Patent · US Active

Early kick detection in an oil and gas well

US8794062B2 · kind B2 · utility

34Cited by

31References

9Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Baker Hughes Holdings LLC · US

Inventors

Rocco DiFoggio · Houston, US
Douglas J. Patterson · Spring, US
Eric Molz · Houston, US
Volker Krueger · Celle, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 4, 2009
Grant date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 4, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01N2291/045
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A stepped reflector on the outside of a bottomhole assembly produces two reflections in response to excitation of a transducer. The velocity of the fluid in the borehole is estimated using the two reflections. Alternatively, a change in the gas content of the borehole fluid is estimated from changes in the electrical impedance of a transducer in contact with the borehole fluid.

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