Systems and methods for wirelessly monitoring well conditions

• US 10,072,495 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Gooneratne, Chinthaka Pasan, Li, Bodong, Zhou, Shaohua
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/457,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20180258758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 3408546
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A system for wirelessly monitoring well conditions includes a set of wireless transceivers placed along a drill string inside a well, each transceiver placed within at least half the maximum distance that each transceiver can transmit data, and a power generator attached to each transceiver that powers the respective transceiver, the power generator including a first material that is of one polarity and a second material that is fixed in position and is of opposite polarity of the first material, wherein the first material is propelled toward the second material based on the motion of the power generator so that the two materials have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power. The wireless transceivers may communicate using any wireless communication technology, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and BLE.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly monitoring well conditions, the system comprising:

a string of wireless transceivers placed along a drill string inside a well, each transceiver placed within at least half the maximum distance that each transceiver can transmit data;

a power generator attached to each transceiver that powers the respective transceiver, the power generator including a first material that is of one polarity and a second material that is fixed in position relative to the first material and is of opposite polarity of the first material,

wherein the first material is configured to be propelled toward the second material based on the motion of the power generator so that the two materials have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power;

a first housing for housing the power generator, the first material, the second material, and a bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

a second housing for housing a storage unit, a microcontroller, and a transceiver unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor that gathers information concerning a downhole environment, the at least one sensor operatively coupled to one of the wireless transceivers; and

a microcontroller unit operatively coupled to each of the wireless transceivers to manage the power generated by the power generator, and transmit information gathered by the at least one sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power generator further comprises:

at least one electrode that is connected to the first material or second material;

the bridge rectifier connected to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current; and

the storage unit for storing the power generated by the power generator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power generator is embedded inside the drill string and the wireless transceiver outside the drill string.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power generator and the wireless transceiver are embedded inside the drill string.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first material is suspended using one or more coil springs.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a turbine operatively coupled to the first material for causing the first material to move towards the second material or away from the second material.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the storage unit comprises one of dielectric capacitors, ceramic film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, supercapacitors, double-layer capacitors, or pseudo-capacitors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion is caused due to vibration, rotation, mud flow, or noise in the drill string carrying the power generator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of a material that causes static electricity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group consisting of Copper, Aluminum, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyimide, Lead, Elastomer, Polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA), Nylon, and Polyester.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first material and the second material comprise a fire-resistant material.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceivers communicate over a wireless communication method selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and ZigBee.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second housing comprises a hollow housing structure that provides clearance for the drilling fluids to flow through.

15. A method for wirelessly monitoring well conditions, the method comprising:

connecting an array of wireless transceivers along a drill string inside a well, each transceiver placed within at least half the maximum distance that each transceiver can transmit data;

connecting a power generator to each transceiver for powering the respective transceivers, the power generator including a first material that is of one polarity and a second material that is fixed in position relative to the first material and is of opposite polarity of the first material;

propelling the first material toward the second material based on the motion of the power generator so that the two materials have a maximized point of contact to generate maximum power;

providing a first housing for housing the power generator, the first material, the second material, and a bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

providing a second housing for housing a storage unit, a microcontroller, and a transceiver unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

connecting at least one sensor that gathers information concerning a downhole environment to one of the wireless transceivers;

connecting a microcontroller unit to each of the wireless transceivers to manage the power generated by the power generator; and

transmitting information gathered by the at least one sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the power generator further comprises:

at least one electrode that is connected to the first material or second material;

the bridge rectifier connected to the at least one electrode to transform the power generated into direct current from alternating current; and

the storage unit for storing the power generated by the power generator.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

embedding the power generator inside the drill string and the wireless transceiver outside the drill string.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

embedding the power generator and the wireless transceiver inside the drill string.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

suspending the first material using one or more coil springs.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

connecting a turbine to the first material for causing the first material to move towards the second material or away from the second material.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the storage unit comprises one of dielectric capacitors, ceramic film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, supercapacitors, double-layer capacitors, or pseudo-capacitors.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion is caused due to vibration, rotation, mud flow, or noise in the drill string carrying the power generator.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the first material and the second material are comprised of a material that causes static electricity.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first material and the second material are selected from the group consisting of Copper, Aluminum, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyimide, Lead, Elastomer, Polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA), Nylon and Polyester.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first material and the second material comprise a fire-resistant material.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless transceivers communicate over a wireless communication method selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and ZigBee.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the second housing comprises a hollow housing structure that provides clearance for the drilling fluids to flow through.

29. A high temperature, self-powered, downhole communications system for wirelessly monitoring well conditions, the system comprising:

an array of wireless transceivers placed along a drill string inside a well, each transceiver placed within at least half the maximum distance that each transceiver can transmit data;

a power generator attached to each transceiver that powers the respective transceiver, wherein the wireless transceivers communicate over a wireless communication method selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and ZigBee;

a first housing for housing the power generator and a bridge rectifier, wherein the first housing comprises a polymeric material; and

a second housing for housing a storage unit, a microcontroller, and a transceiver unit, wherein the second housing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of certain solids, transition metals, as well as high strength alloys and/or compounds of the transition metals, and high temperature dewars.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the second housing comprises a hollow housing structure that provides clearance for the drilling fluids to flow through.