Method and apparatus to recover cores from downhole environments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recovering cores from downhole environments where down hole environmental parameters are measured during coring operations to maximize the success of core recovery.

1 . A method for recovering a core from a downhole environment, comprising:
 providing a measurements while drilling device and a coring apparatus within a wellbore;   lowering the measurements while drilling device and the coring apparatus to an elevation where a core is to be obtained;   positioning the coring apparatus at the elevation where the core is to be obtained;   starting the coring apparatus;   conducting coring operations; and   taking at least one measurement in an inner tube of the coring apparatus during the coring operations.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising;
 transmitting the at least one measurement to an operator at the surface.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 comparing the at least one measurement to a threshold value.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising
 stopping the coring apparatus when the at least one measurement exceeds the threshold value.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one measurement is one of a pressure measurement, a shock measurement, a revolutions per minute measurement, a vibration measurement and a gamma radiation measurement. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein stopping the coring apparatus when the at least one measurement exceeds the threshold includes transmitting the at least one measurement from a downhole environment to an up-hole environment. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the threshold value is at least one of a pressure measurement limit, a shock measurement limit, a revolution per minute measurement, a vibration measurement limit and a gamma radiation measurement limit. 
     
     
         8 . A coring apparatus, comprising:
 an outer tube;   an inner tube positioned within the outer tube;   a bearing assembly configured to allow rotation of the outer tube around the inner tube; and   at least one arrangement wherein a measurements while drilling device is positioned within the inner tube and configured to measure at least one parameter.   
     
     
         9 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one arrangement is a pressure sensor configured to read a pressure within the coring apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the measurements while drilling device is configured to transmit data to a surface environment. 
     
     
         11 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 an arrangement configured to measure a difference in rotational speed between the inner tube and the outer tube.   
     
     
         12 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one pressure relief valve configured to transmit dynamic pressure from the inner tube into a flow diverter.   
     
     
         13 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the pressure is transmitted to an empty space within the flow diverter. 
     
     
         14 . The coring apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a pressure sealed plug configured within the inner tube.   
     
     
         15 . A method for recovering a core from a downhole environment, comprising:
 providing a measurements while drilling device and a coring apparatus within a wellbore;   lowering the measurements while drilling device and the coring apparatus to an elevation where a core is to be obtained;   positioning the coring apparatus at the elevation where the core is to be obtained;   starting the coring apparatus;   conducting coring operations;   taking a pressure measurement within an inner tube of the coring apparatus during coring operations; and   transmitting the pressure measurement to an operator at a surface elevation.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the taking the pressure measurement within the inner tube of the coring apparatus during coring operations is with a measurements while drilling sensor within the coring apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the pressure measurement is made within the inner tube and above the core at an entry point within the center of a flow diverter. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 analyzing the pressure measurement at the surface elevation.