Mud gas ratio and mud flow velocity sensor

Patent · Tue Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5865868

Roberts, L R

A remote sensor for the measurement of the amount of gas present in the drilling fluid or ''mud'' in an offshore well-drilling operation, for the purpose of giving prompt warning of geologic conditions conducive to the occurrence of a blow-out. An acoustic projector projects an acoustic wave of fixed wavelength through the mud returning upwardly from the borehole. The wave is received by a first array of acoustic receivers locked in a known phase relationship with the projector. Changes in the speed of sound due to changing relative amounts of mud and gas produce a shift in frequency of the acoustic wave which is proportional to the speed of sound in the mud/gas mixture. The change in frequency is electronically detected and scaled to yield the value of the speed of sound, from which the mud to gas mass ratio is calculated by means of a computer. A second array of acoustic receivers is arranged with the first array and the projector to form a phase-shift velocimeter which uses the value of the speed of sound obtained in conjunction with the mud/gas mass ratio measurement to calculate the velocity of the mud flow, which is used as a further indicator of potential blowout conditions.

• Assignee: Interstate Electronics Corp
• Patent Number(s): US 4208906
• OSTI ID: 5865868
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 8 May 1978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
BLOWOUTS
ALARM SYSTEMS
OIL WELLS
ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS
BOREHOLES
COMPRESSED GASES
DATA ANALYSIS
DRILLING FLUIDS
FLUID FLOW
REMOTE SENSING
SOUND WAVES
VELOCITY
WELL DRILLING
ACCIDENTS
CAVITIES
DRILLING
FLUIDS
GASES
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
440300 - Miscellaneous Instruments- (-1989)