Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Earth science
Patent
1999-04-12
2000-05-09
Oda, Christine K.
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Earth science
367 31, G01V 100
Patent
active
060616334
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data logging system, and concerns in particular a logging system capable of efficiently rewriting a logging signal processing program stored in a logging sonde.
2. Background
In carrying out an exploration for underground resources, such as oil, it is necessary to determine the nature of the underground formations in which the oil is suspected to be. It has therefore been conventional to drill a borehole deep into the ground, locate a logging sonde (also referred to as a downhole tool) at an appropriate position down the borehole so as to detect a signal which has propagated through the relevant ground formation, and analyse the signal thus detected so as to estimate and evaluate the underground structure. Such an exploration technique is normally referred to as well logging, and a logging system for use therein typically includes a sonde (which is moved up and down inside a borehole, and which sealingly houses therein a detection unit and a data sampling circuit), ground surface processing apparatus (including a computer or the like located on the surface adjacent to the borehole), and a logging cable for both mechanical and electrical coupling between the sonde and the ground surface processing apparatus. An example of such a logging system is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, a logging sytem 1 is generally composed of ground surface processing apparatus 2 located on the ground surface 5, a sonde 3 movable up and down inside a borehole 8, and a logging cable 4 for mechanical and electrical coupling between the processing apparatus 2 and the sonde 3. The ground surface processing apparatus 2 includes a rotatable drum 6 to which one end of the logging cable 4 is connected. When the drum 6 rotates clockwise or counter-clockwise, the logging cable 4 is either supplied or taken up, so that the sonde 3 connected to the other end of logging cable 4 is moved up and down inside the borehole 8. The logging cable 4 is connected (for data transfer) to an exteension 4' of the logging cable at the rotating axis of drum 6, and the extension 4' is connected to a computer 11.
In the example shown in FIG. 1, a casing 9 is inserted into the borehole 8 to prevent the formation from collapsing into the borehole 8. However, the borehole 8 may be a bare borehole without the caseing 9.
The sonde 3 is provided in this embodiment with a detection electrode 12 for sampling a signal which has propagated through the formation. The detection electrode 12 is connected through an internal interconnection 14 to a control unit 13, which is sealingly housed inside the sonde 3. The control unit 13 is in charge of the control of the overall operation of the sonde, and, in particular, is in charge of the control of data sampling, processing and transmission as well as of diagnosing the various functions of the sonde in accordance with commands from the computer 11 on the surface. The control unit 13 includes a microprocessor and a ROM storing a control program so as to interpret commands transmitted from the computer 11 at ground surface and carry out an operation in accordance with such commands.
Each time the functions of the sonde 3 are to be changed or improved the program presently stored in the ROM within the control unit 13 cannot be used any more, and must therefore be changed. Hitherto, with such a change in functions it has been necessary to lift the sonde out of the borehole--up to the surface--and then to partly disassemble the sonde to remove the old ROM therein and replace it with a new ROM storing the new program. A ROM writer is required in order to store the new program in the new ROM, and the old ROM must then be disposed of. Not only is this throwing-away of the old ROM rather wasteful, but, because it is always necessary to have the sonde pulled up to the surface for replacement of the Roms, the operability and efficiency of the system is poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present
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Fukuhara Masafumi
Nakayama Takeaki
Christian Steven L.
Hyden Martin
Oda Christine K.
Schlumberger Technology Corporation
Taylor Victor J.
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