Apparatus for providing directional permeability measurements in subterranean earth formations

Patent · 01 January 1977

OSTI ID:862903

Shuck, Lowell Z ^[1]

---

1. Morgantown, WV

Directional permeability measurements are provided in a subterranean earth formation by injecting a high-pressure gas from a wellbore into the earth formation in various azimuthal directions with the direction having the largest pressure drop being indicative of the maximum permeability direction. These measurements are provided by employing an inflatable boot containing a plurality of conduits in registry with a like plurality of apertures penetrating the housing at circumferentially spaced-apart locations. These conduits are, in turn, coupled through a valved manifold to a source of pressurized gas so that the high-pressure gas may be selectively directed through any conduit into the earth formation defining the bore with the resulting difference in the pressure drop through the various conduits providing the permeability measurements.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4043192
• OSTI ID: 862903
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/73/
apart locations
apertures
apparatus
azimuthal
boot
bore
circumferentially
circumferentially spaced
conduit
conduits
containing
coupled
defining
difference
directed
direction
directional
directional permeability
directions
drop
earth
earth formation
earth formations
employing
formation
formations
gas
high-pressure
high-pressure gas
housing
indicative
inflatable
injecting
largest
locations
manifold
maximum
maximum permeability
measurements
penetrating
permeability
permeability direction
permeability measurements
plurality
pressure
pressure drop
pressure gas
pressurized
pressurized gas
provided
providing
providing direct
registry
resulting
selectively
selectively direct
source
spaced-apart
spaced-apart locations
subterranean
subterranean earth
valved
various
wellbore