Downhole coils

• US 8,519,865 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Boswell, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/860,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20080083529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,163 Days
• Field of Search: 340/853.1, 340/854.3, 340/854.6, 340/854.8
• US Class Current: 340/854.8
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/003 with electrically conducting or insulating means E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0283 characterised by the coupling being contactless, e.g. inductive
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/006 with straight threads
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/08 with supplementary elements F16L15/04, F16L41/00 and F16L43/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/01 specially adapted for realising electrical conduction between the two pipe ends of the joint or between parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/021 for screw-threaded joints
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a downhole tool string component comprises a tubular body with at least one end adapted for threaded connection to an adjacent tool string component. The end comprises at least one shoulder adapted to abut an adjacent shoulder of an adjacent end of the adjacent tool string component. An annular magnetic coupler is disposed within an annular recess formed in the at least one shoulder, and the magnetic coupler comprises a coil in electrical communication with an electrical conductor that is in electrical communication with an electronic device secured to the tubular body. The coil comprises a plurality of windings of wire strands that are electrically isolated from one another and which are disposed in an annular trough of magnetic material secured within the annular recess.

Claims

1. A downhole tool string component, comprising:

a tubular body having a first end adapted for a threaded connection to an adjacent tool string component, a first flange disposed around the tubular body and extending away from the tubular body, and a second flange disposed around the tubular body and extending away from the tubular body, the first end having a first shoulder with a annular recess formed therein, the first shoulder adapted to abut an adjacent shoulder of the adjacent the adjacent tool string component with the downhole tool string component threadably connected to the adjacent tool string component;

a sleeve disposed around the first flange, extending to the second flange, and disposed around the second flange, the tubular body, the sleeve, the first flange, and the second flange forming a pocket;

a magnetic coupler disposed in the annular recess, the magnetic coupler comprising an annular trough of magnetic material and a conducting coil disposed therein, the conducting coil having a first lead extending from the annular recess and a second lead extending from the annular recess;

an electrical circuit comprising an electronic device secured within the pocket, a first electrical conductor electrically isolated from the tubular body connecting the electronic device and the first lead, and a second electrical conductor electrically isolated from the tubular body connecting the electronic device and the second lead; and

an adjacent tubular body having an adjacent shoulder having an adjacent annular trough, an adjacent magnetic coupler disposed in the adjacent annular recess, the adjacent magnetic coupler comprising an adjacent annular trough of magnetic material and an adjacent conducting coil disposed therein, the adjacent conducting coil having a third lead extending from the annular recess and a fourth lead extending from the annular recess;

wherein the conducting coil has a first number of coil turns and the adjacent conducting coil has a second number of conducting coil turns, wherein the first number and the second number are not equal.

2. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupler comprises a characteristic of transferring at least 85% energy from the magnetic coupler to the adjacent magnetic coupler when 160 watts are passed through the conducting coil.

3. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a power source.

4. The downhole tool string component of claim 3, wherein the power source is a battery, generator, capacitor, or a combination of the same.

5. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a sensor, drill instrument, logging-while-drilling tool, measuring-while-drilling tool, computational board, or a combination of the same.

6. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a sonic tool.

7. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is in electrical communication with a downhole network.

8. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ferrite, a nickel alloy, a zinc alloy, a manganese alloy, soft iron, a silicon iron alloy, a cobalt iron alloy, a mu-metal, a laminated mu-metal, barium, strontium, carbonate, samarium, cobalt, neodymium, boron, a metal oxide, rare earth metals, and combinations of the same.

9. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a relative magnetic permeability of between 100 and 20000.

10. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the first end further comprises a secondary shoulder.

11. The downhole tool string component of claim 10, wherein the magnetic coupler is disposed in the first shoulder and a second magnetic coupler is disposed in the secondary shoulder.

12. The downhole tool string component of claim 10, wherein the magnetic coupler is disposed in the secondary shoulder.

13. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the two electrical conductors are disposed proximate one another.

14. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the two electrical conductors are disposed on opposite sides of the magnetic coupler.

15. The downhole tool string component of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a plurality of magnetic couplers.

16. The downhole tool string component of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnetic couplers is disposed on the first shoulder of the component and at least one of the plurality of magnetic couplers is disposed on a secondary shoulder of the component.

17. The downhole tool string component of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnetic couplers is optimized for the transfer of power and another one of the plurality of magnetic couplers is optimized for the transfer of data.

18. A downhole tool string component, comprising:

a tubular body having a first end adapted for a threaded connection to an adjacent tool string component, a first flange disposed around the tubular body and extending away from the tubular body, and a second flange disposed around the tubular body and extending away from the tubular body, the first end having a first shoulder with a annular recess formed therein, the first shoulder adapted to abut an adjacent shoulder of the adjacent the adjacent tool string component with the downhole tool string component threadably connected to the adjacent tool string component;

a sleeve disposed around the first flange, extending to the second flange, and disposed around the second flange, the tubular body, the sleeve, the first flange, and the second flange forming a pocket;

a magnetic coupler disposed in the annular recess, the magnetic coupler comprising an annular trough of magnetic material and a conducting coil disposed therein, the conducting coil being electrically isolated from the tubular body and having a first lead extending from the annular recess and a second lead extending from the annular recess; and

an electronic device secured within the pocket;

a first electrical conductor connecting the electronic device and the first lead;

a second electrical conductor connecting the electronic device and the second lead; and

an adjacent tubular body having an adjacent shoulder having an adjacent annular trough, an adjacent magnetic coupler disposed in the adjacent annular recess, the adjacent magnetic coupler comprising an adjacent annular trough of magnetic material and an adjacent conducting coil disposed therein, the adjacent conducting coil having a third lead extending from the annular recess and a fourth lead extending from the annular recess;

wherein the conducting coil has a first number of coil turns and the adjacent conducting coil has a second number of conducting coil turns, wherein the first number and the second number are not equal.