Absolute elemental concentrations from nuclear spectroscopy
US10061055B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 28, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V5/104
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Systems and methods for estimating absolute elemental concentrations of a subterranean formation from neutron-induced gamma-ray spectroscopy are provided. In one example, a system for estimating an absolute yield of an element in a subterranean formation may include a downhole tool and data processing circuitry. The downhole tool may include a neutron source to emit neutrons into the formation, a neutron monitor to detect a count rate of the emitted neutrons, and a gamma-ray detector to obtain gamma-ray spectra deriving at least in part from inelastic gamma-rays produced by inelastic scattering events and neutron capture gamma-rays produced by neutron capture events. The data processing circuitry may be configured to determine a relative elemental yield from the gamma-ray spectra and to determine an absolute elemental yield based at least in part on a normalization of the relative elemental yield to the count rate of the emitted neutrons.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.