US2688369A - Formation tester - Google Patents

Description

Sept 7, 1954 o. T. BROYLES FORMATION TESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 16, 1949 VwwwWNWwmFw n Sept. 7, 1954 o. T. BRoYLEs FORMATION TESTER Filed June 16, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lill;

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Sept. 7, 1954 o. T. BRoYLEs FORMATION TESTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 16, 1949 INVENTOR.

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Patented Sept. 7, 1954 FORMATION TESTER Otis T. Broyles, Houston, Tex., assignor of onehalf to W. B. Taylor and one-fourth to Joseph R. Crump,

both of Houston, Tex.

Application June 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,500

13 Claims.

`This invention relates to an apparatus for testing oil wells and the like, and has for its general object the provision of a device to penetrate subterranean strata and to receive oil,

liquid or gaseous contents of such strata for,v

the purpose of analysis, test or production,

In the completion of oil and gas wells it frequently becomes necessary to test various strata traversed by the well bore for possible production of oil or gas, and normally such tests are,

made when the well bore is filled with drill fluid. In many cases the more porous formations which are penetrated are blocked o by the drilling mud due to the static pressure of the column of drilling mud, as well as by the pressure applied thereto during normal drilling operations. Thus it is desirable to provide an assembly which may be lowered into mud laden well bores to test Various strata traversed thereby in order to determine the -pore content thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a tester which is operable from the surface and which may effectively and efficiently test strata at any point in a well bore.

A further object is the provision of means on the tester operable from the surface to engage and penetrate the wall of the well bore, the latter which may be coated or walled-up with drilling mud, to receive uncontaminated pore content of the stratum being tested.

It is a particular feature of my invention to provide a device through which oil or gas may be produced continuously from the formation l being sampled, and, if desired, the device may be permitted to remain in the well bore to produce the Well.

Another object of the invention is the provision `of an apparatus which only seals off that portion of the formation being tested, and which automatically seals ofi such portion without utilizing an independent packer arrangement or packg er setting operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a tester fulfilling the above objects and having the noted features which tester consists of a minimum of parts, which is rugged and' simple in design and which may be manufactured and repaired easily and inexpensively.

A further feature of my invention is the pro- K vision of an apparatus which may be reset in the well bore to separately test Various formations'lf without removing the apparatus from the well bore.

Various further objects, features and advantages of my `apparatus for testing wells constituting the present invention will be apparent from a description of a preferred form or example of such apparatus, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the apparatus as it is lowered into the well bore;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 but shows the apparatus in testing position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view better illustrating the valve and pressure equalizing arrangement;

Figs. 4 and 5 are 'vertical sectional views of a modification of my tester, Fig. 4 showing the tester as it is lowered into or raised out of the well bore, and Fig. 5 illustrates the tester in uid sample taking position;

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 4 but the tester is rotated a quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 4 and better illustrates the passages for flow of pore fluid;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional View illustrating the valve arrangement associated with the stinger;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of the pressure equalizing valve showing. a modification of the fluid passage through the apparatus; and

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings where like references refer to like parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to Fig. 1, my tester comprises a body member or housing I Il which has the vertical bore I2 in its upper portion, the upper portion of the bore I2 threaded at ing I6. The lower end of the tool has the nose piece I8 threaded thereto and guide member 20 extends upwardly and outwardly along the lower portion of the tester to slidably guide the testing means 22 into and out of engagement with the formation as hereinafter described. As best seen in Fig. 9, the testing means 22 is movably secured to the lower end of the body IIJ, and, as illustrated, may be keyed or dovetailed thereto, as indicated at 2 I.

The tester is connected to an operating string of pipe 24, which extends to the surface, by means of the mandrel 26 whose lower end is outwardly flared at 28, thereby providing the annular upwardly facing stop shoulder 30 which engages the lower portion of the bushing I6 thereby permitting limited relative longitudinal movement between the tester and the mandrel.

being internally .titled Well Packer. the specific means of Inasmuch as the well bore normally is lled with drilling mud when making a test, and the static pressure thereof would tend to lock a single valve in position, pressure equalizing means are provided. Thus, the valve S2 and, as illustrated, the piston member 34 are disposed in the lower end 28 of the mandrel 26, and are connected by the cross-arm 36 which is pivotally secured to the lower end of the mandrel 2S by means of the lateral pin 38. An ear 40 depends from the cross-arm 36 and is normally held out of engagement with the hollow stop member 42 by means of the compression spring 44, both the latter being disposed in the lower portion of the bore i2.

The testing shoe 22 may be supported by the rest pin 23, which is secured in the nosepiece I8 but does not extend completely across the bottom of the nosepiece. As illustrated, the testing shoe 22 has an outer surface of compressible material 43, such as rubber, and has the probes 46 spaced therein which project beyond the surface material 43. The wall engaging surface 43 may be arcuate in configuration thereby providing a better sealing surface to the wall of the well bore when in engagement therewith. The probes 46 have the fluid passages 48 connecting to the fluid passage u in the shoe 22, which is connected to the flexible conduit 52 connecting with the fluid passage 54 in the body of the tester iii, which in turn communicates with the bore I2. The nexible conduit 52 is positioned beyond the free end of the pin 23 so that it may have free movement in following the testing shoe 22. The fluid passage 56 in the lower end 28 of the mandrel 26 is normally closed by means of the valve 32, which is held in closed position when the tester is suspended on the mandrel 26 by means of the ycompression spring 35 bearing against the annular flange 31 on the piston member 34, as better illustrated in Figure 3. Thus in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, as the tool is being lowered into or raised out of the well, the valve 32 will close the interconnecting fluid passages to the ow of fluid through the tester.

In order that the tester may be manipulated, it is necessary that means be provided for relative movement of the mandrel 26 and the tester body I6. This may be accomplished in many conventional ways, such as by the conventional J-slot arrangement used for setting packers, or the setting means described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 44,441, filed August 16, 1948, now Patent No. 2,605,845, en-

It is to be understood that providing relative movement in order to operate my tester is not part of this invention, that several such means constitute separate invention and applications therefor are being filed, and the specific means for setting the tester hereinafter described is illustrative only of one means of providing the relative movement between the mandrel and body of the tester.

As shown in Fig. 1 a cage 66 is slidably disposed on the mandrel 26 and has secured to its upper end the outwardly bowed spring members 62, commonly called wiper springs, which are free at their lower ends and latch against the upwardly facing shoulder 64 at the lower end of the tubular unlatching sleeve 66 slidable on the mandrel 26.

A tubular latching sleeve 68 is slidable on the sleeve 66 and has secured at its upper end the inwardly bowed spring latches 69 which engage the annular notch 10 disposed about and proxi- 4 mate the upper end of the mandrel 26. A ring member 12 is slidable on the mandrel 26 above the cage 60 and has secured thereto the belt or strap 13, the lower end of which is secured to the testing shoe 22. In the position illustrated in Fig. 1, as the tool is being lowered or raised in the well, the shoe 22 will rest on rest pin 23 laterally disposed in the nose piece I8, and a stop member 21 in the form of a coupling is provided on the mandrel 26 for a purpose apparent later.

In operation the tool is connected to the lower end of an operating string 24 and lowered into a well bore. The tool may be lowered to the desired formation to be tested in the bore hole which normally will be full of drilling mud of fluid. After the tool has been lowered to the desired position to make a test, an upward pull on the operating string 24 will move the mandrel 26 upwardly with respect to the cage 60, inasmuch as wiper springs 62 will frictionally engage the inner wall of the well bore. The stop member 21 will engage the lower portion of the unlatching sleeve 66 thereby unlatching the sleeve and causing the wiper springs 62 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2. This unlatching will permit the sleeve 66 to move upwardly thereby moving latching springs 69 outwardly and unlatching the mandrel 26. The operating string may then be lowered, and the sleeve 66 will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and thereby permit the mandrel 26 to be lowered, the annular notch 16 passing below the latches 69. The ring 12 will remain in an uppermost position because of the engagement with the cage 66 and upon continued lowering of the operating string 24 the belt 'i3 will cause testing shoe 2|] to move up along the guide 20 until the shoe engages the wall of the well bore. Continued lowering of the operating string will tend to wedge the shoe 22 into the formation thereby compressing the packing 43 and permitting the probes 46 to engage and penetrate into the formation to be tested. 'Ihis wedging action will also x the tester against any additional downward movement, and continued lowering of the operating string 24 will compress the compression spring 44 until the ear 46 engages the stop member 42 thereby opening the valve 32. Thus uncontaminated pore fluid of the formation is free to enter the probes 46 and the fluid passages will permit the pore content to ow through the probes, tester shoe, body and valve arrangement up into the interior of the mandrel 26 and up through the interior of the operating string 24 to the surface of the ground.

