WELL TESTING

,,
.
-.--, .

A New Bottom-Hole
Pressure
Gauge

I Suti0/1co.
JACK W. JONES
JOHN D, BENNETT
RICHARDSON, TEX.
MEMBERS AIME

Abstract as the basic pressure sensor, Our de-. of which is connected to the output
sign was directed at achieving the ac- shaft of the bourdon tube and ro-
1 he Sun precision bottom-hole pres- curacy and precision goals by a pre- tates with it. It is mounted in jewel
sure gauge ss 9 ft in length and a cision method of detecting the angu- bearings which provide practically
maximum of 11A in. in diameter. It lar rotation of the bourdon-tube shaft frictionless load on the angular move- ..
is cmzpletely self-conutinetl and self- und an increase in resolution of the ments of the bourdon-tube shaft. The
recording. It has a sensitivity of ap- recording systems. primary coil is connected to the gear-
proximately 0.005 per cent of full reduction nulling unit. During a pres-
,scale ratin.q and a reproducible accn - sure measurement the primary coil
Description Of The Gauge
racy of &O.025 per cent of ful[ scale. is rotated by the motor and gear-re-
It can be used on silort-term tests such Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram duction nulling unit, under control of
as static fklcl surveys or gradient stu- of the pressure gauge. Basically the the electronics control circuit, until it
dies. It can also be used on long-term gauge can be divided into two fupc- is aligned in a specific angular posi-
tests such as drawdown, build-up or tiomsl units, which are the pressure tion with respect to the secondary
interference tests with dura[iotts up Io measuring system and the recording. coil. This angular position is the null
28 days. system. position of the two coils. The system
has a precision iind accuracy of re-
Pressure Meusuring System
Introduction storing the primary coil to this null
This, system includes the bourdon position of S=0.005,
Pressure is probably the most im- tube, sensing mechanism, high and
portant directly measurable partsmetcr low pressure contacts, gear-reduction The gauge does not continuously
of an oil reservoir. From pressure nulling unit, motor, clock and elec- measure pressure, but samples the
many of the important variables can tronics control circuit. pressure either on a time basis actu-
be derived which can be used in eval- The bourdon tube is the basic pres- ated by the clock or according to in-
uating a well or reservoir, method of sure transducer. Its output shaft ro- creasing or decreasing pressures, in
production, effectiveness of secondary which case the high or low pressure
tates through an angle proportional to
recovery processes, etc. Reservoir en- contacts actuate the measurements.
the pressure applied to it.
gineers can determine effective perme-
The sensing mechanism is a differ- The high and low pressure contacts
ability, porosity, effective drainage ra- ential transformer, the secondary coil are mounted on the housing for the
cljus, extent of wellbore damage if
such exists, and the continuity of the GR(NULLING) I
aquifer, oil zone or gas cap from GR (SECONDARY ~2
various pressure measurements. These RECOROING RESOLUTION IS 22 TIMES .
include transient pressure nleasure- THPT OF THE BOUROON TUBE ROTATION
ments under drawdown or build-up
conditions and interference effects in
a shut-in well due to a change in pro- ELECTH INICS
duction or injection in another well. SENSING MECHANISM
5EAR REDuCTION
/ NULLING UNIT
CONTRO: :IRWIT
The importance of pressure in the SECONOARY PRIMARY
---- - .- _. _. .--z-.D_ --
~ I]_ -..
~.-.. ,- .; . - - - ,--
determination of the above mentioned / ,., .&--:.CHART. f_&O& ! / BAj~:RY
; MOTOR
~?rarn?!e:s .waE.tbs. rn@ve for initiat-__, f :: :2]-(:-:
__._---...-\J :-Y!W5E ., . -
h! a program for the development of
a, precision down-hole pressure gauge. , ,~-~=. +3i.- ::;:::-Z,::P!7
After reviewing-. messure transducers, ~L s; .-.--:. -~~~ ___ \\ .- ,!
,
,,-- \
it was decided to use the bourdon tube BOl)lR:;N
~;EguRE>RE]juRE GEAR R)DUCTION
RECOROING
Ori Inal manuscript received in Society of \ CONTACT CONTACT
Petro ?eum Erwirrecrs office Aug. 24, 106$. Re- CbNTACTOR .;
vised manuscript received Nov. 1, 196S. F% m
m@en@d at SP13 Fall Meeting in I?&. ,.
Orleans, Oct. 6-9, 1963. Fig. lFunctional black diagram of gauge.
.
QE,CliMBER, 196S
. MW7
 . . .

primisry coil, The i .,..itsctor is nlount- IUS not only is rotated but advances where
ed on the bourdon-tube shaft rmd ro- in n longitudinal dkection. This pro- p = measured pressure,
tates with this shaft. An increase or vides the time variable on the chart:
Apn -= pressure increment for nth
decrease of pressure equivalent to As pressure is increased the stylus Wtldp,
*2.5 rotation of the bourdon-tube scribes a spiraling line with a pitch
shaft will cause the closure of the con- that of the lead screw. Each com- ~ = extension iis percent of full
tactor with either the high or low Wtldp,
plete rotation of the stylus from but-
pressure contact. This contact closure ting edgek of the chart is equivalent p~ - pressuty equiwdent to hqrin-
:xtuates a pressure measurement. to o certain pressure change. These ning of nlh wrap.
An actw~tion of a presstsre measure- pressures per rotation, or wmsp, tire
(lock
ment, either by low pressure contact evaluated in the calibration. The
closure or by the clock, turns on the spiral lines on the chart in the cylin- The clock, which provides the tinw-
motor in the direction toward the high drical chart holder become parallel variable. control for the gw-qge, is an
pressure contact, When thehfgh pres- lines separated by the Iwdd-screw pitch electrical-impulse-driven timing n]ech-
sure contact closes, the motor is re- when the chart is removed and un- anism. It has a variety of progranl-
versed andrtms until the null position rolled to aflat surface. Pressure is n~able time sequences. It can be used
of the coils is reached. At this time, expressed in the number of wraps on a short time test with clock LLcIutl-
the motor is stopped. If the actuation (rotations) plus the extension on the tion every 1% minutes, This results
is made by the high pressure contact, last wrap, This can be expressed in 36 hour maximum recording !irnc.
the motor runs in a direction away mathematically as For longer tests, i[ con be pro-
from this contact until the coils null grwmned to start with a deed time
position is reached. Regardless of the p=pn+Apn-&. (time in which no clock uctutition oc-
actuation mechanism, the final null curs) of up to two hours. This is fol-
position of the coils is reached from
the same direction. This eliminates
any error duc to backlash in either
or both of the gear reduction units.
I{wordinfg System
The recording system consists of
the motor, gear-reduction recording-
unit-stylus mechanism,chart and chart
holder,
During any pressure measurement,
the motor, through the gear-reduction
ntdling unit, aligns the primary coil
in a null position with the secondary
coil. At the same time, the motor is
driving the stylus assembly through
[hcgew reduction recording unit, The
Fig. %Prewotre cbnrt from intderenw Ieul. S00 prwwre guuw. 77.1 psi (h])
stylus is driven through 22 times the in 260 hors,
angular rotation of the primary coiL
This ratio of gear reduction units of
22 provides increased recording reso-
lution.
The recording is made on u chart
of black-coated shimstock, which is
mounted in a cylindrical chart holder.
The chart is inserted inside the.chart
holder with edges butting together
forming a cylinder. The chart edgcis
indexed on short, nrmrow saw slits in
each emof the chart holder. The
chart holder is indexed by a V
notch in one end mating with a spring
loaded pin.
The stylus mechanism consists of a
lead screw on which is mounted rt
special nut. The stylus arm is moLtnt-
ed on the nut. During a pressure
,-, ---~-tneasurernent- cycle; -when -the-modor----- ------ .- . -.

