Formation evaluation tool

Abstract: A tool for measuring the mechanical properties of a formation through which a borehole has been drilled, comprising a tool body capable of being lowered into a borehole, the tool body having pads mounted on moveable arms, each pad carrying a PDC type cutter which is urged against wall of the borehole so as to cut into the formation; transducers are provided for determining the depth of cut made by the cutter and for determining the resistance of the rock to cutting. The tool is connected to a wireline, enabling the cutter to be moved through the formation and the data from the transducers to be returned to the surface for analysing the depth of cut and resistance to cutting to determine the mechanical properties of the rock.

Description: The present invention relates to a tool for use in determining the mechanical properties of an underground formation traversed by a borehole such as a hydrocarbon well. When drilling a well such as a hydrocarbon well it is necessary to obtain information about the nature of the formation being drilled. While some information can be derived from the drilled material returned to the surface, it is often necessary that measurements be made in situ or on larger samples in order to obtain the necessary information. Certain properties can be measured by lowering a tool into the well and making non-intrusive measurements while the tool is moved vertically. This technique is known as electrical logging. The measurements made by the tool are returned as signals in a wire cable to the surface, where they can be detected and analysed. Consequently, the technique is also known as wireline logging. Commonly measured properties relate to inherent properties of the formation, such as electromagnetic, nuclear and sonic behaviour of the formation, and allow the determination of formation resistivity, natural gamma-ray emission, and sonic wave speed. However, wireline logging has not been particularly successful to date in determining mechanical properties of formations, since this generally involves destructive testing of a sample. The approaches which have been used previously are either the immobilisation of a tool within the wellbore to allow in situ testing or side-coring to retrieve a sample of rock which is returned to the surface for laboratory testing. This latter approach is expensive and time-consuming, and neither technique allows a continuous logging approach in which measurements are made continuously as the tool is moved through the borehole. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool which can be employed to provide data relating to the mechanical properties of the formations traversed by a borehole, and which is useful in a continuous logging operation. This general type of tool has been proposed before; for example, in ARMINES (Fine) EP-A 0.011.578 there is disclosed such a tool which cuts a groove of predetermined depth into the borehole wall; the tool is useful, but it would be more convenient to have an actual measurement of the depth of cut as the cutting operation proceeds, and the invention provides an improved tool that allows this. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tool for use in determining the mechanical properties of a formation through which a borehole has been drilled, the tool comprising: a tool body capable of being lowered into the borehole, the tool body having mounted thereon a cutter which can be urged against the wall of the borehole and then be moved over the wall surface so as to cut an elongate groove into the formation; means for enabling the cutter to be so moved over the wall of the borehole so as to cut that elongate groove; means for measuring the depth of the groove as it is cut by the cutter; means for determining the resistance of the formation to cutting; and means for providing data output for analysing the depth of cut and resistance to cutting, this data then being employable in a determination of the mechanical properties of the formation. Preferably the cutter comprises a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter such as are used in drag-type drill bits. The cutter can be mounted on a pad which is connected to the main part of the tool body by resiliently biased arms which urge the pad and cutter against the borehole wall. In use the tool is lowered into a borehole, and measurements are taken as the tool is withdrawn from the borehole. Transducers can be provided to measure both the depth of cut made by the cutter and the resistance to the movement of the cutter through the formation. The measurements made by the transducers can be analysed in a manner similar to that described in our European Patent Application Number EP-A-0,466,255. The output from the tool can then be used to compute the internal friction angle Φ of the rock and other such mechanical properties. The cutter action can be described by the equation F S δ =ωE 0 +µ F n δ where: F S and F n are respectively the horizontal and normal force components acting on the cutting; δ is the depth of cut; ω is the width of the cutter; µ = Tan (Φ) = internal friction angle of the rock; and E 0 is a regression parameter. The data from the transducers provides values of F S , F n and