Patent ID: 6648083
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: E21B,G01V

Abstract:
A method for determining a characteristic of a mud mixture surrounding a drilling tool within a borehole in which a drilling tool is received, comprising:turning said tool in said borehole; applying energy into said borehole from an energy source disposed in said tool; recording measurement signals received at a sensor disposed in said tool from a location around said borehole, the sensor being located near the energy source such that a received measurement signal relates to interaction between the applied energy with predominantly the mud mixture or interaction between the applied energy with the mud mixture and a formation area just the borehole; separating a cross-section of the borehole substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the borehole into at least a first sector and a second sector, wherein a first measurement signal from said first sector is substantially in response to returning energy which results from the interaction of the applied energy with said mud mixture; and a second measurement signal from said second sector is substantially in response to returning energy which results from the interaction of the applied energy with said formation; and deriving an indication of an intrinsic characteristic of said mud mixture from said first measurement signal associated with the first sector of said borehole.