05 | 1995-12-05 | 1996-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |