IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,411,259
Granted Patent B2
US 12,411,259 · App. 18/488,752 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Phase-controlled excitation downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device and method

Inventors: Wei Liu (Beijing, CN); Wenxiu Zhang (Beijing, CN); Wenxuan Chen (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
G01V3/32G01R33/3621
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,411,259
App. No.
18/488,752
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a phase-controlled excitation downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device and method which relate to the technical fields of downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging devices and methods, and achieve high-resolution imaging for an underground target by utilizing a plurality of array antenna units and a phase-controlled array technology. The array antenna units are uniformly arranged around an array antenna frame, and each antenna unit is capable of achieving independent transmission and collection. A transmission phase of each antenna unit is controlled by adopting a phase control technology, the positioning excitation of a transmission pulse is achieved according to a co-phase stacking principle, and thus, the imaging resolution is further improved. The present disclosure has the advantages of high resolution and high efficiency and is suitable for the field of underground exploration. The application of this method will provide a more accurate and reliable imaging result for underground exploration and provide an important technical support for resource exploration and development.

Claims (3)

1. A phase-controlled excitation downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device, comprising cylindrical antenna systems, an array antenna carrier, a slurry channel, a device frame, array antenna units, and a global antenna; the cylindrical antenna systems being uniformly arranged around a downhole nuclear magnetic resonance logging instrument and having the array antenna units equidistantly and uniformly distributed thereon; each array antenna unit being capable of achieving independent transmission and collection; the device frame being a cylindrical rod-like body made of a non-magnetic material, the center of an axis of the device frame being hollowed to form the slurry channel, the array antenna carrier being tightly wrapped at the periphery of the device frame, the inside of the array antenna carrier being provided with uniformly-distributed cavities for inserting the cylindrical antenna systems; and the array antenna units being assembled on the cylindrical antenna systems in a winding manner, and the global antenna being spirally wound on the array antenna carrier.

2. The phase-controlled excitation downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the array antenna carrier is of a frame structure for supporting the array antenna systems; the slurry channel is a downhole channel for slurry circulation; the device frame is of a torsion-resistant and pressure-bearing mechanical structure and is used for supporting the entire nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device; the array antenna units are minimum antenna units for achieving phase-controlled excitation and reception; and the global antenna achieves nuclear magnetic resonance excitation or signal collection in all areas around the nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device.

3. A nuclear magnetic resonance imaging method for the phase-controlled excitation downhole nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1 , comprising a fixed-point excitation mode and a directional collection mode; in the fixed-point excitation mode, position points where a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon occurs around the nuclear magnetic resonance imaging device being achieved by controlling different phases of transmission pulses of the array antenna units uniformly arranged on the cylindrical antenna systems, the collection of signals on the position points being achieved by means of the global antenna, the array antenna units being controlled by a phase control technology to transmit pulse signals of the different phases, and fixed-point nuclear magnetic resonance excitation being achieved on a set position by stacking the pulse transmission phases of the plurality of array antenna units, so that nuclear magnetic resonance data of each position point is obtained, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging around a well is achieved; and in the directional collection mode, a global excitation area being excited by adopting the global antenna to generate a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomena, echo signals being collected by using the array antenna units, and a weight of a detected signal in a receiving direction of each array antenna unit being recognized according to position information of the array antenna units arranged on the cylindrical antenna systems, so that the directional collection mode for imaging measurement is achieved.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2023
From: LIU, WEI; ZHANG, WENXIU; CHEN, WENXUAN
To: INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Reel/Frame 065986/0669 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202311137281.0 · Sep 5, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250076530A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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