Borehole generator

• US 20070079989A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Menezes, Clive, Bankston, Billy
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/40
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to couple a stator to a borehole, and to move a rotor relative to the stator to generate electrical current to power a borehole tool.

Claims

1. An apparatus, including:

a stator to couple to a borehole; and

a rotor coupled to the stator to generate electrical current, said rotor to rotate using power.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rotor to rotate using power comprises using power supplied by at least one of a rotary table and a mud motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a coil is included in the stator, and wherein a magnet is included in the rotor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a coil is included in the rotor, and wherein a magnet is included in the stator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first coil and a first magnet are included in the rotor, and wherein a second coil and a second magnet are included in the stator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a drilling mud passage in one of the stator or the rotor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a battery to receive the electrical current.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a borehole attachment mechanism having a drilling stabilizer device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the drilling stabilizer device includes wheels to contact a wall of the borehole.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the drilling stabilizer device includes a sensor to contact a wall of the borehole.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the stator and the drilling stabilizer device form a substantially integrated assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a switch to receive the electrical current and to couple to a mud generator.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a drilling mud seal between the rotor and the stator.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stator is included in a piggy-back stabilizer, and wherein the rotor is included in a drill bit assembly.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including:

a sensor included in the drill bit assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further including:

a coil included in the rotor, the coil to receive an induced current to power a sensor included in the drill bit assembly.

17. A system, including:

a drilling rig rotary table;

a stator to couple to a borehole; and

a rotor coupled to the stator to generate electrical current, said rotor to rotate using power supplied by the drilling rig rotary table.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrical current is to be transmitted to a bottom hole assembly.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the bottom hole assembly further includes:

a plurality of acoustic pulsers.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the bottom hole assembly further includes:

a plurality of downhole sensors; and

a data acquisition system coupled to the plurality of downhole sensors.

21. The system of claim 17, further including:

a switch to receive the electric current; and

a mud generator coupled to the switch.

22. A method, including:

coupling a stator to a borehole; and

moving a rotor relative to the stator to generate electrical current to power a borehole tool.

23. The method of claim 22, further including:

receiving the electrical current at a power supply coupled to a data acquisition system.

24. The method of claim 22, further including:

receiving the electrical current at a battery to charge the battery.

25. The method of claim 22, further including:

sensing a failure to supply the electrical current to a data acquisition system; and

using a mud generator to supply power to the data acquisition system.

26. The method of claim 22, further including:

sensing a failure to supply the electrical current to a data acquisition system; and

using a battery to supply power to the data acquisition system.

27. The method of claim 22, further including:

operating a mud pulse telemetry system powered by the electrical current.