I
is driving the assembly toward .Ihe 1380 -%...
high pressure contact, the whole sty- -....,
Ius assembly is turned by the motor -..
13700 ~. ~.
through the recording gear reduction
unk However, after the high pressure TIME IN HOURS
contact is closed the nut is ,m.oved with ,,
respect to the lead screw, and the sty- Fig. 3Plot of interference test of Fig. 2.

12@ .. JSSURNALOF PETRO1,EIJM TECHNOLOGY

.
. . . . .. .. .
 lowed by it period of two hours ot 1% right to left) or pressure (increasing test of u Sun giIuge, The gtiuge under
minute actuations, Following this it upward). The gauge which made the test had a bourdon tube whose rtiting
can be transferred to 15- or 30-min- chart in Fig. 2 had a deflection sensi- was 5,300 psi.
ute spaced actuations according to tivity of approximately 1 psi per 0.02 Reading from right to left, the
the pre-programming. The 15-nlinute in, deflection of the stylus. This gives parallel lines represent the increase of
program results in a maximum record- a reading resolution for this gauge of pressure from atmospheric up to 2,050
ing time of 14 days. The 30-minute 0.05 psi. psi. The level section following rep+
program results in 28 day maximum Fig. 3 is a plot of the data read sents 43 hours at 2,050 psi. The prc~-
opertrt ion. from the chart of Fig, 2. Each dot sure was then raised to 2)300 psi aid
on th,is plot is a discrete reading of a left, there for 21. hours. This is fol-
Bulteries
clock-actuated null cycle pressure lowed by respective increases in pres-
The power to operate the clock and
measurement. It will be noted that the sure of 25, 10, 5? 2, %, 1/2 and 1A psi.
the pressure measuring system is pro-
deviation of any one measurement It was then redticed in pressure fxdck
vided by mercury batteries contained
from a smooth curve is very minor. to 2,300 psi in the same steps in re-
in a pressure-tight case, physically
This demonstrates the sensitivity and verse order. The smali identifiable
connected to but sealed from the
reproducibility of the gauge, changes in pressure (/4 psi) show u
main body of the gauge. The batteries
have sutllcient reserve to operate the Gauge Accuracy And Sensitivity reproducible sensitivity of approxi-
gauge for at least twice the maximum mately 0.005 per cent of fuli scalcc
Fig. 4 is an enlarged photographic
time operation of 2S, days. reproduction of a special calibration The remaining portions of the lest
Chart Interpretation
r----2343 1/4
Fig. 2 is a photo of a chart made
by a pressure gauge during an inter-
ference test. Time is measured from
right to left. Pressure is measured
from bottom to top plus the equiva-
Ien! pressure for beginning of the last
wrap.
The parallel lines on the extreme
right indicate the number of com-
plete rotations of the stylus as the
gauge was being lowered in the well.
Each line corresponds to one revoh.r-
tion of the stylus. The parallel lines
on the extreme left are a result of .
pressure decrease as the gauge is 3599

pulled up the well tubing and re-

moved. The intervening closely spaced
parallel lines are stylus scribed during
(clock actuated null cycles.
The wide sweep of the needle or
13 Revo!.h.ns Dow. 5 Re.1.loo$ up I R,.,,.1,.n Up 7 fleot.1,.n, up
stylus during these pressure measure-
ments or null cycles is equivalent to SUN PRESSURE GAUGE
the distance between the contactor DEAD WEIGHT CALIBRATION TEST
and lhe high pressure contact at null
position of the differential transform- Pig. Qpeciul calihratinn churl.
er, It appears on the chart amplified
by the gear reduction ratio of 22 to 1.
During a pressure measurement the
I
INTERFERENCE TEST
motor drives the primary coil from the
2s30
preceding null position until the con-
tactor engages the high pressure con- ,0 ,JOp,, ,,,f# ,N+_t-~~., ~
26Z8 ; t:; ::
tact. At this time the motor is reversed
and moves the primary coil in direc-
tw36 .=
[ion toward null, When the null is .3

