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Abstract

A detector for use in wells comprises a collar member connected to a drill string at a position down-well with respect to the surface of the earth, a sensor in the collar in the area being monitored for sensing down-well fluids in deep wells, an impulse generator cavity in the collar, an acoustic impulse generator mounted in the impulse generator cavity for producing a deformation wave in the drill string, having longitudinal, torsional and radial components, an elongated fluid sampling cavity in the collar having lower and upper ends and inlet and outlet means, respectively, in the lower and upper ends for allowing the passage of down-well fluids through the sampling cavity, such fluids being primarily mixtures of mud and oil and mixtures of mud, oil and gas. The sensor is supported within the sampling cavity in a position so that when gas enters into the cavity in abnormal amounts, separation of the components of the mixture produces variations in thermal conductivity properties sensed by the sensor. The sensor is operatively connected to the impulse generator to actuate the generator when a predetermined threshold concentration of undesirable fluid is exceeded in the sampling cavity, whereby the impulse generator produces a deformation wave which is conducted in the drill string to a detector remote from the impulse generator and which in turn is connected to a pulse alarm analyzer which indicates the condition in the well.

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First Claim