Downhole Imaging Systems and Methods

摘要

Downhole Camera systems and methods. Certain systems include a high-speed video camera configured with a 360 degree optical field-of-view, a jet-flushing system capable of temporarily displacing debris substantially simultaneously along all azimuths within the optical field-of-view, and optionally a downhole real-time image processing system for reducing the amount of captured video transmitted to surface. Certain methods include capturing a set of images downhole using a high-speed video camera having a 360 degree optical field-of-view, substantially simultaneously temporarily displacing debris in the optical field-of-view for at least a portion of the time the camera is capturing video using a jet-flushing system capable of projecting flushing fluid substantially simultaneously along all azimuths in the borehole. The methods may also involve pre-processing the set of images to reduce the number of images or reduce the amount of information transmitted to surface.

主权项

1. A system for capturing images of a target downhole, comprising:
a. a camera system having an optical field-of-view configurable for sideview, downview for capturing data comprising a set of captured image frames, or both; b. a jet-flushing system for replacing downhole fluid with jet-flushing fluid to establish a clean optical path in the optical field-of-view between the camera and a downhole target surface; c. an illumination system; d. an image processing system for processing the captured data downhole; e. a communication system for transmitting captured data, processed data or both to surface in real-time; and, f. a surface acquisition system for receiving the transmitted data.