High-contrast ultraviolet fluorescence imaging systems and methods for pixel-level detection of crude oil in drill cuttings
US12307642B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 25, 2023 |
| Grant date | May 20, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 25, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/20084
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for imaging drill cuttings, which employ a UV source including a UV LED, which is configured to illuminate a sample volume with UV radiation that interacts with oil-bearing cuttings to cause fluorescence emission. A camera system is configured to capture at least one image of the cuttings based on fluorescence emission. In another aspect, methods are provided for characterizing oil content in drill cuttings that involve capturing at least one WE image of the cuttings illuminated by white light, capturing at least one UV image of the cuttings based on fluorescence emission from UV radiation, processing the at least one WE image to determine a first pixel count for all cuttings, processing the at least one UV image to determine a second pixel count for oil-bearing cuttings, and determining a parameter representing oil content of the cuttings based on the first and second pixel counts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.