FLUID MULTISAMPLE CAPTURING WITH TRANSLATING MEMBER

FIELD

Implementations of the inventive subject matter relate generally to the field of downhole formation fluids sampling and more particularly to the field of downhole formation fluid sampling assemblies with a translating member.

BACKGROUND

In hydrocarbon recovery operations, samples of formation fluid from the subsurface formation may be obtained to assist in characterizing the formation fluids. Downhole tools may be utilized to capture the fluid samples. For example, the downhole tools may be configured to pump formation fluid into the downhole tool and capture fluid samples in vessels within the downhole tool. The downhole tool may then deliver the captured fluid samples back to the surface, via the vessels, for further analysis. Isolating the fluid samples into the vessels may be performed by various methods such as electrically actuating a valve, hydraulically actuating a valve, mechanically displacing a vessel, etc. The downhole tools may be configured to capture multiple fluid samples. For example, the downhole tools may include multiple vessels such that each vessel may capture a fluid sample from a respective position in the subsurface formation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure may be better understood by referencing the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A-1B are schematics of exemplary systems for a downhole tool, according to some implementations.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in an initial state, according to some implementations.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in an operating state, according to some implementations.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in a destination state, according to some implementations.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting example operations for operating a downhole tool to obtain fluid samples, according to some implementations.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting an example computer, according to some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

The description that follows includes example systems, methods, techniques, and program flows that embody aspects of the disclosure. However, it is understood that this disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. For instance, this disclosure refers to a downhole tool segment configured with one or more rods and a translating member. Aspects of this disclosure may also be applied to any other configuration of components in the downhole tool to obtain formation fluid samples. In other instances, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obfuscate the description.

Example implementations related to obtaining fluid samples of formation fluid in from a subsurface formation. Fluid samples of a subsurface formation may be captured and analyzed for further analysis, modeling, etc. to assist in hydrocarbon recovery operations. To obtain fluid samples, a downhole tool may be configured with a vessel to store said samples. The vessel may be attached to the outlet of a pump which, upon being filled with pressurized formation fluid, may actuate to close, thus containing the fluid sample in the vessel for delivery to surface. Conventional approaches may isolate the fluid sample into vessels via electrically and/or hydraulically actuated valves. However, each vessel may have a corresponding valve. Accordingly, each valve may require independent electrical actuation, thus resulting in duplicating components when scaling to large sample quantities (i.e., multiple vessels on the downhole tool). The duplication of components in the downhole tool may limit the number of vessels that may be on the downhole tool due to limited space in the wellbore/on the downhole tool, cost, electrical infrastructure, etc.

In some implementations, a downhole tool may be configured to allow a multitude of samples to be mutually isolated with a single motor. A downhole tool may include one or more rods configured for obtaining fluid samples of the formation fluid. Each rod may be configured with a cavity for storing and isolating a fluid sample. In some implementations, the downhole tool may include a translating member configured to actuate each rod. A motor may translate the translating member upon a threaded rod to sequentially shift each rod from an open position to a closed position by physically contacting each rod. When shifted to the closed position, the fluid sample of the formation fluid may be isolated in the cavity of the respective rod. In some implementations, the number of fluid samples may be increased while no additional electrically actuated components are needed. This may permit the downhole tool to increase the maximum possible fluid samples captured with a downhole tool section. For example, the single motor and translating member may be capable of actuating a single rod or multiple rods without any additional components. The number or rods may only be limited by practical length and/or strength of the threaded rod upon which the translating member may translate and also the electrical infrastructure to power the motor. Additionally, the configuration of the rods may result in smaller volumes fluid samples relative to conventional approaches, which may be safer as the downhole tool traverses the wellbore and/or the samples are retrieved from the downhole tool after returning to the surface.

Example System

FIGS. 1A-1B are schematics of exemplary systems for a downhole tool, according to some implementations. FIG. 1A depicts an example drilling system 100. A drilling platform 102 supports a derrick 104 having a traveling block 106 for raising and lowering a drill string 108. A kelly 110 supports the drill string 108 as it is lowered through a rotary table 112. A drill bit 114 is driven by a downhole motor and/or rotation of the drill string 108. As the drill bit 114 rotates, it creates a wellbore 116 that passes through various subsurface formations 118. A pump 120 circulates drilling fluid through a feed pipe 122 to the kelly 110, downhole through the interior of the drill string 108, through orifices in the drill bit 114, back to the surface via the annulus around the drill string 108, and into a retention pit 124. The drilling fluid transports cuttings from the borehole into the retention pit 124 and aids in maintaining the borehole integrity.

A downhole tool 126 can be integrated into the bottom-hole assembly near the drill bit 114. The downhole tool 126 may collect fluid samples at one or more locations in the subsurface formations. The downhole tool 126 may include one or more rods that, when actuated by a translating member, may capture fluid samples from one or more locations in the wellbore 116.

For purposes of communication, a downhole telemetry sub 128 can be included in the bottom-hole assembly to transfer measurement data to a surface receiver 130 and to receive commands from the surface. Mud pulse telemetry is one common telemetry technique for transferring tool measurements to surface receivers and receiving commands from the surface, but other telemetry techniques can also be used. In some embodiments, the downhole telemetry sub 128 can store logging data for later retrieval at the surface when the logging assembly is recovered.

At the surface, the surface receiver 130 can receive the uplink signal from the downhole telemetry sub 128 and can communicate the signal to a data acquisition module 132. The data acquisition module 132 can include one or more processors, storage mediums, input devices, output devices, software, etc. The data acquisition module 132 can collect, store, and/or process the data received from the bottom hole assembly.

At various times during the drilling process, the drill string 108 may be removed from the wellbore 116 as shown in FIG. 1B. FIG. 1B depicts an example wireline system 101 with a wireline tool 134 positioned in the wellbore 116 after the drill string 108 is removed.

Once the drill string has been removed, logging operations can be conducted using a wireline tool 134 (i.e., a sensing instrument sounded suspended by a cable 142 having conductors for transporting power to the tool and telemetry from the tool to the surface). The wireline tool 134 may have pads and/or centralizing springs to maintain the tool near the central axis of the borehole or to bias the tool towards the borehole wall as the tool is moved downhole or uphole. The wireline tool 134 can also include one or more navigational packages for determining the position, inclination angle, horizontal angle, and rotational angle of the tool. Such navigational packages can include, for example, accelerometers, magnetometers, and/or sensors. In some embodiments, a surface measurement system (not shown) can be used to determine the depth of the wireline tool 134. In some implementations, the wireline tool 134 may include a fluid sampling assembly configured to capture samples of the formation fluid at one or more positions in the wellbore 116. Once the desired fluid samples are captured, the wireline tool 134 may return to the surface to deliver that captured fluid samples.

The drilling system 100 and/or the wireline system 101 includes a computer 190 that may be communicatively coupled to other parts of the drilling system 100 and/or wireline system 101. Additionally, the computer 190 may be communicatively coupled to other systems such as an intervention system (not pictured). The computer 190 may be local or remote to the drilling system 100 and/or the wireline system 101. A processor of the computer 190 may have perform commands (as further described below) that position the downhole tool in the wellbore 166. In some implementations, the processor of the computer 190 may control a translating member within the downhole tool to shift rods from an open position to a closed position, capturing fluid samples of the formation fluid from one or more positions in the wellbore 116. An example of the computer 190 is depicted in FIG. 6, which is further described below.

Although FIGS. 1A and 1B depict specific borehole configurations, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is equally well suited for use in wellbores having other orientations including vertical wellbores, horizontal wellbores, slanted wellbores, multilateral wellbores and the like. Also, even though FIGS. 1A and 1B depict an onshore operation, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is equally well suited for use in offshore operations. Moreover, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the environments depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and can also be used, for example, in other well operations such as non-conductive production tubing operations, jointed tubing operations, coiled tubing operations, combinations thereof, and the like.

Example Downhole Tool

Examples of a downhole tool are now described.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in an initial state, according to some implementations. In particular, FIG. 2 depicts a downhole tool segment 200 of a downhole tool configured with fluid sampling assemblies to obtain fluid samples of formation fluid in a wellbore. A fluid sampling assembly may include a cartridge and a rod, such as cartridge 210 and rod 220. The downhole tool segment 200 depicted in FIG. 2 may be at least a portion of a downhole tool (such as downhole tool 126 or wireline tool 134 of FIG. 1) positioned in a wellbore.

The downhole tool segment 200 may consist of a tool body 202 with an interior 204 area and an exterior 206 area of the tool body 202. In some implementations, the interior 204 and/or the exterior 206 may be filled with a compensated fluid, such as hydraulic oil. In some implementations, the pressure of the fluid in the interior 204 may be approximately equivalent to the pressure of the fluid in the exterior 206 such that the pressure differential across the tool body 202 is approximately zero.

The tool body 202 may include a fluid passage 208. The fluid passage 208 may include formation fluid obtained from the subsurface formation. For example, when positioned in a wellbore, the downhole tool may obtain formation fluid and pump it to the fluid passage 208. In some implementations, the formation fluid may include one or more fluids such as oil, water, and gas.

One or more removable cartridges, such as cartridge 210 may be positioned in the tool body 202. A fluid inlet/outlet 216, configured between an upper cartridge seal 212 and a lower cartridge seal 214, may allow the formation fluid in the fluid passage 208 to flow to components in the cartridge 210 and flow to other fluid sampling assemblies that may be in hydraulic communication with the fluid passage 208. The upper cartridge seal 212 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the exterior 206 and the fluid passage 208. The lower cartridge seal 214 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the interior 204 and the fluid passage 208. The cartridge 210 may be configured with a bore 218. In some implementations, the bore 218 may be configured to be isolated from the fluid inlet/outlet 216.

A rod 220 may be positioned in the bore 218 of the cartridge 210. The rod 220 may be configured with a storage cavity 222 for potential formation fluid storage. When the rod 220 is in an open position, the storage cavity 222 may be in hydraulic communication with the fluid passage 208 such that formation fluid may enter the storage cavity 222. Additionally, when the rod 220 is in the open position, the fluid passage may be in hydraulic communication with other rods. For example, if the formation fluid flows in the fluid passage 208 from an uphole end 201 (i.e., the direction of the wellbore returning to the surface) of the downhole tool towards a downhole end 203 of the downhole tool, rods 240 and 260 may still hydraulically communicate with the fluid passage 208 as formation fluid flows through the fluid passage 208 when the rod 220 is in the open position. An upper cavity seal 224 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the exterior 206 and the storage cavity 222. Additionally, a lower cavity seal 226 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the a clearance 228 and the storage cavity 222. In some implementations, additional seals may be added on either side of the storage cavity 222 for additional contamination resistance. Additionally, and/or alternatively, additional storage cavities may be added on either side of the storage cavity 222 for additional contamination resistance. A lower rod seal 227 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the interior 204 and the clearance 228. Any of the sealing elements within the cartridge 210 and the rod 220 (such as upper cavity seal 224, upper cartridge seal 212, lower rod seal 227, etc.) may include material such as elastomer, plastic, metal, etc.

The downhole tool may include a motor 230 within the interior 204 of the downhole tool and configured to drive a threaded rod 232. The threaded rod 232 may be a screw, a planetary roller screw, a ball screw, etc. When rotated by the motor 230, the threaded rod 232 may move a threaded nut 234 along the threaded rod 232. A translating member 236 may be coupled with the threaded nut 234 such that the translating member 236 may move through the interior 204 upon the threaded rod 232. The translating member 236 may be configured such that it is prohibited from rotating with respect to the tool body about the threaded rod 232, but may be free to translate along the threaded rod 232, via the threaded nut 234. In some implementations, the translating member 236 may translate through the interior 204 via hydraulics. In some implementations the threaded rod 232 may be configured such that the translating member 236 translates in a direction approximately parallel to the tool body 202. The translating member 236 may include a contact surface 238 configured to shift a rod from an open position to a closed position (as described in FIG. 4) when the translating member 236 translates through the interior 204. For example, the contact surface 238 may be angled, relative to the threaded rod 232 such that it may push the rods 220, 240, and 260 partially through the bore 218 when the contact surface 238 sequentially contacts rods 220, 240, and 260.

