Claims
- 1. A method for assessing water-based mud filtrate concentration in a downhole fluid sample drawn from the borehole of an oil well, comprising:
a) pumping a water-based mud having a water-soluble fluorescent dye tracer into the borehole; b) pumping sample fluid from a selected downhole location through a downhole flow line; c) illuminating sample fluid in an excitation region of the downhole flow line with fluorescence excitation light; and d) measuring fluorescence emission from the excitation region to produce a measured value representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in the sample fluid.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:
e) establishing a calibration value representing 100% water-based mud filtrate.
- 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the calibration value is established by pumping substantially 100% water-based mud filtrate through the downhole flow line and measuring fluorescence emission from the excitation region.
- 4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the calibration value is established by measuring fluorescence emission in a laboratory.
- 5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:
f) repeating b), c), and d) to produce a series of measured values representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in each of a series of downhole fluid samples; g) comparing each measured value of the series of measured values with a predetermined fraction of the calibration value; and h) validating a downhole fluid sample as having an acceptably low fraction of water-based mud filtrate when the measured value of the sample is less than the predetermined fraction of the calibration value.
- 6. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:
i) repeating b), c), and d) at intervals of time to produce time series data including a series of times, and a corresponding series of measured values representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in each of a series of downhole fluid samples; and j) using the time series data and a predetermined fraction of the calibration value to calculate a predicted flushing time to completion.
- 7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:
k) comparing calculated flushing time to completion with a predetermined acceptable time to completion.
- 8. A tool for assessing water-based mud filtrate concentration in a downhole fluid sample drawn from the borehole of an oil well containing water-based mud with a water-soluble fluorescent dye tracer, comprising:
an elongated body containing a flow line having a window, the flow line containing an excitation region proximate to the window; a pump configured to pump sample fluid from a selected downhole location through the flow line; means for illuminating sample fluid in the excitation region with fluorescence excitation light; and means for measuring fluorescence emission from the excitation region and producing a measured value representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in the sample fluid.
- 9. A tool according to claim 8, further comprising:
means for establishing a calibration value representing 100% water-based mud filtrate.
- 10. A tool according to claim 8, further comprising:
means for producing a series of measured values representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in each of a series of downhole fluid samples; means for comparing each measured value of the series of measured values with a predetermined fraction of a calibration value; and means for validating a downhole fluid sample as having an acceptably low fraction of water-based mud filtrate when the measured value of the sample is less than the predetermined fraction of the calibration value.
- 11. A tool according to claim 8, further comprising:
means for producing a series of measured values at intervals of time to produce time series data including a series of times, and a corresponding series of measured values representing the fraction of water-based mud filtrate in each of a series of downhole fluid samples; and means for using the time series data and a predetermined fraction of a calibration value to calculate a predicted flushing time to completion.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority to co-owned, co-pending U.S. provisional application no. 60/391,570, filed Jun. 26, 2002, entitled “Fluorescence Detection of Dew-Induced Liquid Films from Retrograde Condensates” and to co-owned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/305,878 filed Nov. 28, 2002, entitled “Method for Validating a Downhole Connate Water Sample”, which claimed priority to U.S. provisional application No. 60/333,890, filed Nov. 28, 2001, also entitled “Method for Validating a Downhole Connate Water Sample”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60391570 |
Jun 2002 |
US |