DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR ORIENTING CORE SAMPLES

Abstract

A device for orienting core samples relative to the position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted is intended to remain coupled during operation in a core bit, that is, in the bit used to drill and extract the core sample from the subsoil. The proposed device includes a tubular body couplable to an inner tube and/or to a head assembly of a core bit, detector is arranged in the tubular body configured to detect the orientation of the inner tube and/or of a core sample provided in said inner tube, and an electronic control unit arranged in the tubular body configured to receive and process data from the detector relating to the orientation of the inner tube and/or the core sample provided in the inner tube, and configured to wirelessly transmit the data.

Claims

1. A device for orienting core samples relative to a position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, the device comprising: a tubular body couplable to an inner tube or to a head assembly of a core bit; a detector arranged in the tubular body for detecting the orientation of the inner tube or of a core sample provided in the inner tube, and an electronic control unit arranged in the tubular body for receiving and processing data from the detector relating to the orientation of the inner tube or the core sample provided in the inner tube, and wirelessly transmitting data.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a communicator configured for the wireless transmission of data using high-speed Bluetooth protocol.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a set of triaxial accelerometers, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample by measuring the gravitational vector.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample with respect to true north.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an inner tube adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the inner tube.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a head adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the head assembly.

7. A system for orientating core samples relative to a position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, the system comprising: a device for orienting core samples; and a portable communication device for establishing wireless communication with the device, receiving data therefrom, processing the data and presenting the orientation data of the extracted core sample to a user; where the device comprising a tubular body for coupling to an inner tube or to a head assembly of a core bit; a detector arranged in the tubular body for detecting the orientation of the inner tube or of a core sample provided in the inner tube.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication device is configured for the wireless transmission of data using high-speed Bluetooth protocol.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the detector comprises a set of triaxial accelerometers, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample by measuring the gravitational vector.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the detector comprises a set of micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, configured to orient the core sample with respect to true north.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising an inner tube adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the inner tube.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a head adapter configured to couple the tubular body to the head assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be considered by way of illustration and not limitation, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device for orienting core samples of the invention in communication with a portable communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0019] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in the form of examples to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings can be implemented without such details.

[0020] According to a particular embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a device (1) for orienting core samples relative to the position thereof with respect to the subsoil before being extracted, said device (1) comprising a tubular body (2), essentially cylindrical, this tubular body (2) being couplable to an inner tube (not shown) and/or to a head assembly (not shown) of a core bit (not shown). The tubular body (2) can be coupled to said elements by any known technique; however, to maintain a standard dimension of said tubular body (2) despite the different diameters of the inner pipe or head assembly, as seen in FIG. 1, the invention provides at least one inner tube adapter (3) configured to couple the tubular body (2) to the inner tube (not shown), and comprises at least one head adapter (4) configured to couple the tubular body (2) to the head assembly (not shown). Therefore, the tubular body (2) comprises a first coupling end (21) and a second coupling end (22) for the coupling of such adapters (3) (4) respectively. For ease of coupling, the coupling ends (21) (22) are threaded ends, in the embodiment shown they are male threaded ends, for the threaded coupling of the adapters (3) (4), female threads. The person skilled in the art can see that different combinations, as well as other forms of releasable coupling, are within the scope of the invention.

[0021] Each of these adapters (3) (4) comprises one end (31) (41) that can be coupled to the tubular body (2) and another end (32) (42) that can be coupled to the inner tube or to the head assembly. In this sense, each device (1) can have a kit or series of inner tube adapters (3) and head adapters (4) to use the appropriate adapter according to the diameter of the pipe.

[0022] Furthermore, the device (1) comprises detection means (not shown) arranged in the tubular body (2), being configured to detect the orientation of the inner tube and/or of a core sample provided in said inner tube. In the preferred embodiment, the detection means consist of a set of three triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, said set of triaxial accelerometers being configured to orient the core sample by means of measuring the gravity vector. Alternatively, these sensing means consist of a set of three gyroscopes, preferably MEMS, arranged mutually orthogonal to each other, by means of which it is possible to obtain the orientation with respect to true north of the extracted core sample.

[0023] In other embodiments, the detection means consist of a set of three triaxial accelerometers arranged mutually orthogonal to each other and a set of three micromechanical gyroscopes arranged mutually orthogonal to each other. The different configurations of the detection means make it possible to determine the orientation of the core sample as it was located in the subsoil before being extracted, where this orientation data is exported for the geological analysis of the terrain.

[0024] The device (1) comprises an electronic control unit (not shown) arranged in the tubular body (2) configured to receive and process data from the detection means relating to the orientation of the inner tube and/or the core sample provided in said inner tube, and configured to wirelessly transmit said data, preferably by means of high-speed Bluetooth protocol. Therefore, the electronic control unit comprises communication means which, among others, comprise an antenna (not shown) for high-speed Bluetooth transmission to a suitable external terminal, such as, for example, a portable communication device (8) which is configured to establish wireless communication via high-speed Bluetooth protocol with the device (1), receive the data from the latter, process such data and present the orientation data of the extracted core sample to an user. So, once the head assembly and inner tube have been removed, without disassembling any element, orientation data of the core sample can be transmitted by establishing a high-speed Bluetooth wireless connection between the device (1) and the portable communication device (8). As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device (1) comprises a connection indicator (6) configured to indicate the establishment of the connection between the device (1) and the portable connection device (8), as well as to indicate the transmission of data between said devices by means of, for example, a steady light when the connection has been made and a flashing light when data is being transmitted.

[0025] Likewise, the tubular body (2) comprises at least one opening (5) provided for the transmission of the wireless connection signal via the communication means arranged inside said tubular body (2).

[0026] In preferred embodiments, the electronic control unit is provided with processing means configured to process the measurements made by the detection means and obtain the orientation data of the sample, the portable communication device (8) being a simple means for the user to be able to view the orientation data, or, alternatively, the raw measurements or orientation data are transmitted directly to the portable communication device (8) which would be provided with processing means and software capable of processing the data received, obtaining the orientation of the extracted core sample and presenting it to the user.

[0027] As seen in FIG. 1, it comprises at the coupling end (22) a housing configured to receive a check valve (7), which, when activated, cuts off the flow of fluid, raising the pressure in a pressure gauge arranged on the surface, acting as an indicator of the pumping pressure.

[0028] Furthermore, the electronic control unit alternatively comprises temperature detection means, for example, a thermocouple, infrared sensor, a thermographic camera, or similar sensors, configured to measure the temperature of the bottom of the well, this data being relevant in some deposits.