The downhole tool may include multiple fluid sampling assemblies (cartridges with rods positioned in the cartridge). For example, the downhole tool segment 200 depicted in FIG. 2 depicts a tool body 202 with three fluid sampling assemblies; rod 220, rod 240, and rod 260 and the respective cartridges. Each of the rods 240, 260 and the respective cartridges may include similar components as the rod 220 and the cartridge 210. For example, rods 240, 260 may be positioned in a bore of a respective cartridge, such as cartridge 210 and may be configured with components such as a storage cavity 222, an upper and lower cartridge seals 212, 214, respectively, an upper and lower cavity seals 224, 226, respectively, a clearance 228, etc. In some implementations, each of the rods 220, 240, 260 may act independently of each other. For example, the translating member 236 may sequentially shift each of the rods 220, 240, 260 from an open position to a closed position without impacting the state of the other rods. Although the downhole tool segment 200 depicts three fluid sampling assemblies, the downhole tool segment 200 may include less than three fluid sampling assemblies (e.g., one fluid sampling assembly or two fluid sampling assemblies) and greater than three example fluid sampling assemblies (e.g., 4 fluid sampling assemblies, 10 fluid sampling assemblies, 100 fluid sampling assemblies, etc.), each including similar components as rod 220 and cartridge 210.

In some implementations, additional fluid sampling assemblies may be added out-of-plane from the subset of fluid sampling assemblies with rods 220, 240, and 260. The out-of-plane fluid sampling assemblies may also be in communication with the translating member 236.

When in an initial state, as depicted in FIG. 2, all rods may be in an open position. The open position may be when the storage cavity 222 may be in hydraulic communication with the fluid passage 208, and the clearance 228 may be isolated from the fluid passage 308. For example, the translating member 236 has not been translated to contact any of the rods, thus no fluid samples of the formation fluid have been captured.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in an operating state, according to some implementations. In particular, FIG. 3 depicts a downhole tool segment 300 of a downhole tool configured with fluid sampling assemblies to obtain fluid samples of formation fluid in a wellbore. The components of the downhole tool segment 300 are similar to the components of the downhole tool segment 200 of FIG. 2. For example, the cartridge 310, rod 320, translating member 336, etc. are similar to the cartridge 210, rod 220, translating member 236, etc., respectively, of FIG. 2.

When in an operating state, the motor 330 may actuate to translate the translating member 336 upon the threaded rod 332, via the threaded nut 334, in the direction of an uphole end 301 and/or downhole end 303. When operating, the translating member 336 may sequentially contact rods 320, 340, and 360 to subsequently shift each respective rod from an open position to a closed position. The closed position may be when the clearance 328 may be in hydraulic communication with the fluid passage 308, and the storage cavity 322 may be isolated from the fluid passage 308, thus obtaining a fluid sample of the formation fluid in the storage cavity 322.

For example, FIG. 3 depicts rod 320 in a closed position and rod 340 shifting into the closed position from the open position. When in the closed position, the storage cavity 322 may capture a fluid sample of the formation fluid from the fluid passage 308. The fluid sample may be single phase or multi-phase. The upper cavity seal 324 and lower cavity seal 326 may isolate the fluid sample from the exterior 306 and fluid passage 308, respectively. In some implementations, the length between the upper cavity seal 324 and lower cavity seal 326 may be configured to be contained within the bore of the cartridge 310 such that the fluid sample within the storage cavity 322 may be isolated.

The clearance 328 may be aligned with the fluid inlet/outlet 316 and fluid passage 308 such that the formation fluid may be allowed to pass the cartridge 310 and rod 320, to continue to flow in the direction of other fluid sampling assemblies, such as rod 340 and rod 360 and the respective cartridges. The lower rod seal 327 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the fluid passage 308 and the interior 304. Similar to the when in the open position, the upper cartridge seal 312 and lower cartridge seal 314 prohibit hydraulic communication between the fluid passage 308 and the exterior 306 and interior 304, respectively.

As the rod 320 is shifting to the closed position (via the translating member 336), the lower cavity seal 326 may be exposed to the fluid passage 308, thus engaging the lower rod seal 327 in sealing the fluid from the fluid passage 308 and disengaging the lower cavity seal 326. Next, the lower cavity seal 326 may reengage against the bore of the cartridge 310 on the upper side of the fluid passage 308. In some implementations, the clearance 328 may be initially compensated (e.g., pressure compensated with a fluid) such as by leaving the lower rod seal 327 unengaged with the cartridge 310 until immediately prior to engagement of the lower cavity seal 326, or other methods.

