Testing of bottomhole samplers using acoustics

Abstract

A method for testing a hydrocarbon sample. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a sheath disposed about the hydrocarbon sample. The apparatus further comprises at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to the sheath, and further wherein at least one set of acoustic sensors produces an acoustic signal having a velocity through the hydrocarbon sample. In addition, the velocity is measured to provide information about the hydrocarbon sample. In other embodiments, the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed radially about the hydrocarbon sample.

1  A system for testing a fluid, wherein the fluid is disposed within a sample container, comprising: 
 at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the acoustic sensors are disposed about the sample container in a configuration comprising at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of radial and longitudinal, and wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors generates at least one acoustic signal having a velocity through the fluid; and    a means for recording and interpreting the at least one acoustic signal generated by the at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the velocity of the at least one acoustic signal indicates information about the fluid.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample container is moved between the at least one set of acoustic sensors.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is moved longitudinally to the sample container.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to a sheath.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the sheath is secured about the sample container.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample container is heated.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors comprises an acoustic signal generator and an acoustic signal receiver.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for testing a hydrocarbon sample, comprising: 
 a sheath disposed about the hydrocarbon sample; and    at least one set of acoustic sensors, wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is secured to the sheath, and further wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors produces at least one acoustic signal having a velocity through the hydrocarbon sample,    wherein the velocity is measured to provide information about the hydrocarbon sample.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors comprises at least one acoustic signal generator and at least one acoustic signal receiver.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors generates a signal having a frequency range of 0.1 kHz to 100 GHz.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sheath is secured about the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed radially about the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a means for recording and interpreting the signals generated by the at least one set of acoustic sensors.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the means for recording and interpreting the signals includes at least one chosen from the group consisting of a microprocessor, central processing unit, data acquisition card, plotter, oscilloscope, signal generator, video, signal receiver, and analysis software.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the apparatus comprises heating elements, wherein the heating elements are sufficient for heating the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a heating jacket, wherein the heating jacket is sufficient for heating the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       17 . A method for testing a hydrocarbon sample, wherein the hydrocarbon sample is disposed within a container, comprising: 
 (A) providing at least one set of acoustic sensors;    (B) sending at least one acoustic signal through the hydrocarbon sample; and    (C) recording a velocity through the hydrocarbon sample of the at least one acoustic signal, wherein the recorded velocity provides information about the hydrocarbon sample.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed about the container in at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of radial and longitudinal.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (B) further comprises moving the container between the at least one set of acoustic sensors.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (B) further comprises moving the at least one set of acoustic sensors longitudinally to the container.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed in a sheath, wherein the sheath is secured to the container.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (C) further comprises heating the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heating the hydrocarbon sample is accomplished by heating elements disposed within the sheath.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heating the hydrocarbon is accomplished by a heating jacket.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (C) further comprises plotting the recorded velocity to produce a plot.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the plot indicates the presence of a single phase or multiple phases.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the plot indicates at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of whether the container comprises a hydrocarbon sample, whether the container comprises water, whether the container comprises a liquid hydrocarbon, and whether the container comprises gas.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the plot indicates at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of an amount of water in the container, an amount of liquid hydrocarbon in the sample, and an amount of gas in the container.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the plot indicates the presence of rich gas or dry gas.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the recorded velocity of step (C) indicates the presence of a single phase or multiple phases.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (C) comprises determining the constituents of the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein determining the constituents comprises determining the presence of water, liquid hydrocarbons and gas in the hydrocarbon sample; wherein the acoustic signals pass through each of the water, liquid hydrocarbons and gas at different velocities; and further wherein determining the presence of the water, liquid hydrocarbons and gas is accomplished by the velocities recorded.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein step (C) further comprises determining amounts in the hydrocarbon sample of at least one component selected from the group consisting of water, liquid hydrocarbons, and gas.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (C) comprises indicating whether the container comprises a hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the container comprises a piston, and wherein indicating whether the container comprises a hydrocarbon sample is accomplished by identifying the location of the piston in the container.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (C) comprises indicating the presence of rich gas or dry gas.  
   
   
       37 . A method for testing a hydrocarbon sample, wherein the hydrocarbon sample is disposed within a container, comprising: 
 (A) providing at least one set of acoustic sensors;    (B) removing a fixed volume of the hydrocarbon sample from the container;    (C) sending at least one acoustic signal through the hydrocarbon sample, wherein the at least one acoustic signal has at least one velocity through the hydrocarbon sample; and    (D) determining information about the hydrocarbon sample from the velocity through the hydrocarbon sample.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed about the container in at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of radial and longitudinal.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (C) further comprises moving the container between the at least one set of acoustic sensors.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (C) further comprises moving the at least one set of acoustic sensors longitudinally to the container.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one set of acoustic sensors is disposed in a sheath, wherein the sheath is secured to the container.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein step (B) further comprises heating the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein heating the hydrocarbon sample is accomplished by heating elements disposed within the sheath.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein heating the hydrocarbon is accomplished by a heating jacket.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising maintaining the temperature of the hydrocarbon sample at a desired temperature.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (B) further comprises adjusting the pressure of the hydrocarbon sample.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the hydrocarbon sample is present in the container in more than one phase, and wherein sufficient pressure is added to the container to equilibrate the hydrocarbon sample to one phase.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein step (B) further comprises rocking the container.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the fixed volume is removed in step (B) at a constant temperature.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the information of step (D) comprises a saturation pressure of the hydrocarbon sample, wherein the saturation pressure is indicated when the measured velocity is attenuated.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising (E) optionally repeating steps (B)-(D).  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein steps (B)-(D) are repeated when the measured velocity is not attenuated.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein steps (B)-(D) are repeated until a bubble point or a solids deposition point is determined.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the bubble point is determined when a gas pocket appears in the container.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the solids deposition point is determined when no gas pocket appears in the container.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the container comprises a piston, and wherein the fixed volume is removed by removing fluid below the piston.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein a liquid is injected to the container below the piston.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the hydrocarbon sample is a gas, wherein the information of step (D) comprises a dew point of the hydrocarbon sample, wherein the dew point is indicated when the measured longitudinal velocity is attenuated.