δ, and a simple linear regression is used to obtain µ and hence Φ. Alternatively, a state space model can be used to yield a continuous evaluation of F without the need for any cross plot. The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a PDC type cutter (with a wear flat); Figure 2 shows a general diagram of a logging tool in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a more detailed diagram of part of the tool shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows the cutting action of a sharp PDC cutter; Figure 5 shows the cutting action of a PDC cutter with a wear flat; Figure 6 shows the -S diagram for a single cutter with a wear flat in Berea sandstone; and Figure 7 shows the -S diagram for a single sharp cutter in Berea sandstone. The action of a drag cutter such as a PDC cutter is illustrated in Figure 1 and described in EP-A-0.466.255 referenced above. The cutter is mounted on a tool as described in relation to Figure 2, and comprises a stud 10 having a flat cutting face 12 on which a layer of hard abrasive material 14 is deposited. In the case of a PDC cutter, the material 14 is a synthetic polycrystalline diamond bonded during synthesis onto a tungsten carbide/cobalt metal support 12. The tool shown in Figure 2 corresponds in part to tools commonly used to measure electrical properties of formations, and comprises a central main tool body 20 which can be lowered into the borehole by means of a wireline 22 which supplies power to the tool and enables data to be returned to the surface. The tool is provided with arms 24 on which are mounted sensor pads 26. The arms 24 can be operated to move the pads 26 away from the tool body 20 and urge them against the wall 28 of the borehole such that measurements can be made. In the case of measuring electrical properties, the pads 26 carry electrodes which contact the borehole wall. However, in the present case, each pad 26 carries a cutter and transducer arrangement as shown in Figure 3. The cutter 30 is mounted on the pad 26 such that, when the pad 26 is urged against the borehole wall 28 and the tool is pulled up by the wireline 22, the cutter 30 is constrained to cut a groove of a depth within certain limits, in this case typically 0.5 - 3 mm. A pair of displacement transducers 32, 34 is mounted one on either side of the cutter 30 so as to monitor the exact depth of cut at any instant. Transducers (not shown) are also provided to measure the forces imposed on the cutter 30 normal to the direction of displacement (F n ) and parallel to the direction of displacement (F S ). The data from the transducers are sampled and analysed to extract the rock properties. The pad 26 also has a scraper 36 mounted on its leading edge contacting the borehole wall 28 which serves to scrape the surface smooth of any debris, mudcake etc. in order that the cutter 30 should only encounter the resistance of the formation when cutting. In an alternative form (not shown) of tool to that shown in Figure 3, a pair of cutters is provided. A first cutter is fixed, and serves to scrape the rock smooth as the tool is moved through the borehole. The second cutter is immediately behind the first cutter, and is forced to cut a groove of fixed or variable depth into the smoothed rock. The second cutter is instrumented to measure the depth of cut by measuring displacement relative to the fixed first cutter. This can be achieved using a single LVDT transducer rather than the two transducers required in the previous arrangement. Again, the cutter is instrumented to measure F n and F S as before. Since in this case the means for measuring the depth of cut does not need to contact the rock there is no possibility that the transducers will deform or gouge the rock themselves and so give an inaccurate reading. Furthermore, both cutters should wear at approximately the same rate, and so errors due to cutter wear are likely to be negligible. In use, a typical drill bit-type PDC cutter is employed. In drill bit applications, the normal drill cutters are typically run in the following conditions: depth of cut = 1 mm linear speed of cutter = 2 m/s distance cut = 200 m / vertical metre drilled, ie 20000 m cut from 100 m drill bit run. In the logging application described above, the conditions would be: depth of cut = 1 mm linear speed of cutter = 0.3 m/s distance cut = 1000 m As can be seen, the logging conditions are far less severe than those of drilling, and so no substantial wear problems should be encountered. The upper range for F S , which determines the overpull on the wireline cable, is of the order of F S = 2 kN for an ω = 10 mm cutter (values of ω down to 5 mm are suitable). In order to avoid large fluctuations of overpull on the wireline cable with change of lithology, it is best to control the depth of cut δ through a servo-control mechanism to maintain F S within optimal limits. However, some variation in the measured channels is beneficial to the accuracy of the interpretation (linear regression), and could, when needed, be introduced by imposing small amplitude fluctuations on the value of δ. The logging speed, insofar as it is not nil, need not be known to perform the interpretation. The procedure for analysing the data obtained from the tool