Rod 340 depicts the shifting of a rod from an open position to a closed position. The translating member 336 may contact rod 340, via contact area 338, to shift the rod 340 to the closed position as the translating member 336 translates through the interior 304. The motor 330 may actuate the threaded rod 332 to translate the translating member 336, via the threaded nut 334. In some implementations, the contact area 338 may include a slot (not pictured) to guide the rod 340 as is shifted to the closed position. In some implementations, the translating member 336 may be configured to push or pull the rod 340 to shift the rod 340 from an open position to a closed position. In some implementations, the translating member 336 remains stationary in the downhole tool while the tool body 302 may translate in the uphole end 301 and/or downhole end 303 (via motor 330 or another component external to the tool body 302 configured to move the tool body 302), thus translating the fluid sampling assemblies and having the rods contact the translating member 336 to shift the rods from an open position to a closed position. In some implementations, the tool body 302 may rotate while translating across the translating member 336.

In some implementations, the pressure of the fluid in the interior 304 may be approximately equal to the pressure of the fluid in the exterior 306. Thus, rod 320 may remain in the open position or the closed position due to the approximately zero pressure differential between the interior 304 and exterior 306. In some implementations, the differential pressure may not be zero, and the rod 320 may shift in the cartridge 310 due to the differential pressure which may compromise the fluid sample. Alternatively, the rod 320 may shift in the cartridge 310 due to other external forces such as vibrations. The downhole tool may be configured with components to hold the rod 320 in the closed position. For example, a latching mechanism, such as a flexible member, may hold the rod 320 in place once shifted to the closed position. In some implementations, the translating member 336 may be configured to remain in contact with the rods after shifting the rods to a closed position, thus holding the rods in the closed position. In some implementations, a rod may include a bias mechanism (such as a spring) that may revert the rod to a previous state (e.g., the open position) after contact with the translating member 336 has concluded.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an example downhole tool segment in a destination state, according to some implementations. The components of the downhole tool segment 400 are similar to the components of the downhole tool segment 200 of FIG. 2, and downhole tool segment 300 of FIG. 3. For example, the cartridge 410, rod 420, translating member 436, etc. are similar to the cartridge 210, rod 220, translating member 236, etc., respectively, of FIG. 2 and cartridge 310, rod 320, translating member 336, etc., respectively, of FIG. 3.

The destination state may be when the translating member 436 has shifted all of the rods of a downhole tool to a closed position. For example, the rod 420 has been shifted to a closed position such that the storage cavity 422 may be isolated from the exterior 402 and the fluid passage 408 by upper rod cavity seal 424 and lower cavity seal 426, respectively. The clearance 428 is aligned with the fluid inlet/outlet 416 and fluid passage 408 such that fluid may flow past the rod 420 to other rods in the downhole tool. A lower rod seal 427 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the interior 404 and the fluid passage 408. Additionally, the upper cartridge seal 412 and lower cartridge seal 414 may prohibit hydraulic communication between the exterior 406 and the interior 404, respectively. All of the other rods, such as rod 440 and rod 460, positioned in the tool body may be in the same state as rod 420 when the downhole tool is in a destination state. Each respective storage cavity of rods 420, 440, and 460 may capture fluid samples with similar or different fluids. For instance, each respective rod may capture a single phase or multi-phase fluid, each rod may capture similar or different fluid relative to the other rods, each rod may capture fluid from different locations in the wellbore, etc.

In some implementations, the translating member 436 may be proximate to the distal end of the threaded rod 432 when in a destination state. In some implementations, there may be a stopper (not pictured) positioned near the distal end of the threaded rod 432 that the translating member 436 and/or the threaded nut 434 may contact when the motor translates the translating member proximate to the distal end of the threaded rod.

Example Operations

Example operations for operating or controlling a downhole tool to obtain fluid samples are now described in reference to FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting example operations for operating a downhole tool to obtain fluid samples, according to some implementations. FIG. 5 includes a flowchart 500 of operations to function a downhole tool to obtain one or more samples of a formation fluid in a wellbore. The processor of computer 190 of FIG. 1 may perform any or all of the operations described with reference to FIG. 5. Alternatively, or in addition, any or all of such operations may be performed manually. Operations are described in reference to the downhole tool 126 of FIG. 1A, the wireline tool of FIG. 1B, and the downhole tool segment 200-400 of FIGS. 2-4, respectively. The operations of FIG. 5 begin at block 502.

At block 502, the processor of the computer 190 may position a downhole tool at a first location in a wellbore. At least a portion of the tool may include components to obtain fluid samples of the formation fluid. For example, a segment of the downhole tool may include one or more fluid sampling assemblies, a translating member, etc. as described in FIGS. 2-4. The downhole tool may be deployed in the wellbore via a drill string, a wireline, coiled tubing, etc. In some implementations, the downhole tool may be deployed in an initial state (i.e., all rods may be in an open position, as described in FIG. 2). The first location in the wellbore may be an area of investigation in which samples of the formation fluids of the corresponding location may be obtained.

At block 504, the processor of the computer 190 may pump formation fluid from the first location in the wellbore into a fluid passage of the downhole tool. Components of a downhole tool may obtain formation fluid from the corresponding location in the wellbore and pump said formation fluid into a fluid passage of the downhole tool (such as fluid passage 208 of FIG. 2). In some implementations, formation fluid may be continuously pumped into the fluid passage as the downhole tool is positioned at the first location.

At block 506, the processor of the computer 190 may shift a first rod from an open position to a closed position, via a translating member, to obtain a first fluid sample of the formation fluid. When in an open position, a storage cavity of the first rod may be in hydraulic communication with the fluid passage. Upon actuating a motor within the downhole tool, the translating member may translate through the downhole tool to contact the first rod, shifting the first rod to the closed position. When shifted to the closed position, the storage cavity may capture and subsequently isolate, via seals, a fluid sample from the fluid passage, as described in FIGS. 2-4.

In some implementations, the composition of the formation fluid may change as it is pumped into the fluid passage. The downhole tool may include sensors or other components to measure the fluid composition as it is pumped through the fluid passage. In some implementations, the shifting of the first rod may be timed such that it may obtain the desired composition of the formation fluid from the first location. For example, the timing may be predetermined such that the first rod is not shifted to the closed position until a target time after the pumping has started. Alternatively, or in addition to, the timing may be based on a target condition. For example, the rod may not be shifted to the closed position until a desired fluid composition is obtained in the fluid passage (determined by the measurement instruments on the downhole tool.

At block 508, the processor of the computer 190 may determine if there are additional rods available. For example, the downhole tool may be configured with additional rods to capture fluid samples of formation fluid. If there are additional rods available for fluid sampling, then operations proceed to block 510. Otherwise, operations proceed to block 520.

At block 510, the processor of the computer 190 may determine if additional fluid samples are needed at the current location. For instance, multiple fluid samples of a formation fluid from a specific location in a formation may be needed. If additional samples at the current location are needed, then the downhole tool may not need to be repositioned in the wellbore and operations may proceed to block 512. Otherwise, if the first fluid sample at the first location is satisfactory, then operations may proceed to block 514.

At block 512, the processor of the computer 190 may shift the next rod on the downhole tool from an open position to a closed position, via the translating member, to obtain a fluid sample of the formation fluid at the corresponding location. The rod may be the next rod in the sequence of rods in the downhole tool. The motor may continue to translate the translating member along the threaded rod to acuate the next rod in the sequence of rods. In some implementations, the next rod may be shifted based on a target time and/or a target condition in the fluid passage (similar to the operations described block 504). For example, the formation fluid may be continuously pumped through the fluid passage when the downhole tool is positioned at the current location. The next rod may be shifted to the closed position based on a predetermined time and/or a desired composition of the formation fluid is in the fluid passage. The fluid composition may be similar or different than the fluid composition obtained in the previous rod in the sequence of rods. Operations then return to block 508 to determine if there are additional rods available to capture addition fluid samples, if needed.

