Radio frequency tags for turbulent flows

• US 20060000604A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Barrett, Michael, Johnson, Ashley, Barrow, Harry, Jenkins, Charles, Dickenson, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,455,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.110
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/138 Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals

Abstract

A system for communicating information, particular for use in a hydrocarbon well, is described including one or more releasable vessels having radio frequency (RF) circuitry responsive, when in use, to an RF reader system, the vessel including counteracting means to reduce the effect of destabilizing flow forces thereby extending the coupling time with the reader system.

Claims

1. A vessel for communicating information through a fluid flow comprising radio frequency (RF) circuitry responsive, when in use, to an RF reader system, the vessel including counteracting means to reduce the effect of destabilizing flow forces thereby extending the coupling time with the reader system.

2. The vessel of claim 1 comprising more than one RF antenna.

3. The vessel of claim 1 comprising more than one RF antenna, wherein RF antennas are coupled through rectifiers.

4. The vessel of claim 1 comprising more than one RF antenna, wherein RF antennas are coupled through half-bridge rectifiers.

5. The vessel of claim 1 comprising more than one RF antenna, wherein RF antennas are coupled through full-bridge rectifiers.

6. The vessel of claim 1 having a preferred orientation in a force field.

7. The vessel of claim 1 having a center of a mass distant from its geometrical center.

8. The vessel of claim 1 comprising a first part essentially made of a first material and a second part made of a second material wherein the density of the materials is different.

9. The vessel of claim 1 comprising a first part essentially made of a first material and a second part made of a second material wherein the density of the materials differs by at least 0.5 g/ccm.

10. The vessel of claim 1 comprising a first part essentially made of a first material and a second part made of a second material wherein the density of the materials differs by at least 1 g/ccm.

11. The vessel of claim 8 comprising a material of a bulk density of more than 3 g/ccm.

12. The vessel of claim 8 comprising a material of a bulk density of more than 4 g/ccm.

13. The vessel of claim 1 having an average density in the range of 0.5 to 1.2 g/ccm.

14. The vessel of claim 1 having an average density in the range of 0.7 to 1.0 g/ccm.

15. The vessel of claim 1 having an average density in the range of 0.7 to 0.99 g/ccm.

16. The vessel of claim 1 having an essentially spherical shape.

17. The vessel of claim 1 having a spherical shape.

18. The vessel of claim 1 comprising sections of castable material with embedded hollow particles.

19. The vessel of claim 18 wherein the castable material is epoxy-based.

20. The vessel of claim 18 wherein embedded hollow particles are glass micro beads.

21. A system for communicating information from a downhole location in a hydrocarbon borehole to the surface comprising:

one or more releasable vessels having radio frequency (RF) circuitry responsive, when in use, to an RF reader system, the vessel including counteracting means to reduce the effect of destabilizing flow forces thereby extending the coupling time with the reader system.

22. A system according to claim 21 further comprising a releasing system adapted to release the vessels at the occurrence of a predetermined event or time.

23. A system according to claim 21 further comprising a reader antenna located within a surface steel pipe.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein the surface steel pipe is lined with a ferrite material separating at least part of the antenna from the steel.