Data transmission across downhole connections
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- generating an electrical signal from a sensor unit coupled to a production string or casing in a wellbore, the sensor unit having one or more sensors, the electrical signal indicative of a parameter measured by the one or more sensors;
transmitting an acoustic signal by an electroacoustic transmitter coupled to the production string or casing, the acoustic signal correlated to the electrical signal, the acoustic signal transmitted via the production string or casing or fluid in the production string or casing;
receiving the acoustic signal in an acoustic receiver coupled to the production string or casing above the electroacoustic transmitter with respect to fluid flow to a surface location, the acoustic receiver separated from the electroacoustic transmitter by a downhole connection that obstructs direct electrical transmission and optical transmission between the electroacoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver; and
providing data correlated to the received acoustic signal to the surface location of the wellbore.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments include methods and systems structured to transmit data from downhole sensors to the surface at a well site. The transmission can be implemented to overcome downhole connections that can act as obstructions to direct electrical and optical communication in a wellbore. Electrical signals from one or more sensors in a sensor unit, located on a side of a downhole connection in a wellbore opposite the surface of the wellbore, can be used to drive an acoustic transmitter to transmit an acoustic signal via a production string or casing or fluid in the production string or casing across the downhole connection, where the acoustic signal is received on the surface side of the downhole connection. Data correlated to the received acoustic signal can be provided to a surface location of the wellbore. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods can be implemented in a variety of applications.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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generating an electrical signal from a sensor unit coupled to a production string or casing in a wellbore, the sensor unit having one or more sensors, the electrical signal indicative of a parameter measured by the one or more sensors; transmitting an acoustic signal by an electroacoustic transmitter coupled to the production string or casing, the acoustic signal correlated to the electrical signal, the acoustic signal transmitted via the production string or casing or fluid in the production string or casing; receiving the acoustic signal in an acoustic receiver coupled to the production string or casing above the electroacoustic transmitter with respect to fluid flow to a surface location, the acoustic receiver separated from the electroacoustic transmitter by a downhole connection that obstructs direct electrical transmission and optical transmission between the electroacoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver; and providing data correlated to the received acoustic signal to the surface location of the wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a sensor unit coupled to a production string or casing in a wellbore, the sensor unit having one or more sensors, the sensor unit operable to output an electrical signal indicative of a parameter measured by the one or more sensors; an electroacoustic transmitter coupled to the production string or casing in the wellbore and structured to transmit an acoustic signal via the production string or casing or fluid in the production string or casing, the acoustic signal correlated to the electrical signal; and an acoustic receiver coupled to the production string or casing above the electroacoustic transmitter with respect to fluid flow to a surface location, the acoustic receiver separated from the electroacoustic transmitter by a downhole connection that obstructs direct electrical transmission and optical transmission between the electroacoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver, the acoustic receiver device operable to receive the acoustic signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification