Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for nuclear magnetic resonance measuring while drilling

US6268726A · kind A · utility

125Cited by
63References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 15, 1999
Grant dateJul 31, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N24/081
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An NMR measurement-while-drilling tool having the mechanical strength and measurement sensitivity to perform NMR measurements of an earth formation while drilling a borehole, and a method and apparatus for monitoring the motion of the measuring tool in order to take this motion into account when processing NMR signals from the borehole. The tool has a permanent magnet with a magnetic field direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the borehole, a steel collar of a non-magnetic material surrounding the magnet, antenna positioned outside the collar, and a soft magnetic material positioned in a predetermined relationship with the collar and the magnet that helps to shape the magnetic field of the tool. Due to the non-magnetic collar, the tool can withstand the extreme conditions in the borehole environment while the borehole is being drilled. Motion management apparatus and method are employed to identify time periods when the NMR measurements can be taken without the accuracy of the measurement being affected by the motion of the tool or its spatial orientation.

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