At block 514, the processor of the computer 190 may determine if additional fluid samples may be needed at another location in the wellbore. For instance, a fluid sample at a location different from the first location where the first fluid sample was gathered may be needed. If additional fluid samples at another location are needed, then operations proceed to block 516. Otherwise, operations proceed to block 520.

At block 516, the processor of the computer 190 may position the downhole tool to a next location in a wellbore. The next location in the wellbore may be at a depth greater than or less than the first location in the wellbore. For example, a wellbore may be positioned in the Earth across multiple reservoirs. The next location may correspond to a reservoir that may be different than the reservoir at the corresponding first location where the first fluid sample was captured.

At block 518, the processor of the computer 190 may pump formation fluid from the corresponding location into the fluid passage of the downhole tool. Operations of block 518 may be similar to the operations of block 504. For example, components of the downhole tool may obtain formation fluid from the corresponding location in the wellbore and pump said formation fluid into a fluid passage of the downhole tool (such as fluid passage 208 of FIG. 2). In some implementations, the downhole tool may dispose of existing fluid within the fluid passage prior to obtaining and pumping the new formation fluid from the new location into the fluid passage. Operations may then proceed to block 512 to capture the fluid sample for the new location with the next rod in the sequence of rods in the downhole tool.

At block 520, the processor of the computer 170 may return the downhole tool to surface to retrieve the fluid samples. For example, if all rods in the downhole tool have been shifted to the closed position (i.e., all rods have obtained a fluid sample) and/or there are no additional locations in the wellbore to be sampled, then the downhole tool may be deployed to the surface with the fluid samples.

In some implementations, a seal on one or more of the rods may fail, compromising the fluid samples in the respective rods. Accordingly, the translating member may be reset to an initial state (as described in FIG. 3) and operations may return to block 502 to repeat the operations of the flowchart 500 to re-collect fluid samples. Resetting of the tool may occur at any point during the operations of the flowchart 500.

Example Computer

FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting an example computer, according to some embodiments. FIG. 6 depicts a computer 600 that includes a processor 601 (possibly including multiple processors, multiple cores, multiple nodes, and/or implementing multi-threading, etc.). The computer 600 includes a memory 607. The memory 607 may be system memory or any one or more of the above already described possible realizations of machine-readable media. The computer 600 also includes a bus 603 and a network interface 605.

The computer 600 also includes a signal processor 611 and a controller 615. The signal processor 611 and the controller 615 may perform one or more of the operations described herein. For example, the signal processor 511 may determine the position of the translating member in the downhole tool with respect to the rods. The controller 615 may perform various control operations to control a motor based on the output from the signal processor 611. For example, the controller 615 may acuate the motor to translate the translating member to sequentially shift one or more rods from an open position to a closed position, subsequently capturing fluid samples.

Any one of the previously described functionalities may be partially (or entirely) implemented in hardware and/or on the processor 601. For example, the functionality may be implemented with an application specific integrated circuit, in logic implemented in the processor 601, in a co-processor on a peripheral device or card, etc. Further, realizations may include fewer or additional components not illustrated in FIG. 6 (e.g., video cards, audio cards, additional network interfaces, peripheral devices, etc.). The processor 601 and the network interface 605 are coupled to the bus 603. Although illustrated as being coupled to the bus 603, the memory 607 may be coupled to the processor 601.

EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATIONS

Implementation #1: A downhole tool to be positioned in a wellbore in a subsurface formation, the downhole tool comprising; a first rod configured with a first cavity to obtain samples of formation fluid; a translating member configured to shift the first rod from an open position to a closed position to obtain, via the first cavity, a first fluid sample of the formation fluid from a first location in the wellbore.

Implementation #2: The downhole tool of Implementation #1 further comprising: a second rod, wherein the second rod is configured with a second cavity to obtain samples of the formation fluid, and wherein the translating member is configured to shift the second rod from an open position to a closed position to obtain, via the second cavity, a second fluid sample of the formation fluid from.

Implementation #3: The downhole tool of Implementation #2, wherein the second fluid sample of the formation fluid is from the first location or a second location in the wellbore.

Implementation #4: The downhole tool of Implementation #2 or 3, wherein the translating member is configured to sequentially contact the first rod and the second rod to subsequently shift the first rod and the second rod from the respective open position to the respective closed position.