is given below. A perfectly sharp cutter tracing a groove of constant cross-sectional area A (A = δω) on a horizontal rock surface is shown in Figure 4. The cutter has a vertical axis of symmetry by the backrake angle  (contrary to the sign convention in metal cutting,  is taken positive when the cutter is inclined forward). It is assumed that the cutter is under pure kinematic control, ie the cutter is imposed to move at a prescribed horizontal velocity with a zero vertical velocity (constant depth of cut). During the cutting, a force F c is imparted by the cutter onto the rock; F c s and F c n denote the force components that are respectively parallel and normal to the rock surface. It is assumed that the horizontal and vertical forces on the cutter, averaged over a distance large with respect to the depth of cut, are proportional to the cross-sectional area A of the cut Thus, F c s = εA F c n = ζεA where the constant ε is defined as the intrinsic specific energy, and ζ is the ratio of the vertical to the horizontal force acting on the cutting face. The specific energy ε quantifies a complex process of rock destruction, and generally depends on various factors, such as rock surface, etc. The term "intrinsic specific energy" (ε) represents the amount of energy spent to cut a unit volume of rock by a pure cutting action. The quantity ε has the same dimensions as a stress, and thus a convenient unit for ε is MPa (an equivalent unit for ε is the J/cm 3 , which is numerically identical to the MPa). A convenient ratio, ζ, between the vertical and the horizontal force implies that there is friction at the rock-cutter interface. Since a symmetric cut has been assumed here, no horizontal force orthogonal to the direction of the cut is expected. This is an ideal case, however, for which the force ratio ζ takes the particular maximum value ζ * ζ * = tan( + ψ) where ψ denotes the interfacial friction angle. Any argument about the direction of the cutting force F c actually requires consideration of the kinematics of failed rock. Indeed, the projection of the force on the cutting face is taken to be parallel to [ υ ], the velocity of the failed rock relative to the cutter (principle of coaxiality). If the cross-sectional shape of the cut is symmetric (as it is usually enforced in a single cutter test) then the velocity discontinuity vector [ υ ] is parallel to the plane defined by the axis of symmetry and the cut direction. If symmetry is broken, as in the case of a cutter moving on an inclined surface, there is a relaxation of the constraint on the direction of [ υ ] leading generally to the existence of a transverse horizontal component of the cutting force. In the case of a cutter with a wear flat (see Figure 5), the cutter force F is now decomposed into two vectorial components, F c transmitted by the cutting face, and F f acting across the wear flat. It is assumed that the cutting components F c n and F c s obey the relations (1) and (2) postulated for the perfectly sharp cutter. It is further assumed that a frictional process is taking place at the interface between the wear flat and the rock; thus the components F f n and F f s are related by F f s = µF f n where µ is a coefficient of friction. On the basis of the fundamental equations (1), (2), and (4), a linear relation can be derived between the horizontal force component F S = F c s + F f s and the vertical force component F n = F c n + F f n . Indeed, using (1) and (4), the horizontal component F S can be expressed as F S = eA + µF f n Writing F f n as F n - F c n and using (2), this equation becomes F S = (1 - µζ)εA + µF n Two quantities are now introduced: the specific energy defined as and the drilling strength S S = F n A Both quantities and ε have the same general meaning but represents the energy spent by unit volume of rock cut, irrespective of the fact that the cutter is sharp or blunt, whereas ε is meaningful only for the cutting action. For a perfectly sharp cutter, we see, in view of the basic expression (1) and (2) and the definitions (7) and (8), that For a blunt cutter, the following linear relationship exist between and S, which is simply obtained by dividing both member of (6) by A: where the quantity is defined as Equation (10) actually represents a constraint on the cutting response of a PDC cutter; in other words, the specific energy and the drilling strength S are not independent of each other, but are constrained by (10) when cutting and frictional processes are taking place simultaneously. The cutting "point" defined by (9) obviously satisfies the linear relation (10), and therefore only states that are characterised by ≥ε (or alternatively by S ≥ ζε) are physically admissible. A series of single cutter tests verifies this procedure. These tests are performed at atmospheric pressure with a milling machine, using PDC cutter having experienced various amount of wear. The cuts are made in the top surface of a sample of Berea sandstone by moving the cutter at a constant velocity of 5.6 cm/s parallel to the rock surface (and thus imposing a constant depth of cut). The lengths of the cuts range from 30 to 45 cm, and the depths of cut from 0.25 to 2.5 mm. Eight different cutters (labelled A, B, C, D, E, G, I, J, K) having