Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for detecting the presence of gas in a borehole flow stream

US5167149A · kind A · utility

90Cited by
10References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 28, 1990
Grant dateDec 1, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/43
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A borehole apparatus detects the presence of gas within a formation fluid sample. A light source transmits light rays to an interface between the fluid sample and the flow line. The interface reflects the light rays toward a detector array. The detector array detects light rays having angles of incidences extending from less than the Brewster angle to more than the critical angle for gas. A data base stores information concerning the Brewster angle and critical angle of gas for a plurality of gas volume categories. A processor determines the percentage of gas present in the formation fluid sample and categorizes the fluid sample as high gas, medium gas, low gas, and no gas based on the signal from the detector array and the information from the data base.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.