US-12624635-B2 - Fluid property estimation based on electromagnetic measurements

Abstract

A method of a method of analyzing a fluid includes measuring a conductive flow of a fluid circulating through a borehole during a subterranean operation, the conductive flow indicative of an electrically conductive constituent of the fluid. The method also includes measuring a total flow of the fluid concurrently with the measuring of the conductive flow, and estimating a property of the fluid in real time during the subterranean operation based on the conductive flow and the total flow.

Inventors

• Finn Oivind Fevang

Assignees

• BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230705

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method of analyzing a fluid, comprising: measuring a conductive flow of a fluid circulating through a borehole during a subterranean operation, the conductive flow indicative of an electrically conductive constituent of the fluid, wherein measuring the conductive flow includes applying a static magnetic field to the fluid, and detecting a voltage generated by the fluid; measuring a total flow of the fluid concurrently with the measuring of the conductive flow; and estimating a property of the fluid in real time during the subterranean operation based on the conductive flow and the total flow; and controlling a composition of an injected fluid based on the estimated property of the fluid.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes the injected fluid circulated through the borehole from a surface location, and the constituent includes at least one of formation fluid, oil, water and formation material.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the injected fluid is a drilling fluid, and the formation material includes cuttings generated by interactions between a drill bit and a subterranean region.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the property includes estimating a proportion of a volume of the constituent relative to a total volume of the fluid.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the conductive flow is performed by an electromagnetic flow meter disposed in a borehole string in the borehole.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the property includes determining a change in the detected voltage, and correlating the change in the detected voltage to a change in a proportion of the constituent.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the change in the detected voltage is determined relative to the total flow.
8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive flow and the total flow are measured at a downhole location.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive flow and the total flow are measured for a volume of the fluid flowing through a return fluid line at a surface location.
10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically controlling, in real time, at least one of an operational parameter and the composition of the injected fluid based on the estimated property of the fluid.
11. 11 . A system for analyzing a fluid, comprising: an electromagnetic flow meter configured to perform a measurement of a conductive flow of a fluid circulating through a borehole during a subterranean operation, the conductive flow indicative of an electrically conductive constituent of the fluid, wherein the electromagnetic flow meter is configured to measure the conductive flow based on applying a magnetic field to the fluid, and detecting a voltage generated by the fluid; a second flow meter configured to perform a measurement of a total flow of the fluid concurrently with the measurement of the conductive flow; and a processor configured to estimating a property of the fluid in real time during the subterranean operation based on the conductive flow and the total flow, the processor configured to control a composition of an injected fluid based on the estimated property of the fluid.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the fluid includes the injected fluid circulated through the borehole from a surface location, and the constituent includes at least one of formation fluid, oil, water and formation material.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the injected fluid is a drilling fluid, and the formation material includes cuttings generated by interactions between a drill bit and a subterranean region.
14. 14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to estimate the property based on estimating a proportion of a volume of the constituent relative to a total volume of the fluid.
15. 15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the electromagnetic flow meter disposed in a borehole string in the borehole.
16. 16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to estimate the property based on determining a change in the detected voltage, and correlating the change in the detected voltage to a change in a proportion of the constituent.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the change in the detected voltage is determined relative to the total flow.
18. 18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the conductive flow and the total flow are measured at a downhole location.
19. 19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the conductive flow and the total flow are measured for a volume of the fluid flowing through a return fluid line at a surface location.
20. 20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to automatically control, in real time, at least one of an operational parameter and the composition of an injected fluid based on the estimated property of the fluid.

Description

BACKGROUND Borehole drilling is utilized in a number of applications, including exploration and production of natural gases and fluids, mineral extraction, gas storage, waste disposal, carbon dioxide sequestration, geothermal production and others. For example, in hydrocarbon exploration and production operations, boreholes are drilled deep into the earth to access hydrocarbon-bearing formations. A drilling fluid is typically circulated in a borehole during drilling to facilitate maintaining borehole stability, lubricating a drill bit and removing cuttings from a borehole. Drilling fluids may be oil-based or water-based, and include various components for controlling properties such as viscosity and density. SUMMARY An embodiment of a method of analyzing a fluid includes measuring a conductive flow of a fluid circulating through a borehole during a subterranean operation, the conductive flow indicative of an electrically conductive constituent of the fluid. The method also includes measuring a total flow of the fluid concurrently with the measuring of the conductive flow, and estimating a property of the fluid in real time during the subterranean operation based on the conductive flow and the total flow. An embodiment of a system for analyzing a fluid includes an electromagnetic flow meter configured to perform a measurement of a conductive flow of a fluid circulating through a borehole during a subterranean operation, the conductive flow indicative of an electrically conductive constituent of the fluid. The system also includes a second flow meter configured to perform a measurement of a total flow of the fluid concurrently with the measurement of the conductive flow, and a processor configured to estimating a property of the fluid in real time during the subterranean operation based on the conductive flow and the total flow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a system configured for performing subterranean operations, including a fluid analysis system configured to perform downhole measurements of a fluid; FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a system configured for performing subterranean operations, including a fluid analysis system configured to perform surface measurements of a fluid; and FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method of analyzing fluid in or from a downhole system, such as a drilling system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Systems and methods are provided for estimating properties of fluids in a borehole or subterranean environment. Fluid estimation, in an embodiment, is performed at a surface location. A fluid may include a combination of an injected or circulated fluid such as drilling mud, and other constituents such as formation fluid and solids (e.g., cuttings). A “formation fluid” refers to any fluid or combination of fluids that are in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation or other region, and is not limited to fluid from any specific type of region or formation. Formation fluids can include various combinations of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or gas), non-hydrocarbon gases, water and others. An embodiment of a fluid analysis system includes an electromagnetic flow meter configured to measure a flow of conductive fluid constituents (conductive flow) in a fluid that is circulating through a borehole, and an additional flow meter configured to measure a total flow of the fluid. “Conductive flow” of a fluid may include various fluid parameters related to conductive constituents of the fluid, such as flow rate, volume, conductivity and others. The additional flow meter, in an embodiment, is a mass flow meter configured to measure a total flow of the fluid. The additional flow meter may be any suitable type of measurement device or method of establishing a volume of fluid in the electromagnetic flow meter (e.g., fixed flowrate metering). “Total flow” of a fluid may include fluid parameters related to the overall or total mass of the fluid, such as mass flow rate, total mass flow, volumetric flow rate, total volume flow and others. Measurements of conductive flow and total flow are used in combination to estimate properties of the fluid. Examples of such properties include proportions of oil, water and/or solids in the fluid. Other examples include salinity and electrical stability. Embodiments described herein present numerous advantages and technical effects. The embodiments provide an effective method to evaluate fluid composition and downhole conditions related to circulation of fluid, which allows for timely adjustments of drilling fluid composition, drilling rate or other operational parameters. In addition, the embodiments can provide for remote monitoring of drilling fluids, live or real time measurements of the quality and condition of drilling fluids, and automated fluid management (monitoring and/or a