After a test has been completed an upward pull on the operating string will disengage the testing shoe 22 from the formation andthe tool may be brought out of the well bore to the surface. If desired, however, the operating string may be moved upwardly a short distance so that the stop 21 does not engage the bottom of the sleeve 66 and the tool will be relatched in the position illustrated in Fig. 1. The tool may then be lowered and a further test made of any formation desired.

In the event the tester will not readily disengage from the formation a shear ring I3 is provided between the flared portion 28 of the mandrel 26 and the bushing I6. A strong upward pull will shear this ring, and clutch members (not shown) are provided on the shoulder 3E! and the lower end of the bushing I6 so that the tester may be rotated out of the hole. The shear ring may be formed of any satisfactory material which will shear at a predetermined tension, suchas metal and the like. After the shear ring I3 has been sheared, engagement of the clutch membersinot shown) will compress the sheared shear ring therebetween thereby permitting engagement of the clutch membersso that rotation may be transmitted and the bushing I6 unthreaded so that the mandrel 26 and associated parts may be removed. Ordinarily, it is desirable to have the tester free to rotate or float on the lower end of the mandrel.l As illustrated all parts are packed off by means of suitable packing, such as O-rings.

A modified form of my tester is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive. In general a pivoted stinger to penetrate the formation is employed and linked to the pressure valve vassembly to pivot the stinger into the formation.v

Referring to Figure 4, the body I is threadedly secured directly to the operating string 24 by means of the threads I5 and the body member or housing I0' has the inverted or substantially L-shaped vertical slot II therein.

A laterally disposed pin ZI' is provided at the lower endrof the tester body I0' and pivotally secures the stinger 23' to the lower end of the tool.

As illustrated, the stinger is of elongated cylindrical configuration tapering to a sharp point at its lower end, the latter having an outwardly converging end in the direction of movement toward the formation to be tested.

The vertical bore I2' forms a piston chamber 25 in the upper end of the tool and the hollow piston 21' is looselytted and works therein to actuate the pressure equalizing piston members 32 and 34', respectively, slidably disposed in the vertical cylindrical piston openings 29 and 3l, respectively in the upper part of the body Il. The piston members 32' and 34' move in opposite directions simultaneously and this is advantageous inasmuch as the well bore normally is filled with drilling mud when making a test, and the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud would tend to lock a single piston in position. By providing simultaneous and opposite movement of the piston members 32' and 34' the hydrostatic pressure is equalized on all parts of the piston arrangement thereby permitting it to move in either direction readily. An ear 39 is provided proximate the lower portion of the piston 21' and engages the upper end of the piston member 32. Suitable linkage is provided toV interconnect the piston members and the stinger, and, as illustrated, consists of a crossarm 36 pivotally connected to the tester I0' in the upper portion of slot I2' by means of the pin 38, the ends of which arm are pivotally secured `to the lower ends of piston members 32' and 34'.

A substantially vertical arm 39 is secured to one end of the cross-arm 36 and is pivotally connected to upstanding ear 4I disposed at the upper end of the stinger 23. Thus as the piston member arrangement is manipulated, by means of the linkage shown,the stinger member 23' will pivot on pin 2 I and will be urged into the formation as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In order to receive a uid sample of the pore content of the formation being tested, fluid passages 45 and 4'I are provided in the stinger 23', the latter being in alignment with fluid passage 49 in pin 2I' when the tester is in fluid sample taking position as illustrated in Fig. 5. To aid in properly aligning these passages a stop shoulder 5I is provided at the upper end of the stinger 23' which engages the downwardly facingstp shoulder 53 disposed at the lower end of the body I0 thereby providing a stop for the lateral movement of the. stinger.` A iiuid passage 551s provided in the pin 2|' in communication with fluid passage 51 in the body of the tester, the latter communicating with piston chamber 25, whereby fluid may flow through the tester, about and through the loosely-fitting piston 2l and on up into the interior passageway of the operating string of pipe 24 to the surface of the ground.

Fig. 7 better illustrates the valve arrangement to bring the fluid conduits 41 and 43 intoand out of alignment in order to close the fluid passages. To provide an effective seal between the pin 2I and the stinger 23', the packing 59 is firmly held against the stinger by means of the compression spring 6I disposedin the annular recess 63 in the pin 2|'. A fluid passage 65 communicates with the recess 63 to equalize the pressure of the drilling mud on the packing element 59. As illustrated the parts are suitably packedoff.

