초록

An apparatus comprising a downhole measurement tool, a transducer coupled to the measurement tool, the transducer having a body with an outer surface, and a heater disposed adjacent the outer surface to conduct heat from the heater to the outer surface.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a downhole tool to receive an ambient downhole fluid pressure; a pressure transducer coupled to said downhole tool to receive said ambient downhole fluid pressure, said transducer having a body with an outer surface; and a heater disposed adjacent sai

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a downhole tool to receive an ambient downhole fluid pressure; a pressure transducer coupled to said downhole tool to receive said ambient downhole fluid pressure, said transducer having a body with an outer surface; and a heater disposed adjacent said outer surface to heat said outer surface. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heater further comprises electrical heating elements. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heater further comprises a heating jacket that covers substantially all of the pressure transducer body outer surface. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool comprises at least one of a reservoir description tool, a measurement while drilling tool, a logging while drilling tool, a formation evaluation tool, an autonomous remote device, and a permanent smart completion. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to at least one of said pressure transducer and said heater. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heater comprises a plurality of heating elements evenly distributed over said outer surface. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heater further comprises a resistance thermal device to measure a temperature of said outer surface. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a thermostat coupled to said heater to control said heater. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transducer is a pressure gauge. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the pressure gauge comprises at least one of a quartz crystal and a strain gauge. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a tool body incorporating said downhole tool and an interior chamber to receive said ambient downhole fluid pressure; a transducer package incorporating said pressure transducer and mounted in said tool body; wherein said heater comprises a heating jacket disposed about said pressure transducer package; and a fluid passageway communicating said ambient downhole fluid pressure to an interior of both said pressure transducer package and said heating jacket. 12. The downhole tool of claim 11 further comprising a uniform conductive heat field between said heating jacket and said pressure transducer package. 13. The downhole tool of claim 11 further comprising a controller coupled to said pressure transducer package. 14. The downhole tool of claim 11 further comprising a thermostat coupled to said heating jacket. 15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said heating jacket further comprises a resistance thermal device to measure a temperature of said pressure transducer package. 16. A method comprising: disposing a heater adjacent to a pressure transducer on a downhole tool; lowering the tool into a well; communicating an ambient downhole fluid pressure to the pressure transducer through the downhole tool; and using the heater to control a temperature of the pressure transducer. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: maintaining the temperature of the pressure transducer above an ambient downhole temperature. 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising: stabilizing the temperature of the pressure transducer with an ambient downhole temperature for taking an accurate pressure measurement with the pressure transducer. 19. The method of claim 16 further comprising: heating the pressure transducer with the heater during the entire lowering of the tool into the well from the surface of the well to a desired depth in the well. 20. The method of claim 16 further comprising: pre-heating the pressure transducer before lowering the tool into the well.