Through-bit reconfigurable NMR logging tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11460600-B2
Application number	US-202017015872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2020
Priority date	Sep 9, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement in a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation includes an NMR tool having an outside diameter that is less than an inside diameter of a drill tubular disposed in the borehole, the drill tubular having an opening at the distal end of the drill tubular leading into the borehole, and a retaining device configured to allow at least a section of the NMR tool to protrude through the opening of the drill tubular and prevent an unrestrained release of the NMR tool through the opening. The apparatus also includes a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna coupled to the NMR tool, wherein the transmitter antenna and/or the receiver antenna are extendable from the NMR tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement in a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation, the apparatus comprising:
an NMR tool having an outside diameter that is less than an inside diameter of a drill tubular disposed in the borehole, the drill tubular being coupled to a drill bit, the NMR tool being conveyable through the drill tubular, the drill tubular having an opening at the distal end of the drill tubular leading into the borehole;
a retaining device configured to allow at least a section of the NMR tool to protrude through the opening of the drill tubular and prevent an unrestrained release of the NMR tool through the opening;
a magnet coupled to the NMR tool;
a transmitter antenna coupled to the NMR tool and configured to transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy into the subsurface formation; and
a receiver antenna coupled to the NMR tool and configured to receive an NMR signal in response to transmitted EM energy to perform the NMR measurement;
wherein the transmitter antenna and/or the receiver antenna are extendable from the NMR tool.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the retainer device is coupled to or integral with the NMR tool and has a size that is greater than a size of the opening.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining device comprises a mechanical interlock.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the mechanical interlock is disposed on the NMR tool.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a drill bit coupled to the drill tubular wherein the drill bit defines the opening.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drill tubular comprises a drill string.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drill tubular comprises coiled tubing.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the permanent magnet comprises an array of permanent magnets.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the array of permanent magnets comprises an extendable array of permanent magnets.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the permanent magnet comprises an extendable permanent magnet.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna are implemented as a transceiver antenna.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna comprises an extendable array of transmitter antennas.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver antenna comprises an extendable array of receiver antennas.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter antenna and/or the receiver antenna comprises a coil having at least one loop of a conductor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the coil comprises multiple coils, each coil defining an area in which the area overlaps a portion of the areas defined by the other coils.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 , where in the coil is at least one of a figure-8 coil or a butterfly coil.

18. A method for performing a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement in a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation, the method comprising:
conveying an NMR tool inside a drill tubular to a distal end of the drill tubular, the drill tubular being coupled to a drill bit, the drill tubular at the distal end having an opening that leads into the borehole;
allowing at least a sensing section of the NMR tool to protrude through the opening into the borehole;
preventing the NMR tool from escaping through the opening using a retaining device;
removing the drill tubular from the borehole with at least the sensing section of the NMR tool protruding from the opening into the borehole; and
performing NMR measurements of the subsurface formation along the borehole with removal of the drill tubular.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
checking a health of the NMR tool using a wireline coupled to the NMR tool; and
disconnecting the wireline from the NMR tool prior to removing the drill tubular from the borehole.

20. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising extending a transmitter antenna and/or a receiver antenna from the NMR tool in response to the section of the NMR tool protruding through the opening.

Assignees

• Edwards Carl M
• Ramirez Marc Stephen
• Fanini Otto
• Forgang Stanislav
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Edwards Carl M
• Ramirez Marc Stephen
• Fanini Otto
• Forgang Stanislav

Classifications

• G01V3/32 Primary

  operating with electron or nuclear magnetic resonance · CPC title

• G01R33/3808 Primary

  Magnet assemblies for single-sided MR wherein the magnet assembly is located on one side of a subject only; Magnet assemblies for inside-out MR, e.g. for MR in a borehole or in a blood vessel, or magnet assemblies for fringe-field MR · CPC title

• G01R33/341

  comprising surface coils · CPC title

• G01R33/34076

  Birdcage coils · CPC title

• G01R33/3415

  comprising arrays of sub-coils {, i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels} · CPC title