Additive Manufacturing Process for Tubular with Embedded Electrical Conductors
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a tubular for use in a wellbore comprising:
- a. depositing successive layers of a tubular body base material and directing energy at the layers of tubular body base material to form a tubular body;
b. forming axial passages in a sidewall of the tubular by strategically depositing the successive layers of the base material; and
c. forming conductive elongate members in the passages by depositing successive layers of conductive elongate member base material for forming the conductive elongate members, and directing energy at the layers of conductive elongate member base material.
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Abstract
A method of forming a tubular by additive manufacturing, where the method includes forming passages in a sidewall of the tubular and conductive elements in the passages as the tubular is being formed. Additional tubulars can be formed, so that when the tubulars are connected together the conductive elements in each tubular are in signal communication with one another. Adding threads to each tubular enables the tubulars to be coupled together to form a string. Conductive rings simultaneously formed in the ends of the tubulars provides contact means between adjacent tubulars in the string.
11 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of forming a tubular for use in a wellbore comprising:
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a. depositing successive layers of a tubular body base material and directing energy at the layers of tubular body base material to form a tubular body; b. forming axial passages in a sidewall of the tubular by strategically depositing the successive layers of the base material; and c. forming conductive elongate members in the passages by depositing successive layers of conductive elongate member base material for forming the conductive elongate members, and directing energy at the layers of conductive elongate member base material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. The method of claim 8, wherein conductive elongate members in the first tubular body are in communication with the conductive elongate members in the second tubular body when the first and second tubular bodies are threaded together.
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9. A method of forming a tubular for use in a wellbore comprising:
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a. forming tubular bodies by depositing successive layers of a tubular body base material and directing energy at the layers of tubular body base material to form a tubular body; b. repeating step (a) to form an additional tubular body; c. forming axial passages in sidewalls of the tubular bodies by strategically depositing the successive layers of the base material; d. forming conductive elongate members in the passages by depositing successive layers of conductive elongate member base material for forming the conductive elongate members, and directing energy at the layers of conductive elongate member base material; and e. coupling together the tubular body and the additional tubular body so that the conductive elongate members in the tubular body are in communication with the conductive elongate members in the additional tubular body. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification