Downhole component communication and power management

• US 10,424,916 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Koenecke, Andre, Gatzen, Matthias, Kunde, Wido, Ohlendorf, Ole-Hendrik, Wiese, Frank, Szczepanski, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Harcourt, Brad
• Application Number:
  US15/152,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20170331280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• 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 49/02 by mechanically taking samples of the soil
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/10 additionally responsive to some other abnormal electrical conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/20 responsive to excess voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/20 for electronic equipment for converters H02H7/10; for electric measuring instruments G01R1/36; for dc voltage or current semiconductor regulators G05F1/569; for amplifiers H03F1/52; for electronic switching circuits H03K17/08
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/26 Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured locating faults in cables G01R31/08

Abstract

A power control device includes a communication device configured to be disposed in a borehole and configured to couple electrical power from a power source to a downhole component from a conductor disposed along a borehole string, a circuit breaker system including a first circuit breaker disposed at a connection between the conductor and the downhole component and configured to be closed to connect the downhole component to the conductor, and a controller configured to monitor at least one of a current level and a voltage level at the connection and at the conductor. The controller is configured to control the circuit breaker system and autonomously perform opening the first circuit breaker in response to detecting a deviation in the at least one of the current levels and voltage levels at the connection, to isolate the downhole component from the conductor and the power source.

Claims

1. A power control device for controlling power supply to a first downhole component, the device comprising:

a circuit breaker system including a first circuit breaker disposed between a conductor and the first downhole component, the conductor disposed along a borehole string and configured to connect the first downhole component to a first power source, the circuit breaker system including a second circuit breaker, the first circuit breaker configured to be closed to connect the first downhole component to the conductor; and

a controller configured to monitor at least one of a current level and a voltage level, the controller configured to control the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker, and perform;

opening at least one of the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in response to detecting a deviation in the at least one of the current level and the voltage level.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a control unit, the control unit connected to a second power control device for controlling power supply to a second downhole component, the control unit configured to send a command to the power control device and the second power control device individually connect or disconnect the first downhole component and the second downhole component.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second circuit breaker is configured to be closed to connect a subsequent conductor to the first power source, and the circuit breaker system includes a third circuit breaker disposed between the first power source and the first downhole component, and the controller is configured to control the third circuit breaker.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the circuit breaker system is configured to be operated by receiving power from an uphole location and from a downhole location relative to the first downhole component.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to connect a second power source to the first downhole component to supply power to the first downhole component.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the second power source includes electronics configured to receive a command or to monitor a voltage, and supply power to the first downhole component in response to receiving the command or monitoring the voltage.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first power source and the second power source includes a battery.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to open the first circuit breaker in response to detecting a failure in the first downhole component, or open the second circuit breaker in response to detecting a failure in a downhole component connected to the subsequent conductor.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the power control device is connected to a master controller, the master controller configured to communicate with the power control device and send messages to the power control device to open or close at least one of the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker, and the third circuit breaker.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the power control device is configured to transmit a message to the master controller, the message identifying the first downhole component and allowing the master controller to identify an order of the first downhole component relative to other downhole components to the borehole string.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the master controller is configured to determine an order of the first downhole component relative to other connected downhole components in the borehole string.

12. The device of claim 3, further comprising a circuit component configured to transmit electrical power sufficient to activate the controller when at least one of the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker is open.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the circuit component includes a first diode configured to bypass at least one of the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to measure the voltage level, and close at least one of the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker in response to the voltage level being within a selected range.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a second diode configured to bypass an other of the at least one of the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first diode is configured to bypass the third circuit breaker when the circuit breaker system receives power from an uphole location and the second diode is configured to bypass the second circuit breaker when the circuit breaker system receives power from a downhole location.

17. A method of controlling power supply to a first downhole component, the method comprising:

disposing a first power control device in a borehole in an earth formation, the first power control device configured to couple electrical power to the first downhole component from a conductor disposed along a borehole string and connected to a first power source, the first power control device including a circuit breaker system and a controller, the circuit breaker system including a first circuit breaker disposed between the conductor and the first downhole component and configured to be closed to connect the first downhole component to the conductor, the circuit breaker system including a second circuit breaker;

receiving electrical power via the conductor to activate the controller;

monitoring, by the first power control device, at least one of a current level and a voltage level; and

opening at least one of the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in response to detecting a deviation in the at least one of the current level and the voltage level.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a control unit, the control unit connected to a second power control device for controlling power supply to a second downhole component, the control unit configured to send a command to the first power control device and the second power control device to individually connect or disconnect the first downhole component and the second downhole component.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the second circuit breaker is configured to be closed to connect a subsequent conductor to the first power source, and the circuit breaker system includes a third circuit breaker disposed between the first power source and the first downhole component, and the controller is configured to control the third circuit breaker.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the circuit breaker system is configured to be operated by receiving power from an uphole location and from a downhole location relative to the first downhole component.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to connect a second power source to the first downhole component to supply power to the first downhole component, the second power source includes electronics configured to receive a command or to monitor a voltage, and the method further comprises supplying power to the first downhole component in response to receiving the command or monitoring the voltage.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first power source and the second power source includes a battery.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first power control device is connected by the conductor to a master controller, the master controller configured to communicate with the first power control device and send messages to the first power control device to open or close at least one of the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker, and the third circuit breaker.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising transmitting a message by the first power control device to the master controller, the message identifying the first downhole component and allowing the master controller to identify an order of the first downhole component relative to other downhole components in the borehole string.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the first power control device includes a circuit component configured to transmit electrical power sufficient to activate the controller when at least one of the second and the third circuit breaker is open.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the circuit component includes a diode configured to bypass at least one of the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the diode includes a first diode and a second diode, the first diode is configured to bypass the third circuit breaker when the circuit breaker system receives power from an uphole location and the second diode is configured to bypass the second circuit breaker when the circuit breaker system receives power from a downhole location.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to open the first circuit breaker in response to detecting a failure in the first downhole component, or open the second circuit breaker in response to detecting a failure in a downhole component connected to the subsequent conductor.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to measure the voltage level, and close at least one of the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker and the third circuit breaker in response to the voltage level being within a selected range.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the first power control device is connected to a master controller, and the master controller is configured to determine a physical order of the first downhole component relative to a second downhole component along the borehole string.