Implementation #5: The downhole tool of any one or more of Implementations #2-4 further comprising: a fluid passage within a tool body comprising the formation fluid to be sampled by the first rod and the second rod.

Implementation #6: The downhole tool of Implementation #5, wherein the second rod is configured to obtain the second fluid sample from the fluid passage when the first rod is in the closed position.

Implementation #7: The downhole tool of Implementation #5 or 6 further comprising: one or more seals configured to prevent hydraulic communication between the fluid passage and an interior of the tool body when the first rod is in the open position, and wherein the one or more seals are configured to prevent hydraulic communication between the fluid passage and an exterior of the tool body when the first rod is in the open position.

Implementation #8: The downhole tool of Implementation #7, wherein the one or more seals are configured to isolate the first fluid sample in the first cavity when the first rod is in the closed position.

Implementation #9: The downhole tool of any one or more of Implementations #1-8 further comprising: a motor configured to translate the translating member upon a threaded rod, to contact the first rod to shift the first rod from the open position to the closed position.

Implementation #10: The downhole tool of Implementation #9, wherein the translating member is prohibited from rotating about a central axis of the threaded rod.

Implementation #11: The downhole tool of any one or more of Implementations #1-10, wherein the first rod is positioned in a removable cartridge.

Implementation #12: A method comprising: positioning a downhole tool at a first location in a wellbore; obtaining formation fluid in a fluid passage of the downhole tool; and shifting, via a translating member, a first rod from an open position to a closed position to obtain a first fluid sample of the formation fluid from the first location.

Implementation #13: The method of Implementation #12, wherein a first cavity of the first rod hydraulically communicates with the fluid passage when the first rod is in the open position, and wherein the first fluid sample is sealed within the first cavity when the translating member shifts the first rod to the closed position.

Implementation #14: The method of Implementation #12 or 13 further comprising: positioning the downhole tool at a second location; obtaining the formation fluid in the fluid passage of the downhole tool, wherein a second cavity of a second rod hydraulically communicates with the fluid passage when the second rod is in an open position; and shifting, via the translating member, the second rod to a closed position to obtain a second fluid sample of the formation fluid from the second location, via the second cavity.

Implementation #15: The method of any one or more of Implementations #12-14 further comprising: shifting, via the translating member, a second rod from an open position to a closed position to obtain a second fluid sample of the formation fluid from the first location, via a second cavity.

Implementation #16: The method of Implementation #15, wherein a motor is configured to translate the translating member, upon a threaded rod, to sequentially contact the first rod and the second rod to subsequently shift the first rod and the second rod to the respective closed position.

Implementation #17: An apparatus to be positioned in a wellbore in a subsurface formation, the apparatus comprising: a tool body comprising a fluid passage, the fluid passage configured to hold formation fluid from the subsurface formation; a first rod positioned in the tool body and configured with a first cavity; a translating member configured to shift the first rod from an open position to a closed position to obtain, via the first cavity, a first fluid sample of the formation fluid from a first location in the wellbore.

Implementation #18: The apparatus of Implementation #17 further comprising: wherein a motor is configured to translate the translating member upon a threaded rod to sequentially contact the first rod and a second rod to subsequently shift the first rod and the second rod to the respective closed positions.

Implementation #19: The apparatus of Implementation #18, wherein the second rod is configured to obtain a second fluid sample from the fluid passage when the first rod is in the closed position.

Implementation #20: The apparatus of any one or more of Implementations #17-19, wherein the translating member includes a contact surface configured to shift the first rod from the open position to the closed position.

Use of the phrase “at least one of” preceding a list with the conjunction “and” should not be treated as an exclusive list and should not be construed as a list of categories with one item from each category, unless specifically stated otherwise. A clause that recites “at least one of A, B, and C” may be infringed with only one of the listed items, multiple of the listed items, and one or more of the items in the list and another item not listed.

As used herein, the term “or” is inclusive unless otherwise explicitly noted. Thus, the phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” is satisfied by any element from the set {A, B, C} or any combination thereof, including multiples of any element.

FLUID MULTISAMPLE CAPTURING WITH TRANSLATING MEMBER

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