Method for detecting drilling fluid in the annulus of a cased wellbore

Patent · Tue Oct 25 00:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6502600

Jordan, M E; Haut, R C; Kline, W E

This patent describes a method for detecting barium bearing material in the annulus of a cased wellbore, comprising the steps of: introducing a population of neutrons into at least a portion of the wellbore, the neutrons having an initial mean energy in excess of 10 MeV; monitoring the activity level of Barium-137m observed within the wellbore as a function of depth; determining as a function of depth the activity level of Manganese-56 resulting from (n,p) reactions between the population of neutrons and the casing; normalizing the Barium-137m activity level based on changes in the Manganese-56 activity level; and recording the Barium-137m activity level as a function of depth.

• Assignee: Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4780266
• OSTI ID: 6502600
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 22 Dec 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
DRILLING FLUIDS
MONITORING
BARIUM 137
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
MANGANESE 56
MONITORS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOACTIVITY
TESTING
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BARIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DETECTION
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUIDS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MANGANESE ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
STABLE ISOTOPES
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing