Spectral imaging for downhole fluid characterization
The present invention contemplates implementation of transitory downhole video imaging and/or spectral imaging for the characterization of formation fluid samples in situ, as well as during flow through production tubing, including subsea flow lines, for permanent and/or long term installations. The present invention contemplates various methods and apparatus that facilitate one-time or ongoing downhole fluid characterization by video analysis in real time. The methods and systems may be particularly well suited to permanent and periodic intervention-based operations.
1. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids, comprising:
pumping a formation fluid sample into a sample cell downhole;
isolating the fluid sample;
controlling pressure and volume of the isolated fluid sample by using a piston;
characterizing a formation fluid sample downhole with a video imaging system;
wherein the video imaging system performs pixel imaging and additional imaging,
wherein the additional imaging comprises spectral imaging,
wherein the spectral imaging is configured to provide a spectral analysis for each pixel, and
wherein the characterizing the formation fluid sample comprises characterizing a fixed sample in the video imaging system with recording as a function of a position of the piston.
2. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , further comprising using a spectrally broadband light source in combination with a spectral imaging video camera downhole.
3. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , further comprising using a tunable or multi-wavelength light source in combination with any camera.
4. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , wherein the characterization comprises two-dimensional imaging and analysis.
5. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , wherein the characterizing further comprises flowing the fluid sample through the video imaging system.
6. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 5 , wherein the characterizing comprises one-dimensional, in-line imaging and analysis.
7. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 6 , wherein the one-dimensional imaging comprises:
successively acquiring one-dimensional flow line images;
reconstituting two or more of the one-dimensional flow line images into a two-dimensional image.
8. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , wherein the characterizing comprises generating three-dimensional flow line images with the video imaging system.
9. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 8 , wherein the three-dimensional flow line images are generated using downhole confocal microscopy.
10. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , further comprising actively cooling the video imaging system downhole.
11. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , further comprising relating video imaging data from the video imaging system uphole via a telemetry bus or temporarily retrievable memory chips.
12. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 wherein the additional imaging comprises implementing a high pressure microscope downhole and a cross polarizer in front of the high pressure microscope for wax detection.
13. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , wherein the video imaging system comprises a back-scattered imaging configuration.
14. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids according to claim 1 , wherein the characterizing the formation fluid sample further comprises detecting phase changes.
15. A method of monitoring subterranean formation fluids, comprising:
pumping a formation fluid sample into a sample cell downhole;
isolating the fluid sample;
controlling pressure and volume of the isolated fluid sample by using a piston;
characterizing a formation fluid sample downhole with a video imaging system;
wherein the video imaging system performs pixel imaging and additional imaging,
wherein the additional imaging comprises spectral imaging,
wherein the spectral imaging is configured to provide a spectral analysis for each pixel, and
wherein the characterizing the formation fluid sample comprises characterizing a fixed sample in the video imaging system with measuring and controlling pressure of the fixed sample and recording as a function of a position of the piston.