Downhole inspection with ultrasonic sensor and conformable sensor responses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061047-B2
Application number	US-201414915874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Oct 3, 2013
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An example method for downhole surveying and measuring may include positioning a first conformable sensor proximate to a downhole element. The first conformable sensor may include a flexible material, a transmitter coupled to the flexible material, and a receiver coupled to the flexible material. An ultrasonic sensor may be positioned proximate to the downhole element. The receiver may measure an electrical response of the downhole element to a signal generated by the transmitter. An acoustic response of the downhole element may be measurements at the at the ultrasonic sensor. The electrical response and the acoustic response may be processed to determine a parameter of the downhole element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for downhole surveying and measuring, comprising:
positioning a first conformable sensor proximate and conformable to a downhole element, the first conformable sensor including:
a flexible material conformable to the downhole element;
a transmitter coupled to the flexible material; and
a receiver coupled to the flexible material;

positioning an ultrasonic sensor proximate to the downhole element;
measuring with the receiver an electrical response of the downhole element to a signal generated by the transmitter;
measuring an acoustic response of the downhole element with the ultrasonic sensor; and
processing the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the first conformable sensor proximate to the downhole element comprises extending from a downhole tool a pad to which the first conformable sensor is coupled.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first conformable sensor comprises one of an array of conformable sensors coupled to the pad.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the ultrasonic sensor proximate to the downhole element comprises extending from a downhole tool a pad to which the ultrasonic sensor and the first conformable sensor are coupled.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the ultrasonic sensor proximate to the downhole element comprises positioning proximate the downhole element a downhole tool with a rotating portion to which the ultrasonic sensor is coupled.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises at least one of an electrical parameter and a physical parameter of the downhole element.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein
the downhole element comprises at least a first pipe and a second pipe concentric with the first pipe; and
processing the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element comprises processing the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a first parameter of a first pipe and a second parameter of the second pipe.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element comprises processing the electrical response and the acoustic response using at least one inversion algorithm.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a visualization of the downhole element based at least in part on the determined parameter.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the downhole element comprises at least a first pipe and a second pipe concentric with the first pipe.

11. A system for downhole surveying and measuring, comprising:
a downhole tool with a tool body;
a conformable sensor coupled and conformable to a downhole element, the sensor comprising
a flexible material conformable to the downhole element;
a transmitter coupled to the flexible material; and
a receiver coupled to the flexible material;

an ultrasonic sensor coupled to the downhole tool; and
a control unit comprising a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor, the memory device containing a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to
measure via the receiver an electrical response of the downhole element to a signal generated by the transmitter; and
receive from the ultrasonic sensor an acoustic response of the downhole element.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a pad extendable from the tool body, wherein the conformable sensor is coupled to the pad.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is coupled to the pad.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the conformable sensor comprises one of an array of conformable sensors coupled to the pad.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the downhole tool comprises a rotating portion and the ultrasonic sensor is coupled to the rotating portion.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein
the set of instructions further cause the processor to process the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element; and
the parameter comprises at least one of an electrical parameter and a physical parameter of the downhole element.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein
the downhole element comprises at least a first pipe and a second pipe concentric with the first pipe; and
the set of instructions that cause the processor to process the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element further causes the processor to process the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a first parameter of a first pipe and a second parameter of the second pipe.

18. The system of claim 11 , the set of instructions that cause the processor to process the electrical response and the acoustic response to determine a parameter of the downhole element further causes the processor to process the electrical response and the acoustic response using at least one inversion algorithm.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the set of instructions further cause the processor to generate a visualization of the downhole element based at least in part on the determined parameter.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the downhole element comprises at least a first pipe and a second pipe concentric with the first pipe.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Donderici Burkay

Classifications

• G01V3/30

  operating with electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• G01V1/50

  Analysing data · CPC title

• E21B47/085

  using radiant means, e.g. acoustic, radioactive or electromagnetic · CPC title

• G01V1/368

  Inverse filtering · CPC title

• G01V1/48 Primary

  Processing data · CPC title