-I -t- I-tT:
-,-
reached, the motdr is stopped. During
this operation the stylus is being driv-
..~+<
- IET6FT~iTLEhKt4T
]11!!
en by the same motor through its gear :2 ~ ~~1 ._ __ ... !__., ,., 4 .. . .. .; ..1..-.
reduction unit at 22 times the angular w
movement of the primary coii. This ~~~Q .E & .-. 1

. . .. .. results in a. relatively wide sweep of -. ,._ ~, ._: : : ----

.
~~
.._]. ._, _ _ ._...:.._ - l.. .:- ...:
the styhrs.-The upper end, correspond: 161s
-_. . . .
SUN PR~SU~E GAUGES -
ing to the null position, is read as the ,1
measured pressure. .This is the upper . .. . s IMuLTANEous RUNS WITH TANDEM GAu13ES.
2616 - -
boundary of the stylus sweep.
.
A special chart reader is used to
TIIE (Jays) I - i I 1
read the data from the charts. Read- 01234 5 6789 !011{2 1314
ings are made to the nearest 0.001 in.
in time (along the horizontal axis, F]g. &Interference teat using tnmkm gauges.

1279
S3FXEMBEtt. i!36.3 . .
.

consist of increasing the pressure to
3,595 psi and holding it there for
seven hours. This is followed by a
linear rise in pressure of 4 psi in 24
hours. This is further evidence of the
reproducible sensitivity of the gauge.
In this period the chart has an ideMi-
fiable slope of 1/6 psi/hour. The
minor deviations from a straight line
in the constant pressure areas further
indicate the reproducibility of the
gauge, Many laboratory calibration
tests of the gauge have been made
with field tests interspersed. The cali-
brations are made by a precision
dead-weight tester and a controlled
temperature environment, As a result
of these calibrations an itccuracy of
&O.025 per cent of full scale rating
of the bourdon tube is quoted for the
gauge.
The accuracy of the gauge in terms
of differential pressure measurements
is approximately that of its reproduc-
ible sensitivity, i.e., 0.005 per cent of
full scale.
Field Testing
Many field tests have been made of
the gauges, including static pressure
surveys, piessure build-up tests, pres-
sure gradient studies and interference
tests,
,, Fig. 5 is a plot of the results of
+. . ---- .
.-
an interference test using tandem
gauges, The 5,300 psi gauge was
placed in the hole first and hung on
a tubing hanger, The 2,0Ct0 psi gauge
was then placed in the hole on a wire
line, The sharp drop in pressure ex-
hibited by the 5,300 psi unit was a re-
sult of opening the lubricator to insert
the 2,000 psi unit, The correlatable
small variations of pressure of the rec-
ords were probably due to tem~rature
variations on the exposed lubricator.
The response of both gauges to these
changes further emphasizes their sen-
siti!fity. The average difference be-
tween. the two gauges pressure plots
is explainable by the fact that these
records were referred to a common
datum, and the relative depths on this
test were not known precisely. A va-
riation in a few feet in the relative
. depth could easiiy explain this differ-
ence.
Conclusion
Accuracy and sensitivity of the Sun
precision pressure gauge have been
demonstrated. Both laboratory calibra-
tion tests and field operations attest to
this fact. Versatility of the clock makes
this gauge applicable for all manner
of pressure measurements.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge
JOURNAL
. .
and express their appreciation for the
assistance of the many people who
contributed to the design, construction
and testing of the pressure gauge, par-
ticularly to P. E, Chancy, director of
production research for Sun Oil, who
was so instrumental in all phases of
the gauge development. We would
also like to acknowledge the valuable
contribution of Charles F, Rhodes in
the construction and testing of the
gauges and C. Mack Mason in the
field testing of the gauges, ***
JACKW, JONES (right) is the head
O! the Instrumentation Section of Sun
Oi[ Co.s production research lab in
R[chardsott, Tex. He received a BS
degree in physics from Western Ken-
tucky State College and an MS jrom
the U. of Kentucky in the same fteld.
JOHN. D. BS?MVETT(left) is aiso with
Sun Oil in Richardson. He graduated
from Texas A&M in 1939 with a BS
degree in mechanical engineering.
.. ..._-.-..
OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY