Downhole Packer Bladder Fluid Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Formation testers face contamination and plugging issues due to trapped drilling fluid between packers, leading to time-consuming pumping and premature valve failure, which complicates fluid sampling and testing processes.
Innovation Solution
A downhole apparatus with an inflatable bladder that displaces trapped fluid between packers, optionally inflated by chemically generated gas or hydrostatic pressure, and a squeegee action to clean the borehole surface, reducing contamination and wear on the pumping system, and allowing for selective fluid sampling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If drilling fluid is trapped between packers during formation testing, then fluid sampling can be performed, but the trapped fluid contaminates the test fluids and causes plugging of screens and valve failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful trapped drilling fluid from between the packers before formation testing begins. A displacement fluid is injected to push the contaminated drilling fluid out of the test interval, eliminating the source of contamination that would otherwise plug screens and cause valve failure during sampling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary displacement of the trapped drilling fluid before the actual formation testing and sampling operations. By clearing the test interval of contaminated fluid in advance, the system prevents subsequent plugging and valve failure issues that would occur during the main testing process.
2Productivity
If trapped fluid is pumped during testing, then fluid can be sampled, but the process is time-consuming and causes premature valve failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the problematic trapped drilling fluid before sampling operations begin, eliminating the need for time-consuming pumping to clear contaminated fluid during testing. This extraction approach allows immediate sampling without delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The displacement of trapped fluid is performed as a preliminary step before formation testing and sampling. This advance preparation eliminates the time loss that would otherwise occur during pumping operations, as the test interval is already cleared of contaminated fluid.
3Device complexity
If trapped fluid remains between packers, then the packer structure is simple, but the fluid plugs screens and causes valve failure in the pumping system
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful trapped drilling fluid from the test interval before pumping operations begin. By removing the contaminated fluid that would cause plugging, the system maintains simple packer structure while achieving reliable pumping and sampling operations.
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
The solution effectively removes trapped fluid, reduces plugging of test screens, and improves the performance of packer tools by allowing cleaner fluid sampling and minimizing wear on the pumping system, enabling more efficient and accurate formation testing.
Implementation Method 1
The volume exclusion device may be inflated by a gas generated by a chemical reaction or by a liquid or high pressure gas carried into the hole with the tool
Implementation Method 2
The volume exclusion device may be inflated by a gas generated by a chemical reaction or by a liquid or high pressure gas carried into the hole with the tool
Implementation Method 3
A squeegee action may be used to clean a surface of the borehole
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A down hole apparatus (100) includes a first expandable packer (102) and a second expandable packer (102), where the first expandable packer longitudinally spaced from the second expandable packer. The apparatus further includes an optional expandable bladder (106) disposed at a longitudinal location between the first expandable packer and the second expandable packer. The expandable bladder inflates to displace drilling fluid between the first and second bladder elements. The down hole apparatus can optionally displace drilling fluid between the first and second bladder elements with another fluid. Fluids and/or slurry can be selectively removed using ports (150, 152) between the first and second expandable packers, and optionally placed in sample chambers, or expelled to the bore hole.