. In order to actuate the tool, the jars 61 are lowered by means of the cable 69 inside the pipe 24 andthe jars are worked up and down to hammer piston 27 into a downward position thereby actuating the pressure equalizing piston members 32 and 34', and, by means of vthe linkage shown, thereby urging the stinger 23' into the formation.

In operation this modification of `my apparatus for testing is threaded to the lower end of .a string of pipe 24 and lowered into the bore hole. The bore hole is normally lled with mud, and at any point where it may be'desired to makera test, the jars 67 are Alowered and piston 2l is hammered from the position shownin Fig. 4 to that illustrated in Fig. 5 thereby manipulating the stinger 23 into the side of the bore hole. When the stinger 23 is in sample taking position as shown in Fig. 5, fluid passages 41 and 49 are brought into alignment and the pore content of the formation being tested may flow through the fluid passages up through the interior passageway of the pipe 24. In order. that the uid from the formation will not be contaminated with drilling mud, I have provided a sealing element 'Il of suitable flexible material, such as rubber, to seal off that Vportion of the formation being penetrated by the stinger. The addition of this sealing element, however, is not necessary to the operation of my tester.

An upward pull on the string of pipe I3 will remove the stinger from the formation and cause it to approach the position shown in the Fig. 4. The apparatus may be removed from the well bore or lowered to make another test.

A still further modification of my invention is shown in Fig.' 8.1 In this embodiment the fluid passage 51 will be in communication' with the fluid passage I5 in the piston member 32' when the tester is in uid sample taking position. The ear 39 has the iiuid passage I'I registering with the passage I5 whereby the iiuid is permitted to flow' up into the interior of pipe 24 to the surface. The operation and remaining parts of this modification are the same as in the above described alternative form and no further ldescription is believed to be necessary.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that I have developed an apparatus which will accomplish the objects set forth, and while the particular forms of my invention herein described are well adapted to carry out the objects 7 of the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may vbe made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. yAn apparatus for testing a well hole, when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body, .formation-engaging means movably mounted on said body, interconnecting fluid passages in said body and in said formation-engaging means establishing fluid communication with the interior of the string of pipe, pressure-equalizing means in the body including a pair of members linked together and adapted to move in opposite directions upon movement of one such member, a valve associated and movable with one such member normally closing said interconnecting passages, and means to urge such formationengaging means into engagement vnth a side of said well hole and to move one of said pair of members and thereby to move the valve to open position.

2. An apparatus for testing a well hole when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body, formation-engaging means movabhw mounted on thev lower portion of the body, interconnecting iuid passages in the body and in the formationengaging means establishing fluid communication with the interior of the string of pipe, pressure-equalizing means in the body including a pair of members linked together and .adapted to move in opposite directions upon movement of one such member, a Valve associated and movable with one such member normally closing said interconnecting passages, and means to urge such formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of the well hole and to move one of .said pair of members and thereby move the valve to open position.

3, An apparatus for testing a well hole when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body .having a chamber in its upper end, a hollow mandrel having its lower end extending downwardly into and reciprocally mounted in said chamber, such mandrel having means at its upper end for attachment to the string of pipe, formation-engaging means movably mounted on said body, means to urge such formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of said well hole, interconnecting fluid passages in said body, in said formation-engaging means and in said mandrel establishing uid communication with the interior of said hollow mandrel, stop means in the body below the lower end of the mandrel, a valve means in the body disposed between the lower end of the mandrel and the stop means, said valve means normally closing said interconnecting uid passages but engageable by said stop means on relative movement of said mandrel and body to be actuated to open position.

4. An apparatus for testing a well hole, when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body having a chamber in its upper end, a hollow mandrel having its lower end extending downwardly into and reciprocally mounted in said chamber, such mandrel having means at its upper end for attachment to the string of pipe, formation-engaging means movably mounted on said body, means to urge such formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of said well hole, interconnecting fluid passages in said body, in said formation-engaging means and in said mandrel establishing fluid communication with the interior of said hollow mandrel, valve means disposed in ythe lower end of the mandrel normally closing CIK the interconnecting fluid passage in the mandrel. and stop means in the body below the mandrel engageable by said valve means on relative movement of said mandrel and said body for actuating said valve means to open position.

5. An apparatus for testing a well hole, when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body. having a chamber in its upper end, a hollow mandrel having its lower end extending downwardly into and reciprocally mounted in said chamber, such mandrel having means at its upper end for attachment to the string of pipe, formation-engaging means movably mounted on said body, interconnecting fluid passages in said body, in said formation-engaging means and in said mandrel for establishing uid `communication with the interior of such hollow mandrel, valve means in said body and below said mandrel normally closing said interconnecting fluid passages, stop means in said body below said valve means engageable by said valve means on downward movement of said `mandrel for opening said valve means, and means to urge the formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of the well hole on downward movement of such mandrel and body thereby anchoring said body in said well hole, said valve means engaging the stop member on subsequent downward movement of the mandrel relative to the body thereby opening the valve means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including resilient means in said body engaging the lower end of said mandrel yieldably preventing downward movement of said mandrel relative to said body.

'7. An apparatus for testing a well hole, when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body having a chamber in its upper end, a hollow mandrel having its lower end extending downwardly into and reciprocally mounted in said chamber, such mandrel having means at its upper end for attachment to the string of pipe, formation-engaging means movably mounted on said pipe, interconnecting iluid passages in said body, in said formation-engaging means and in said mandrel establishing fluid communication with the interior of such hollow mandrel, stop means in the body below the mandrel, valve means in the body between the stop means and the lower end of the mandrel normally 4closing said interconnecting fluid passages, and yieldable means engaging the lower end of said mandrel and said stop means yieldably restraining said mandrel and said body against relative movement, and means to urge such formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of the well hole on downward movement of said mandrel and said body thereby anchoring said body in said well hole, said yieldable means yielding and said valve means engaging said stop means on subsequent downward movement of said mandrel relative to the body thereby opening the valve means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including an inclined member proximate the lower end of said body upon which such formation engaging means is movably mounted and adapted to move along into engagement with the side of the well bore.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 including an inclined member proximate the lower end of the body and where the formation engaging means includes an inclined surface slidably mounted on such inclined guide, compressible wall engaging vmeans adapted to be compressed against a wall of the well hole, a plurality of probes spaced in said formation engaging means and extending beyond said compressible wall engaging means and adapted to engage and penetrate said wall as said compressible Wall engaging means is compressed against said wall, and fluid passages in said probes connected to said interconnecting passages to admit pour fluid thereinto.

10. Apparatus of claim 1 where the formation engaging means comprises, an elongated member, at least one pointed probe on said member, and sealing means disposed on said member and adapted to engage and seal off a portion of said well hole being tested.

11. An apparatus for testing a well hole when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body, a probe movably mounted on said body, interconnecting uid passages in said body and in said probe establishing huid communication with the interior of such string of pipe, pressure-equalizing means in said body including a pair of members mounted to move in opposite directions upon movement of one such member, a valve member associated and movable with one of such members normally closing said interconnecting fluid passages, and means to urge such probe into engagement with a side of said well hole and to move one of said pressure-equalizing members and thereby open said valve member.

12. An apparatus for testing a well hole, when attached to a string of pipe, including, a body having a chamber in its upper end, a hollow mandrel having its lower end extending downwardly into and reciprocally mounted in said chamber, such mandrel having means at its upper end for attachment to the string of pipe, formation-engaging means movably mounted on said body, interconnecting uid passages in said body, in said formation-engaging means and in said mandrel establishing uid communication with the interior of such hollow mandrel, stop means in said body below the lower end of said mandrel, pressure-equalizing means disposed in said body between said stop means and the lower end of said mandrel, said p'ressure-equalizing means including a pair of piston members linked together and adapted to move in opposite directions on movement of one such member, stop means in the body engageable by one of said piston members for moving the piston members in opposite directions, Valve means on one of said members normally closing said interconnecting fluid passages but adapted to be actuated to open position by movement of said piston members, and means to urge the formation-engaging means into engagement with a side of the Well on downward movement of such mandrel and body and thereby anchor said body in said well hole, one of said piston members engaging said stop member on subsequent downward movement of said mandrel relative to said body thereby opening said valve means.

13. An apparatus for testing a well hole when attached to a string of pipe, comprising, a body, a probe movably mounted on said body, seal means disposed about said probe, said probe constructed and arranged to engage and seal a portion only of a side of the well hole, interconnecting fluid passages in the probe and in the body establishing fluid communication with the interior of the string of pipe, pressure-equalizing means in the body including a pair of members linked together and adapted to move in opposite directions on movement of one such member, a valve associated and movable with one such member normally closing said interconnecting uid passages, and means to urge the probe into engagement with the portion of the side of the well hole and to move one of said pair of members and thereby move the valve to open position.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent

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