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US-12618325-B2 - Dynamic multi-flowline control system for downhole tools

US12618325B2US 12618325 B2US12618325 B2US 12618325B2US-12618325-B2

Abstract

Embodiments presented provide for a multi-flowline control system and methods for dynamically switching fluid flow in downhole tools. The method may include operating the downhole tool in a first valve configuration, the downhole tool configured to sample fluid from a geological stratum, sending an actuation signal to the first valve configuration, receiving the actuation signal at the first valve configuration, altering the first valve configuration to a second valve configuration, where the first valve configuration allows for sampling of fluids from the geological stratum outside the downhole tool to the second valve configuration and where the downhole tool is configured to operate in a closed-loop configuration wherein sampling of fluids from the geological stratum is not possible, and circulating fluids within the closed loop configuration.

Inventors

  • Nicholas Betancourt
  • Keith R. Nelson

Assignees

  • SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240207

Claims (5)

  1. 1 . A multi-flowline control system, comprising: a first flow routing plug; a second flow routing plug; a piston configured with a first side and a second side; a first flowline configured to transport a sample fluid; a second flowline configured to transport a guard fluid; a first piston flowline extending from the first side of the piston to the first flow routing plug; a second piston flowline extending from the first side of the piston to the second flow routing plug; a third piston flowline extending from the second side of the piston to the second flow routing plug, wherein the first flow routing plug and the second flow routing plug are configured to switch flow entering the first flow routing plug and the second flow routing plug from a first configuration to a second configuration; at least one fluid connection to the first flowline from the first flow routing plug; at least one fluid connection to the first flowline from the second flow routing plug to the first flowline; at least two fluid connections to the second flowline from the first flow routing plug; at least one fluid connection to the second flowline from the second flow routing plug; a first flow routing plug controller connected to the first flow routing plug, the first flow routing plug controller configured to switch from the first configuration to the second configuration; and a second flow routing plug controller connected to the second flow routing plug, the second flow routing plug controller configured to switch from the first configuration to the second configuration.
  2. 2 . The multi-flowline control system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one valve placed on the second flowline.
  3. 3 . The multi-flowline control system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one valve on the first flowline.
  4. 4 . The multi-flowline control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a valve placed on the first piston flowline.
  5. 5 . The multi-flowline control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a valve placed on the third piston flowline.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS None FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Aspects of the disclosure relate to downhole tools for sampling formation fluids and methods of sampling. More specifically, aspects of the disclosure relate to apparatus and methods related to a dynamic multi-flowline control system for downhole tools. BACKGROUND Conventional wireline formation sampling tools use many architectures to enable accurate sampling. The tools may consist of multiple modules that include a flow managing system, a sample retrieval carrier, a sensor data array, and a probe or packer that forms a seal with the formation. Generally, these platforms are deployed in exploratory wells and measure formation pressures. The platforms are configured to retrieve formation fluids or mud samples through use of an interior sampling bottle or chamber. Once sampling is complete, the entire tool is returned to the surface. The deployment and retrieval may be performed by wireline conveyance. The samples contained within the tool are then laboratory studied. Through the analysis of the materials contained within the sample bottle or chamber, insights are provided to engineers and operators for reservoir geological formations and mechanical properties. Conventional wireline formation sampling tools have been developed with an independent dual flowline architecture. In such architectures, the packer or probe elements have two independent inlets for the fluid to enter the tool from the reservoir formation. Typically, one of the independent inlets is designated as a “guard line” and the other independent inlet as a “sample line”. The purpose of the guard line is to draw fluids into the tool using varying drawdown pressure and flowrate in such a way that expedites the purity or cleanliness of the sample line inlet. Thus, the guard line is used to “protect” the sample line from undue contamination and allow a pure sample to be obtained from the sample inlet. Upon taking a volume of fluid from the geological stratum, the volume of fluid is passed through a platform of modules to pump, measure, and store the fluid for return to surface. Similarly, the guard line passes through the platform pumping and has minimal measurements applied prior to being returned or discarded back into the annulus mud column of the borehole. Conventional architectures have been designed in such a way that one flowline is designated as the primary active service line where pumping, storing, and measuring occurs. A second flowline is then used as a pass through or by-pass line with the mixed contaminated guard line fluid. At some point; however, the guard line fluid must be transferred to the primary flowline for pumping purposes. In these architectures, it is necessary to route fluids from one flowline to the other without mixing the fluids so that each flowline may be managed independently. In conventional architectures, this function is accomplished by utilizing static flowline routing plug assemblies 100. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 10,753,172, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses examples of static flowline routing plug assemblies. Flowline plug assemblies may accomplish routing of hydraulic flows according to the needs of an operator. The flowline plug assemblies may have a single pathway that routes flow. Other embodiments are possible. Flowline plug assemblies may have two pathways, three pathways, four pathways, five pathways, and so on. Each flowline plug assembly can produce a selected flow within the tool. FIG. 1 illustrates two sample lines, for example a sample line (left) and a guard line (right). There may be a need by an operator to be able to control flow such that a different type of flow path is established. To this end, flow, through the flowline plug assembly , is routed such that the resultant flow exhibits a flowline equivalent routing structure. FIG. 1 illustrates different flow routing plugs and equivalent routing structures of connected flowlines. As can be seen, the adaptation capability of the flowline plug assembly essentially changes the overall fluid flow structure. These assemblies are required to be installed within a downhole test apparatus 200, as illustrated in FIG. 2, prior to the job. In the illustrated embodiment, the downhole test apparatus 200 is configured into three separate sections, namely an upper head assembly 202, a chamber assembly 204 and a valve block assembly 206. Such conventional architectures do not have the ability to be “dynamic” and respond to unexpected conditions experienced within the wellbore. If, for example, engineers hypothesize that certain conditions will be experienced within the wellbore and such conditions are substantially different than expected, tools deployed downhole will need to be returned to the surface. The tool must then be stripped down by field personnel to install different routing plug assemblies that are applicable to the in-situ conditions.