Electric field communication for short range data transmission in a borehole
First Claim
1. A short-hop wireless communication apparatus-for use in a borehole to transmit data from a lower location below a mud motor or other mechanical obstruction to an upper location above said mud motor or other mechanical obstruction, said apparatus being suitable for use with either mud pulse or electrical conduction-based well apparatus surface communication links, said short-hop wireless communication apparatus comprising:
- a) a lower recessed insulated conductive electrode element at a lower location, said element including an insulation supported band conductive electrode received and supported inwardly relative to the outer surface of a drill string sub at a lower location below a bit rotating mud driven motor carried by the string, said electrode having an outer surface directly and openly exposed to the well fluid,b) an upper insulating gap or insulated type conductive electrode element at an upper location,c) first transmission means at said lower location to transmit information from said lower location to said upper location,d) receiving means at said upper location to receive information transmitted from said lower location,e) second transmission means at said upper location to transmit information from said upper location to said lower location,f) receiving means at said lower location to receive information transmitted from said upper location to said lower location, andg) electrical connection means at said upper location between it and a nearby or co-located terminal of a mud pulse or electrical conduction-based surface communication link, allowing communication between said upper location and a surface location, andh) there being electrical power supplies, sensors, recording and control means, for operative connection to transmission means, receiving means and electrical connection means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention concerns application of a unique conductive electrode geometry used to form an efficient wideband, one- or two-way wireless data link between autonomous systems separated by some distance along a bore hole drill string. One objective is the establishment of an efficient, high bandwidth communication link between such separated systems, using a unique electrode configuration that also aids in maintaining a physically robust drill string. Insulated or floating electrodes of various selected geometries provide a means for sustaining or maintaining a modulated electric potential adapted for injecting modulated electrical current into the surrounding sub-surface medium. Such modulated current conveys information to the systems located along the drill string by establishing a potential across a receiving insulated or floating electrode.
24 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A short-hop wireless communication apparatus-for use in a borehole to transmit data from a lower location below a mud motor or other mechanical obstruction to an upper location above said mud motor or other mechanical obstruction, said apparatus being suitable for use with either mud pulse or electrical conduction-based well apparatus surface communication links, said short-hop wireless communication apparatus comprising:
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a) a lower recessed insulated conductive electrode element at a lower location, said element including an insulation supported band conductive electrode received and supported inwardly relative to the outer surface of a drill string sub at a lower location below a bit rotating mud driven motor carried by the string, said electrode having an outer surface directly and openly exposed to the well fluid, b) an upper insulating gap or insulated type conductive electrode element at an upper location, c) first transmission means at said lower location to transmit information from said lower location to said upper location, d) receiving means at said upper location to receive information transmitted from said lower location, e) second transmission means at said upper location to transmit information from said upper location to said lower location, f) receiving means at said lower location to receive information transmitted from said upper location to said lower location, and g) electrical connection means at said upper location between it and a nearby or co-located terminal of a mud pulse or electrical conduction-based surface communication link, allowing communication between said upper location and a surface location, and h) there being electrical power supplies, sensors, recording and control means, for operative connection to transmission means, receiving means and electrical connection means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In well drilling employing a bottom hole drill bit, the method that includes
a) providing well status sensor means proximate the drill bit in the hole, said means including an insulation supported band conductive electrode received and supported inwardly relative to the outer surface of a drill string sub at a lower location below a bit rotating mud driven motor carried by the string, said electrode having an outer surface directly and openly exposed to well fluid, b) transmitting well status data out-putted by said sensor means to an upper transceiver station at or proximate the string, said upper station being above equipment associated with well drilling, said upper station including an insulating gap type or insulated band type electrode on a drill string sub above said motor, c) and re-transmitting said data from said upper station to the well surface, d) data transmission provided via electric field conduction transmission, e) said insulation supported band conductive electrode at said lower location being operated in direct electrical conduction mode only, during said b) transmitting.
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17. The method of transmitting data in a borehole in the earth wherein a drill string is located, that includes
a) providing transceivers at spaced apart drill string locations, b) and operating said transceivers in electric field conduction mode to transmit data therebetween, c said transceiver at one location including an insulation supported band conductive electrode received and supported inwardly relative to the outer surface of a drill string sub at a lower location below a bit rotating mud driven motor carried by the string, said electrode having an outer surface directly and openly exposed to well fluid.
Specification