Method and apparatus for a mid-infrared (MIR) system for real time detection of petroleum in colloidal suspensions of sediments and drilling muds during drilling operations, logging and production operations
US8445841B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 2011 |
| Grant date | May 21, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/552
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A first waveguide has a top face positioned in an oil well borehole for wetting by returning drilling mud from a drill bit as drilling progresses. A second waveguide is positioned in the borehole for wetting by new drilling mud being pumped to the drill bit. MIR light rays are fed from an MIR light source into the first and second waveguides for causing evanescent waves to be generated by each waveguide for reacting with the molecules of the associated drilling mud, respectfully, whereby a modulated optical signal representative of spectra of components and particles in the associated drilling mud, respectively, are emitted from each waveguide. The modulated optical signals are converted to electrical signals, subtracted from one another to remove common mode signals, and passed into a processor programmed for extracting the spectra hydrocarbon components contained in the returning drilling mud as the result of the drilling activity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.