Patent Abstract:
An apparatus and method conducting downhole measurement operations in a borehole penetrating an earth formation. The apparatus may include a module configured to be conveyed in a borehole and to receive at least one device. The module may receive the device internally or in one or more recessed areas. A housing with at least one opening may encompass the exterior of the module. The apparatus may have a first position that allows access to the module through the at least one opening, and a second position that isolates the module from the exterior of the housing. The method may include conducting downhole measurement related operations using the apparatus. The method may include moving the housing and module between the first position and the second position.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure generally relates to exploration for hydrocarbons involving conducting measurements relating to a borehole penetrating an earth formation. More specifically, this disclosure relates to protecting downhole devices using a protective housing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Evaluating earth formations and borehole environments may involve conveying tools for conducting measurements into the borehole environment. The borehole environment may include rough borehole wall surfaces, objects in borehole fluids, and other physical hazards. Conveyance in the borehole environment may pose a risk of physical damage to tools conveyed in the borehole environment. 
     Some of these tools also require access to some or part of the tool when the tool is located on the surface. For example, sampling tanks that may be filled downhole may need removal on the surface, or an energy source may need adjustment or repair. Protecting the tool from physical damage in the borehole environment often means that the protection must be removed in order to gain access to the tool on the surface. What is needed is a protective housing that allows access to the necessary parts of the tool on the surface while providing protection downhole and does not require costly and time consuming disassembly/reassembly of the protective housing to gain/restrict access. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In aspects, this disclosure generally relates to exploration for hydrocarbons involving conducting measurements relating to a borehole penetrating an earth formation. More specifically, this disclosure relates to protecting measurement devices using a protective housing. 
     One embodiment according to the present disclosure includes an apparatus for conducting downhole measurement related operations in a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising: a module configured to be conveyed in the borehole and configured to receive at least one device; and a housing disposed on an exterior of the module, the housing including at least one opening, wherein the housing is configured to move between a first position that provides access to one of the at least one device from an exterior of the housing and a second position that isolates the at least one device from the exterior of the housing, and wherein the housing is in the second position when the apparatus is in the borehole. 
     Another embodiment according to the present disclosure includes a method of conducting downhole measurement related operations in a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising: conducting a downhole measurement using an apparatus comprising: a module configured to be conveyed in the borehole and configured to receive at least one device; and a housing disposed on an exterior of the module, the housing including at least one opening, wherein the housing is configured to move between a first position that provides access to one of the at least one device from an exterior of the housing and a second position that isolates the at least one device from the exterior of the housing, and wherein the housing is in the second position when the apparatus is in the borehole. 
     Examples of the more important features of the disclosure have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the contributions they represent to the art may be appreciated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a detailed understanding of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given like numerals, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic of a module deployed in a borehole with a housing along a wireline according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic of the housing on the module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3A  shows a schematic of the housing with the opening in the first position relative to the module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3B  shows a schematic of the housing with the opening in the second position relative to the module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic of the housing and the module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic of the housing and the module in the second position with flexible members and fasteners according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic of the housing and the module in the second position with flexible members and fasteners according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a flow chart of a method for conducting a measurement related operation according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure generally relates to exploration for hydrocarbons involving analysis of fluids. In one aspect, this disclosure relates to protecting measurement devices downhole using a protective housing while providing access to the devices at the surface without requiring disassembly of the protective housing. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , there is schematically represented a cross-section of a subterranean formation  10  in which is drilled a borehole  12 . Suspended within the borehole  12  at the bottom end of a conveyance device such as a wireline  14  is a downhole assembly  100 . The wireline  14  is often carried over a pulley  18  supported by a derrick  20 . Wireline deployment and retrieval is performed by a powered winch carried by a service truck  22 , for example. A control panel  24  interconnected to the downhole assembly  100  through the wireline  14  by conventional means controls transmission of electrical power, data/command signals, and also provides control over operation of the components in the downhole assembly  100 . The data may be transmitted in analog or digital form. Downhole assembly  100  may include a measurement module  110 . The measurement module  110  may be at least substantially enclosed by a housing  120 . The housing  120  may be configured to protect the measurement module from contact with the wall of the borehole  12  and solids in the borehole  12 . Herein, the downhole assembly  100  may be used in a drilling system (not shown) as well as a wireline. While a wireline conveyance system has been shown, it should be understood that embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized in connection with tools conveyed via rigid carriers (e.g., jointed tubular or coiled tubing) as well as non-rigid carriers (e.g., wireline, slickline, e-line, etc.). Some embodiments of the present disclosure may be deployed along with LWD/MWD tools. 
       FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of measurement module  110 . The measurement module  110  may be configured for at least one of: (i) performing a measurement, (ii) receiving a fluid sample, and (iii) carrying an energy source. The outer surface  210  of measurement module  110  may include one or more recessed areas  220  configured to receive devices  230  related to measurement. The devices  230  may include, but are not limited to, one or more of: (i) a fluid sample tank, (ii) a neutron source, (iii) a gamma ray source, (iv) a sensing element, (v) a dewar vessel, and (vi) a fluid supply tank. The housing  120  may include an opening  240  configured to provide access to the devices  230  when the housing  120  is in a first position relative to the module  110 . The first position may be configured to provide access to one or more of the devices  230 . The housing  120  may be configured to isolate the devices  230  from the borehole  12  in a second position. The second position may be configured to isolate all of the devices  230 . The isolation of the second position may be such that the devices  230  are protected from damaging physical forces, but not isolated from fluidic contact with the borehole  12 . The housing  120  may have an axis that may be identical or different from an axis of the module  110 . The housing  120  may be configured to move relative to the module  110  in at least one of: (i) a circumferential direction, (ii) an axial direction, (iii) a helical direction, and combinations thereof. 
     While housing  120  is shown as generally cylindrical in shape, this is exemplary and illustrative only, as the housing may be ellipsoid or any other suitable shape as understood by one skill in the art. Housing  120  may include, but is not limited to, one or more of: (i) metal, (ii) fiber compounds, (iii) matrix composites, and (iv) sandwich materials. In some embodiments, housing  120  may include materials known to be substantially transparent to particular energy sources. For example, if device  230  includes a neutron source, the housing  120  may have a composition that is substantially non-absorbing for neutrons. 
     In some embodiments, one or more of the devices  230  may be disposed in an interior (not shown) of the measurement module  110 . In some embodiments, the interior may be subdivided into internal sections that are physically isolated from one another. 
       FIG. 3A  shows an exemplary embodiment of measurement module  110  with housing  120 . The housing  120  is shown in a first position where the opening  240  provides access to one of the devices  230 , in this instance  230   a  of  230   a - d . In some embodiments, devices  230   a - d  may be identical or different. There may be additional positions where access is provided to each of devices  230   b - d . Typically, positions that grant access to the devices  230  are used when the module  110  is on the surface or otherwise at a low risk of physical damage to the devices  230 . In some embodiments, housing  120  may have multiple openings  240  to allow access to more than one of the devices  230  at the same time. 
       FIG. 3B  shows the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 3A  with module  110  with housing  120  in a second position that isolates all of the devices  230  from the borehole  12 . In some embodiments, housing  120  may have multiple openings  240 . In some embodiments, the module  110  may have multiple recessed areas  220 . In some embodiments, the number of recessed areas  220  may exceed the number of openings  240 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 3B  with a locking device  250  may be used to prevent the module  110  and housing  120  from moving from the second position. While the locking device  250  shown is with one or more bolts, this is exemplary and illustrative only, and other locking devices known to those of skill in the art may be used. In some embodiments, one or more fasteners  260  may be coupled to housing  120  to reduce the risk of buckling. Fasteners  260  may include, but are not limited to: (i) clamps, (ii) rings, and (iii) hooks. 
       FIG. 5  shows an exemplary embodiment of the module  110  and housing  120  in the second position with one or more flexible members  270 . Flexible member  270  may be coupled to the housing and/or disposed between the housing  120  and the module  110 . Flexible members  270  may be configured to prevent separation of the housing  120  from the module  110  and/or reduce the risk of overload of the housing  120 . Overload may include, but is not limited to, buckling. One exemplary flexible member  270  is a spring, but other overload protection/separation prevention devices, as understood by one of skill in the art, may be used. In this embodiment, module  110  and housing  120  have the same axis  510 . In some embodiments, the module  110  and housing  120  may have different axes. 
       FIG. 6  shows a different view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 5 . In some embodiments, housing  120  may be recess or have gaps configured to receive fastener  260  so that the surface of fastener  260  may be about flush with the surface of housing  120 . Flexible members  270  are shown at the ends of housing  120  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , however, this is exemplary and illustrative only, as flexible members  270  may be located in at other positions along housing  120 . In some embodiments, flexible member  270  may partly or completely surround a portion of module  110 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an exemplary method  700  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In method  700 , the housing  120  may be moved to a second position relative to the module  110  that physically isolates the devices  230  from the environment outside the housing  120  in step  710 . Then, in step  720 , the module  110  with housing  120  may be conveyed in borehole  12 . The housing  120  may be configured to reduce damage to the module  110  due to physical contact with the wall of the borehole  12  and objects in the borehole  12 . In step  730 , a measurement related operation may be conducted using module  110 . The measurement related operation may include, but is not limited to, at least one of: (i) performing a measurement, (ii) receiving a sample, and (iii) transmitting energy from an energy source within the module. In step  740 , the module  110  and housing  120  may be conveyed out of the borehole  12 . In step  750 , the housing  120  may be moved to a first position relative to the module  110  that provides access to at least one of the devices  230  through at least one opening  240  in housing  120 . The movement of the housing  120  from the second position to the first position may include, but is not limited to, movement in one or more of: (i) a circumferential direction and (ii) an axial direction. In step  760 , at least one of the devices  230  may be accessed. For example, if the device  230  is a fluid sample tank, the access operation may include, but is not limited to, removing a sample from the fluid sample tank or removing the fluid sample tank from the module. In some embodiments, step  760  may be performed before step  710 . In some embodiments, step  760  may be performed before step  710  and after step  750 . 
     While the foregoing disclosure is directed to the one mode embodiments of the disclosure, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that all variations be embraced by the foregoing disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4