a backrake of 20° and a diameter of either 12.7 mm or 19.1 mm are used. Two of these cutters (J and K) are "sharp", the others having a measurable wear flat ranging from 10.3 mm 2 for cutter A to 25.8 mm 2 for cutter I. Table 1 summarises the relevant characteristics of the cutters used in these tests. Cutter Diameter (mm) Wearflat area (mm 2 ) A 12.7 10.3 B 12.7 11.0 C 12.7 11.0 E 12.7 14.2 G 19.1 20.6 I 12.7 25.8 J 12.7 0. K 19.1 0. The results of the experiments on Berea Sandstone can be plotted in an -S diagram (not shown), with each point representing the average measurement for a particular experiment. When plotted, the points appear to define a friction line characterised by µ ≅ 0.82 and ≅ 14 MPa. The cutting states for the two sharp cutters (J and K) are clustered near the lower left of the data cluster. The lower-left data point is taken as the best estimate of the cutting point; it is estimated here to be characterised by ε ≅ 32 MPa and ζ ≅ 0.8. This value of ζ implies that the interface friction angle ψ ≅ 19°. The most comprehensive series of tests on the Berea sandstone are performed with cutter I ; 89 measurements being available. The corresponding data points in the diagram -S are plotted in Figure 6 where the symbols are now used to differentiate between the different depths of cut. Figure 7 shows a similar diagram for the experimental results obtained with one of the sharp cutters (cutter J). A further embodiment (not shown) of the invention includes an optical sensor immediately behind the cutters shown as 38 in Figure 3, which sensor can provide optical information about the formation from the cleaned surface. This may be achieved using a fibre optic device or the like.

Claims: tool for use in determining the mechanical properties of a formation through which a borehole has been drilled, the tool comprising: a tool body (20) capable of being lowered into the borehole, the tool body having mounted thereon a cutter (30) which can be urged against the wall of the borehole and then be moved over the wall surface so as to cut an elongate groove into the formation; means (22) for enabling the cutter (30) to be so moved over the wall of the borehole so as to cut that elongate groove; and means for determining the resistance of the formation to cutting; characterised in that the tool also includes: means (32,34) for measuring the depth of the groove as it is cut by the cutter (30); and means (22) for providing data output for analysing the depth of cut and resistance to cutting, this data then being employable in a determination of the mechanical properties of the formation. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means (22) for enabling the cutter to be moved through the formation comprises means (22) for moving the tool body (20) and the cutter (30) axially through the borehole. A tool as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the means (22) comprises a wireline cable system operated from ground level. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the cutter (30) comprises a polycrystalline diamond compact cutter. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the means for determining the resistance to cutting of the formation as the tool is moved through the borehole comprises transducers for measuring the forces exerted on the cutter (30) in directions normal and parallel to the direction of movement A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the cutter (30) is mounted on a pad (26) which is connected to a main part of the tool body (20) by resiliently-biased arms (24) which urge the pad and cutter against the borehole wall. A tool as claimed Claim 6, wherein the pad (26) is configured to constrain the cutter (30) to a depth of cut within predetermined limits. A tool as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the means (32,34) for determining the depth of cut comprises a displacement transducer connected to the cutter (30). A tool as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the means (32,34) for determining the depth of cut comprises a pair of displacement transducers, one either side of the cutter (30). A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a pair of cutters (30) is provided, the first cutter being positioned on the tool to cut a groove in the formation so as to produce a substantially clean and even surface, the second cutter being mounted behind the first and provided with means to monitor resistance to cutting and depth of cut relative to the first cutter. A tool as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein an optical sensor (38) is mounted on the tool so as to monitor the substantially clean surface of the groove behind a cutter (30).

Inventors: BOOER ANTHONY KEVIN, DETOURNAY EMMANUEL, PELTIER BERTRAND PIERRE MARIE, BOOER, ANTHONY KEVIN, DETOURNAY, EMMANUEL, PELTIER, BERTRAND PIERRE MARIE, Detournay, Emmanuel, c/o Dept. of Civil &amp; Mineral
Applicants: SCHLUMBERGER HOLDINGS, SCHLUMBERGER SERVICES PETROL, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY BV, SCHLUMBERGER HOLDINGS LIMITED, SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY B.V., SERVICES PETROLIERS SCHLUMBERGER
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E21B49
IPC codes: E21B49