System and method of sensing hydrocarbons in a subterranean rock formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019345820-A1
Application number	US-201716474854-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 5, 2017
Publication date	Nov 14, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of sensing hydrocarbons in a subterranean rock formation, including advancing a drilling assembly within the subterranean rock formation. The drilling assembly is configured to discharge a first fluid into the subterranean rock formation, and wherein a second fluid flows past an exterior of the drilling assembly. The method further includes sampling at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid, thereby defining a sampled amount of fluid, and determining a hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of sensing hydrocarbons in a subterranean rock formation, said method comprising:
advancing a drilling assembly within the subterranean rock formation, wherein the drilling assembly is configured to discharge a first fluid into the subterranean rock formation, and wherein a second fluid flows past an exterior of the drilling assembly; sampling at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid, thereby defining a sampled amount of fluid; and determining a hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of fluid.

2 . The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising identifying potential fracture initiation locations within the subterranean rock formation based on the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of fluid.

3 . The method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein identifying fracture initiation locations comprises determining a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the second fluid, wherein the fracture initiation locations are identified when the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the second fluid is greater than a predetermined threshold.

4 . The method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein identifying fracture initiation locations comprises:
determining a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the first fluid; determining a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the second fluid; and determining when a difference in the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the first fluid when compared to the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the second fluid is greater than a predetermined threshold.

5 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein sampling at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid comprises sampling additional amounts of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid at different locations within the subterranean rock formation as the drilling assembly advances within the subterranean rock formation.

6 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein sampling at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid comprises alternatingly sampling the first fluid and the second fluid as the drilling assembly advances within the subterranean rock formation.

7 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein advancing a drilling assembly comprises modifying a trajectory of the drilling assembly based on the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of fluid.

8 . A system for use in sensing hydrocarbons in a subterranean rock formation, said system comprising:
a drilling assembly configured to advance within the subterranean rock formation, and configured to discharge a first fluid into the subterranean rock formation, wherein a second fluid flows past an exterior of the drilling assembly, said drilling assembly comprising:
a fluid sampling mechanism configured to sample at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid, thereby defining a sampled amount of fluid; and
at least one sensor configured to determine a hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of fluid.

9 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic sensor, a nuclear magnetic resonance sensor, an electrical impedance spectroscopy sensor, and an optical spectroscopy sensor.

10 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said at least one sensor is configured to determine a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the second fluid, wherein potential fracture initiation locations in the subterranean rock formation are identified when the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the second fluid is greater than a predetermined threshold.

11 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said at least one sensor is configured to:
determine a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the first fluid; and determine a hydrocarbon content of a sampled amount of the second fluid, wherein fracture initiation locations in the subterranean rock formation are identified when a difference in the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the first fluid when compared to the hydrocarbon content of the sampled amount of the second fluid is greater than a predetermined threshold.

12 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism is configured to sample additional amounts of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid at different locations within the subterranean rock formation as the drilling assembly advances within the subterranean rock formation.

13 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said drilling assembly comprises a sensing sub-assembly comprising:
a cylindrical body that comprises:
an internal flow channel extending therethrough, said internal flow channel configured to channel the first fluid therethrough; and
a sampling chamber defined therein, wherein said fluid sampling mechanism is configured to draw at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid into said sampling chamber.

14 . The system in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism is configured to alternatingly sample the first fluid and the second fluid within said sampling chamber.

15 . The system in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism comprises a piston selectively translatable within said sampling chamber.

16 . A sensing sub-assembly for use with a drilling assembly, said sensing sub-assembly comprising:
a cylindrical body comprising:
an internal flow channel extending therethrough, said internal flow channel configured to channel a first fluid therethrough; and
a sampling chamber defined therein, said sampling chamber coupled in flow communication with an ambient environment exterior of said cylindrical body, wherein a second fluid flows within the ambient environment;
a fluid sampling mechanism configured to draw the second fluid into said sampling chamber; and at least one sensor coupled within said cylindrical body, said at least one sensor configured to determine a hydrocarbon content of the second fluid within said sampling chamber.

17 . The sensing sub-assembly in accordance with claim 16 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism is configured to draw the first fluid into said sampling chamber when not filled with the second fluid, and said at least one sensor is configured to determine a hydrocarbon content of the first fluid within said sampling chamber.

18 . The sensing sub-assembly in accordance with claim 17 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism is configured to alternatingly sample the first fluid and the second fluid within said sampling chamber.

19 . The sensing sub-assembly in accordance with claim 16 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic sensor, a nuclear magnetic resonance sensor, an electrical impedance spectroscopy sensor, and an optical spectroscopy sensor.

20 . The sensing sub-assembly in accordance with claim 16 , wherein said fluid sampling mechanism comprises a piston selectively translatable within said sampling chamber.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Parkey Jr Dewey Lavonne
• Liao Yi
• Brazil Stewart
• Luht Richard

Classifications

• G01N33/2823

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title

• G01N1/14

  Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices · CPC title

• G01N2001/1427

  Positive displacement, piston, peristaltic · CPC title

• E21B7/04

  Directional drilling · CPC title

• E21B49/086 Primary

  Withdrawing samples at the surface · CPC title