Borehole monitoring device and method

• US 4,597,067 A
• Filed: 04/18/1984
• Issued: 06/24/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Consolidation Capital Corp. (Residential Acquisition Co.)
• Original Assignee: Conoco Incorporated (ConocoPhillips)
• Inventors: Christopher, David A., Bockhorst, Rhea W., Lauer, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEINBERGER, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US06/601,419
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 175/39, 175/40, 175/41, 175/45, 175/62, 340/853, 340/854, 340/861, 367/25, 367/27, 367/33, 367/34, 367/35, 367/81, 367/82, 367/83, 367/86, 367/911, 367/912, 181/102, 181/104, 181/105, 181/106, 166/73
• US Class Current: 367/82
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/16 through the drill string or casing , e.g. by torsional acoustic waves

Abstract

A method and device for sensing hole parameters while drilling a borehole, and transmitting the sensed data to a remote receiver. Data are transmitted in digital format as a series of audible binary pulses generated by a solenoid acoustically coupled to the drill pipe. In a preferred embodiment, data transmission occurs automatically during periods of drilling inactivity.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting data from a transmitter located near the leading end of a string of drill pipe along a string of drill pipe in a borehole to a receiver, said system including:

(a) sensor means positioned near the leading end of said string of drill pipe, said sensor means adapted to measure directional orientation of said borehole and to generate an analog signal responsive to said measurements,

(b) converter means connected to said sensor means and adapted to convert said analog signal to a binary digital signal,

(c) signal storage means adapted to store digital signals from said converter means,

(d) detector means for determining absence of activity of said drill pipe,

(e) computer means connected to said detector means, said computer means being adapted to enable activation of a solenoid means responsive to said detector means determining passage of a predetermined time interval during which interval there is absence of activity,

(f) electrical battery power means, and

(g) electric solenoid means connected to said power means and to said signal storage means, said solenoid means acoustically coupled to said drill pipe near said leading end of said string of drill pipe, said solenoid means being adapted to generate an audible pulse along said string of drill pipe upon activation by said power means responsive to said signal storage means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor means measures directional orientation of said in-hole extremity of said drill pipe by means of accelerometers each having mutually perpendicular axes and magnetometers each having mutually perpendicular axes.