Downhole Sampling Tool Pumping High to Low Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole sampling tools are unable to efficiently pump fluids from a high pressure environment to a low pressure environment, limiting their ability to perform operations such as controlled flowback and enhanced oil recovery, due to the design of reciprocating piston pumps and mud check valves which only allow flow from low to high pressure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a downhole tool with multiple volume chambers, each separated by a piston and connected to sample and guard flowlines, allowing for controlled pumping of fluids across pressure differences by creating an artificial pressure environment, enabling the tool to handle larger volumes and varieties of fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reciprocating piston pumps with mud check valves are used, then fluid can be pumped from low pressure to high pressure, but fluid cannot be pumped from high pressure to low pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber, second chamber, third chamber) with distinct pressure zones. The first chamber handles high pressure intake, the second chamber serves as a pressure transition zone with a check valve, and the third chamber handles low pressure discharge. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitation of single-direction pumping by creating intermediate pressure zones that enable high-to-low pressure flow while maintaining control reliability.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional pump designs are used, then device structure is simple, but ability to handle large volumes and varieties of fluids is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single-chamber linear pump design to a multi-chamber three-dimensional arrangement. By stacking chambers vertically or arranging them in a multi-dimensional configuration, the system achieves larger fluid volume capacity without proportionally increasing the overall device footprint. This dimensional approach allows handling larger quantities of diverse fluids while managing structural complexity through compact spatial organization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for controlled pumping of fluids from high to low pressure environments, enhancing operations like flowback control and enhanced oil recovery by enabling the tool to sample, inject, and re-inject fluids effectively across significant pressure differentials.
Implementation Method 1
The downhole tool is able to control a flow of fluid from a high pressure environment to a low pressure environment via the at least two volume chambers, the sample flowline, and the guard flowline
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole tool designed to be disposed in a borehole of a subterranean formation that includes a probe used to interface with the subterranean formation in order to sample fluid from or to inject fluid into the subterranean formation. The downhole tool also includes a sample flowline fluidly coupled to the probe and used to direct fluid through the downhole tool. The downhole tool further includes at least two volume chambers. These volume chambers each include a first side fluidly coupled to the sample flowline, a second side fluidly coupled to the guard flowline, and a piston separating the first side from the second side. The downhole tool is able to control a flow of fluid from a high pressure environment to a low pressure environment via the at least two volume chambers, the sample flowline, and the guard flowline.