RF communication with downhole equipment
First Claim
1. A method of communication over a power cable, comprising:
- transmitting power over a three phase power cable connecting surface equipment to downhole components within a borehole;
transmitting a radio frequency signal over the power cable concurrently with the power between the surface equipment and each of a plurality of transceivers located within the borehole; and
decoupling the radio frequency signal from the power received over the power cable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Data or control signals are communicated over a three phase power cable supplying power from a surface location to a motor/pump assembly located within a wellbore utilizing modulated radio frequency signals. The radio frequency signals may be impressed on the power cable through physical taps to the power cable conductors or by reactive coupling to the power cable. The transmission frequency is selected from a range of frequencies which propagate through the motor windings and up the power cable with sufficient amplitude to be received and processed. The modulated RF signal may be transmitted concurrently with the three phase power on the power cable, and simultaneous bidirectional communications between the surface and downhole locations may be supported utilizing, for example, discrete frequencies for transmission in different directions. A network of RF transceivers or nodes may be situated at various locations along the wellbore and the motor/pump assembly to gather information about conditions at different points (e.g., below the motor/pump assembly, above the motor/pump assembly, and at the wellhead of a subsea borehole), with transmission on the power cable shared among the nodes through a spread spectrum and/or multiple access protocol.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of communication over a power cable, comprising:
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transmitting power over a three phase power cable connecting surface equipment to downhole components within a borehole;
transmitting a radio frequency signal over the power cable concurrently with the power between the surface equipment and each of a plurality of transceivers located within the borehole; and
decoupling the radio frequency signal from the power received over the power cable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for communication over a power cable, comprising:
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a three phase power cable transmitting power from surface equipment to downhole components; and
a plurality of transceivers each including a transmitter transmitting a radio frequency signal over all three phases of the power cable concurrently with the power, and a receiver decoupling the radio frequency signal from the power received over the power cable, the plurality of transceivers coupled to the three phase power cable and including at least a transceiver within the surface equipment and at least two transceivers within a borehole containing the downhole components, each transceiver capable, when operable, of selectively transmitting or receiving radio frequency signals over the three phase power cable concurrently with the power being transmitted over the three phase power cable. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of communication over a three phase power cable, comprising:
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transmitting power to a motor within a borehole over a three phase power cable connecting surface equipment to downhole components within the borehole, wherein the downhole components include the motor; and
transmitting radio frequency signals between the surface equipment and the downhole components over the power cable between the surface equipment and a plurality of transceivers located within the borehole. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A system for communicating over a three phase power cable, comprising:
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a motor and pump disposed within a borehole; and
a three phase power cable connecting surface equipment to the motor and pump and carrying power to the motor;
a plurality of transceivers coupled to the three phase power cable including a first transceiver within the surface equipment, a second transceiver within the borehole proximate to the motor and pump, and a third transceiver within the borehole, wherein the plurality of transceivers communicate with each other over the three phase power cable. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification