Patent ID: 9617851
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A method of evaluating downhole cuttings entrained in a downhole fluid in a borehole intersecting an earth formation, the method comprising: conveying at least one acoustic sensor in the borehole on a drill string; performing a drilling operation which produces downhole cuttings from disintegration of the formation; using the at least one acoustic sensor to produce information responsive to a reflection of an emitted acoustic wave from the downhole cuttings in the borehole, wherein the information is indicative of a parameter of interest relating to the downhole cuttings; processing the information using at least one processor to estimate the parameter of interest, wherein the parameter of interest comprises at least one of: i) average particle size of the downhole cuttings; ii) distribution of particle sizes; iii) quantitative indicator of shape of the downhole cuttings; and using the parameter of interest in performing further operations comprising at least one of: