Reducing effects of conductive mud on single-well ranging
US10656301B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2016 |
| Grant date | May 19, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 17, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B47/26
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An example downhole tool for determining ranging parameters involves placing a guard electrode between a survey electrode and a return electrode where the survey electrode and the return electrode are separated by a gap subs. A fixed, predictable, and stable path for the survey current is formed that is independent of the conductivity of the mud or conductive targets resulting in a formation current that may be used to estimate the direction, orientation or distance of a conductive target. The formation current is then a stable current that excites a conductive target in the same way regardless of the conductivity of the mud so as to obtain a mud-independent reference signal in single-well ranging.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.