Microfluidic oscillating tube densitometer for downhole applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341059-B2
Application number	US-49371709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2009
Priority date	Apr 15, 2009
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems for determining one or more properties of at least one fluid sample. A tube configured to receive the at least one fluid sample wherein the tube is placed in a pressure housing. Further, an excitation source configured to generate vibration of the tube whereby a circulation of an electrical current along a portion of the tube is subjected to at least one magnetic field produced by at least one magnet. Further still, at least one vibration sensor that converts vibrations of the tube into a measurement signal. Finally, a processor that receives the measurement signal determines a resonant frequency from the measurement signal using a frequency measuring device to determine a property of the one or more properties of the at least one sample fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A logging tool for determining a property of a fluid sample, the logging tool comprising:
a pressure housing;
a fluid sampling device comprising a probe configured to establish fluid communication with a formation and to draw the fluid sample into the logging tool; and
a device for determining a property of a fluid sample disposed within the pressure housing, the device comprising:
a tube in fluid communication with the fluid sampling device;
a current source configured to pass an electrical current along a portion of the tube, wherein the portion of the tube that passes the electrical current is electrically isolated from the fluid sampling device;
at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field to the portion of the tube, wherein the magnetic field generates vibration within the tube when the electrical current passes along the portion of the tube;
a sensor configured to generate a measurement signal by measuring an electromagnetic force voltage that is induced within the tube; and

a processor that receives the measurement signal and determines the property of the fluid sample using the measurement signal.

2. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tube is disposed around an axis of the at least one magnet and the tube bisects a height of the at least one magnet.

3. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is structured and arranged to be approximate to 35 percent or more of an overall length of the tube filled with the fluid sample.

4. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises at least one bend.

5. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tube vibrates at a frequency characteristic of the property of the fluid sample.

6. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the property of the fluid sample comprises density, bubble point, thermodynamic phase, or some combination thereof.

7. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the fluid sample is less than 100 microliters.

8. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the fluid sample includes a suspended solid, a gel, or some combination thereof.

9. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the device determines the property of the fluid sample while the fluid sample is stationary within the tube.

10. The logging tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter configured to filter the fluid sample prior to entry into the tube.

11. The logging tool of claim 10 , wherein the filter includes a microporous membrane that separates the fluid sample from aqueous mud filtrate.

12. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the device operates in one or more modes of vibration.

13. The logging tool of claim 12 , wherein a first mode of vibration produces an up and down motion, a second mode of vibration produces a side to side motion, and a third mode of vibration produces a torsional motion.

14. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the logging tool comprises at least one of a sampling-while-drilling tool, a logging-while-drilling tool and a wireline tool.

15. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the pressure housing is configured to (i) protect the tube from an external pressure and (ii) electrically isolate the tube from stray external impedances.

16. The logging tool of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor for sensing at least one of:
a temperature of the fluid sample,
a pressure of the fluid sample, and
a temperature of the tube.

17. The logging tool of claim 16 , wherein the second sensor is in physical contact with the tube.

18. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein an amplitude peak of the induced electromagnetic force voltage is equal to or less than 100 millivolts.

19. The logging tool of claim 18 , wherein the induced electro-magnetic force voltage is amplified by a factor of 100 to 1,000 before being processed by the processor.

20. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet is structured and arranged to be approximate to 50 percent or more of an overall length of the tube filled with the fluid sample so as to provide for an increased magnetic field resulting in an increase in accuracy of the device.

21. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the current source generates vibration of the tube by alternating a direction of the electrical current with time.

22. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the current source is physically in contact with the tube.

23. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a rectangular shape.

24. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tube has a cavity with an internal cavity volume equal to or less than 1000 microliters.

25. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of:
(i) a vibration frequency response of the tube,
(ii) a vibration amplitude of the tube,
(iii) a temperature of the at least one fluid sample,
(iv) a temperature of the tube,
(v) one or more temperatures of the device,
(vi) one or more pressures of the device, and
(vii) one or more exterior pressures of the device.

26. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to store at least one of:
(i) a previously recorded pressure measurement of the at least one fluid,
(ii) a previously recorded temperature measurement of the at least one fluid,
(iii) a previously recorded temperature of the tube,
(iv) one or more previously recorded temperatures and pressure of the device,
(v) one or more previously recorded historical data of one or more boreholes, and
(vi) other previously recorded oilfield application data.

27. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines the property of the fluid sample using a temperature measurement and a pressure measurement.

28. The logging tool of claim 27 , wherein the temperature measurement is at least one of: a temperature of the tube and a temperature of the fluid sample.

29. The logging tool of claim 27 , wherein the pressure measurement is at least one of: a pressure within the tube and a pressure of the fluid sample.

30. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein each end of the tube is secured by a holding device.

31. The logging tool of claim 30 , wherein the holding device comprises a plurality of blocks and each end of the tube is clamped between the blocks.

32. The logging tool of claim 31 , wherein the holding device comprises an insulating material that insulates each end of the tube from the plurality of blocks.

33. The logging tool of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of blocks is secured to a plate and an insulating material insulates the plurality of blocks from the plate.

34. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool is configured to operate at temperatures above 150° C.

35. The logging tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool is configured to operate at temperatures above 15,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

36. A method for measuring one or more properties of at least one fluid sample in a surface environment or a subterranean environment, the method comprising:
a) receiving at least one fluid sample into a hollow structure positioned within a pressure housing, wherein the hollow structure has an internal fluid volume equal to or less than 1000 microliters;
b) vibrating the hollow structu

Assignees

• Harrison Christopher
• Coleou Chloe
• Grant Bill
• Jundt Jacques
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Harrison Christopher
• Coleou Chloe
• Grant Bill
• Jundt Jacques

Classifications

• E21B2049/085

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B49/08 Primary

  Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells · CPC title

• G01N29/02

  Analysing fluids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 {; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425}) · CPC title

• G01N9/002 Primary

  using variation of the resonant frequency of an element vibrating in contact with the material submitted to analysis (G01N9/34 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/74

  of fluids (G01N24/00 takes precedence) · CPC title