Apparatus for obtaining high quality formation fluid samples

Abstract

A well fluid sampling tool is provided. The sampling tool includes at least one insulated sample chamber mounted in a tool collar. The tool collar may be coupled with a drill string such that, when the tool collar is deployed in a well bore, selected sample chambers may receive a fluid sample from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore (e.g., during measurement while drilling or logging while drilling operations). A heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers is disposed to selectively heat the sample chambers in thermal communication therewith. The sampling tool may be particularly useful for acquiring and preserving substantially pristine formation fluid samples.

1 . A downhole sampling tool, comprising: 
 a tool collar, the tool collar including at least one sample chamber deployed therein, each sample chamber including an insulating layer deployed thereabout;    the tool collar disposed to be operatively coupled with a drill string deployed in a well bore such that, when the tool collar is coupled to the drill string, sample chambers may be selectively placed in fluid communication with formation fluid drawn from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore; and    a heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers, the heating module disposed to selectively heat said sample chambers in thermal communication therewith.    
   
   
       2 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a sample inlet port on an outer surface of the tool collar, the sample inlet port connected to the sample chamber via a fluid passageway.  
   
   
       3 . The sampling tool of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the sample inlet port.  
   
   
       4 . The sampling tool of  claim 3 , wherein the pump comprises a bi-directional piston pump.  
   
   
       5 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool collar comprises a plurality of sample chambers deployed therein.  
   
   
       6 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sample chamber is deployed substantially coaxially with the tool collar.  
   
   
       7 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises an r-value of greater than or equal to 12.  
   
   
       8 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises an insulating material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane coating and an aerogel foam.  
   
   
       9 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer comprises an evacuated region.  
   
   
       10 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the heating module comprises an electrical resistance heater.  
   
   
       11 . The sampling tool of  claim 10 , wherein a portion of the heating module is wound about the sample chamber.  
   
   
       12 . The sampling tool of  claim 10 , wherein the heating module comprises an electrically resistive coating deployed about the sample chamber.  
   
   
       13 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller in control communication with the heating module.  
   
   
       14 . The sampling tool of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic controller is further in control communication with at least one temperature sensor deployed in the sample chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The sampling tool of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to maintain a temperature of the sample chamber above a predetermined minimum temperature.  
   
   
       16 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , being coupled to a logging while drilling tool.  
   
   
       17 . The sampling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the sample chamber and the heating module are deployed in a sample chamber insert, the sample chamber insert sized and shaped for removable receipt within the tool collar.  
   
   
       18 . A downhole sampling tool, comprising: 
 a tool collar, the tool collar including a sample chamber insert deployed therein, the sample chamber insert sized and shaped for removable receipt within the tool collar;    at least one sample chamber deployed in the sample chamber insert, each sample chamber including an insulating layer deployed thereabout;    a heating module deployed in the sample chamber insert in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers, the heating module disposed to selectively heat said sample chambers in thermal communication therewith; and    the tool collar disposed to be operatively coupled with a drill string deployed in a well bore such that, when the tool collar is coupled to the drill string, sample chambers may be selectively placed in fluid communication with formation fluid drawn from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore.    
   
   
       19 . The sampling tool of  claim 18  wherein the insulating layer comprises an insulating material selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane coating and an aerogel foam.  
   
   
       20 . The sampling tool of  claim 19 , wherein the insulating layer comprises an evacuated region.  
   
   
       21 . The sampling tool of  claim 18 , wherein the heating module comprises an electrical resistance heater, a portion of the electrical resistance heater wound about at least one of the sample chambers.  
   
   
       22 . The sampling tool of  claim 18 , further comprising an electronic controller communicably coupled with (i) the heating module and (ii) at least one temperature sensor deployed in the sample chamber.  
   
   
       23 . The sampling tool of  claim 22 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to maintain a temperature of the sample chamber above a predetermined minimum temperature.  
   
   
       24 . The sampling tool of  claim 18 , further comprising a bi-directional piston pump connected to a sample inlet port, the sample inlet port connected to the sample chamber via a fluid passageway.  
   
   
       25 . A logging while drilling tool comprising: 
 a tool collar, the tool collar including at least one sample chamber mounted therein, each sample chamber including an insulating layer deployed thereabout;    the tool collar disposed to be operatively coupled with a drill string deployed in a well bore such that, when the tool collar is coupled to the drill string, sample chambers may be selectively placed in fluid communication with formation fluid drawn from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore;    a heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers, the heating module disposed to selectively heat said sample chambers in thermal communication therewith;    at least one packer element, each packer element disposed to seal the wall of the well bore around the logging while drilling tool, each packer element being selectively positionable between sealed and unsealed positions; and    a sample inlet port connected to the at least one sample chamber via an inlet passageway.    
   
   
       26 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , comprising first and second packer elements, the sample inlet port being disposed between the first and second packer elements.  
   
   
       27 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , further comprising a fluid identification module in fluid communication with the inlet passageway, the fluid identification module including at least one sensor disposed to sense a property of a formation fluid.  
   
   
       28 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the sensors in the fluid identification module is selected from the group consisting of a resistivity sensor, a dielectric sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, an acoustic sensor, a nuclear magnetic resonance sensor, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, and a pH sensor.  
   
   
       29 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a first fluid passageway connecting the fluid identification module to the at least one sample chamber; and    a second fluid passageway connecting the fluid identification module to an output port through which fluid may be expelled from the tool.    
   
   
       30 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , wherein the tool collar comprises a plurality of sample chambers mounted therein.  
   
   
       31 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , wherein the insulating layer comprises an r-value of greater than or equal to 12.  
   
   
       32 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , wherein the heating module comprises an electrical resistance heater wound about the sample chamber.  
   
   
       33 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , further comprising an electronic controller in control communication with the heating module.  
   
   
       34 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , further comprising a bi-directional piston pump in fluid communication with the sample inlet port.  
   
   
       35 . The logging while drilling tool of  claim 25 , wherein the sample chamber and the heating module are deployed in a sample chamber insert, the sample chamber insert sized and shaped for removable receipt within the tool collar.  
   
   
       36 . An integrated apparatus for retrieving a fluid sample from a well bore, the apparatus comprising: 
 a drill string having a drill bit disposed on one end thereof;    a formation evaluation tool disposed on the drill string proximate to the drill bit; and    a formation fluid sampling apparatus also disposed on the drill string proximate to the drill bit, the formation fluid sampling apparatus including: 
 a tool collar, the tool collar including at least one sample chamber deployed therein, each sample chamber including an insulating layer deployed thereabout;  
 the tool collar disposed to be operatively coupled with the drill string such that sample chambers may be selectively placed in fluid communication with formation fluid drawn from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore; and  
 a heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers, the heating module disposed to selectively heat said sample chambers in thermal communication therewith.  
   
   
   
       37 . A method for acquiring a formation fluid sample from a formation of interest in a well bore, the method comprising: 
 (a) deploying a formation fluid sampling tool at a location of a formation of interest in a well bore, the sampling tool being operative coupled with a drill string proximate to a drill bit, the sampling tool comprising: 
 a tool collar, the tool collar including at least one sample chamber deployed therein, each sample chamber including an insulating layer deployed thereabout;  
 the tool collar disposed such that the at least one sample chamber may be selectively placed in fluid communication with formation fluid drawn from outside the drill string without removing the drill string from the well bore; and  
 a heating module in thermal communication with at least one of the sample chambers, the heating module disposed to selectively heat said sample chambers in thermal communication therewith;  
   (b) pumping formation fluid into selected ones of the sample chambers; and    (c) heating the formation fluid received in (b) in the selected sample chambers using the heating module.