Ultrasound color flow imaging for oil field applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018024264-A1
Application number	US-201515546578-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method for rheology measurements. The system may comprise a conduit; an ultrasound transmitter positioned to direct ultrasound pulses into the conduit; an ultrasound receiver positioned to receive sound waves from the conduit; a pump fluidically coupled to the conduit; and a heat exchanger fluidically coupled to the conduit. The method may comprise drawing a sample of a treatment fluid into the rheology measurement system; pressuring the sample of the treatment fluid; adjusting temperature of the treatment fluid; directing ultrasound pulses into the treatment fluid while the treatment fluid is flowing through the rheology measurement system; measuring sound waves reflected by the treatment fluid; and determining a velocity profile of the treatment fluid based at least on the measured sound waves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for rheology measurements comprising:
a conduit; an ultrasound transmitter positioned to direct ultrasound pulses into the conduit; an ultrasound receiver positioned to receive sound waves from the conduit; a pump fluidically coupled to the conduit; and a heat exchanger fluidically coupled to the conduit.

2 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are a single element.

3 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are disposed on opposite sides of the conduit.

4 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver are disposed on the same side of the conduit.

5 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the pump is a pulse dampened diaphragm pump.

6 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a peltier device.

7 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a flow straightening device disposed in the conduit.

8 . A system according to claim 7 , wherein the flow straightening device comprises a plurality of vanes disposed in the conduit.

9 . A system for rheology measurements comprising:
a conduit; an ultrasound transmitter positioned to direct sound waves into the conduit; an ultrasound receiver on an opposite side of the conduit from the ultrasound transmitter and positioned to receive sound waves from the conduit; a pump fluidically coupled to the conduit; a heat exchanger fluidically coupled to the conduit; and vanes disposed in the conduit.

10 . A system according to claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is a resistance band heater.

11 . A method of operating a rheology measurement system comprising:
drawing a sample of a treatment fluid into the rheology measurement system; pressuring the sample of the treatment fluid; adjusting temperature of the treatment fluid; directing ultrasound pulses into the treatment fluid while the treatment fluid is flowing through the rheology measurement system; measuring sound waves reflected by the treatment fluid; and determining a velocity profile of the treatment fluid based at least on the measured sound waves.

12 . A method according to claim 11 , wherein the treatment fluid comprises a solids-containing fluid.

13 . A method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of adjusting the temperature comprises heating the treatment fluid.

14 . A method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of adjusting the temperature comprises cooling the treatment fluid.

15 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising straightening flow of the treatment fluid in the rheology measurement system.

16 . A method according to claim 15 , wherein the straightening flow comprising passing the treatment fluid through a plurality of vanes positioned in a conduit in the rheology measurement system.

17 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising generating a color flow display of fluid flow in the rheology measurement system.

18 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising generating a Doppler sonogram of fluid flow in the rheology measurement system.

19 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising determining viscosity of the treatment fluid based at least on the determined velocity profile.

20 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising adjusting concentration of one or more components of the treatment fluid based at least on the velocity profile and/or rheology of the treatment fluid.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Dotson Adam R
• Jamison Dale E
• Mcdaniel Cato Russell
• Ye Xiangnan

Classifications

• G01V1/46 Primary

  Data acquisition · CPC title

• F04B43/02

  having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B43/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/663

  by measuring Doppler frequency shift · CPC title

• G01F1/662

  Constructional details · CPC title

• E21B21/08

  Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10) · CPC title