Supplying power to underwater devices

• US 9,097,089 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Packham, Andrew Robert, Overton, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/188,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

A method of supplying electrical power to at least one device at a tree of an underwater fluid extraction well is disclosed. The method comprises using magnetic resonance coupling for wirelessly transmitting power from a supply to each device.

Claims

1. A method of supplying electrical power to at least one device at a tree of an underwater fluid extraction well, the method comprising:

using magnetic resonance coupling for wirelessly transmitting power from a supply to the at least one device, wherein there is a plurality of the at least one device, each device being powered via a respective receiver circuit which can be coupled by magnetic resonance coupling with a transmitter circuit of said supply;

transmitting a code unique to at least one of the plurality of devices by wireless communication to the receiver circuit of the device, wherein said code is generated according to a demand from control circuitry in a subsea electronics module associated with the tree; and

detecting the code at the receiver circuit of the device to cause power to be supplied to the device by magnetic resonance coupling;

wherein the at least one device is a directional control valve that is powered according to the demand on a line from directional control valve control circuitry of the subsea electronics module.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein power from the supply is modulated by a code unique to at least one of the devices, wherein detection of the code at the receiver circuit of the device causes power to be supplied to the device.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of supplies each resonant at a respective one of a plurality of frequencies and a plurality of devices each powered by a respective receiver circuit resonant at a respective one of said frequencies.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the supply is in a subsea electronics module of a subsea control module of the tree.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the supply is located externally of the tree.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one such device is in a subsea control module of the tree.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device is located externally of a subsea control module of the tree.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises a sensor.

9. An apparatus for supplying electrical power to at least one device at a tree of an underwater fluid extraction well, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to use magnetic resonance coupling for wirelessly transmitting power from a supply to the at least one device, wherein there is a plurality of the at least one device, each device being powered via a respective receiver circuit which can be coupled by magnetic resonance coupling with a transmitter circuit of said supply;

wherein a code unique to at least one of the plurality of devices is transmitted by wireless communication to the receiver circuit of the device, detection of the code at the receiver circuit of the device causing power to be supplied to the device by magnetic resonance coupling, and wherein said code is generated according to a demand from control circuitry in a subsea electronics module associated with the tree; and

wherein the at least one device is a directional control valve that is powered according to the demand on a line from directional control valve control circuitry of the subsea electronics module.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, comprising circuitry configured to modulate power from the supply by a code unique to at least one of the devices and circuitry configured to detect the code at the receiver circuit of the device, wherein detection of the code at the receiver circuit of the device causes power to be supplied to the device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, comprising a plurality of supplies each resonant at a respective one of a plurality of frequencies and a plurality of devices each powered by a respective receiver circuit resonant at a respective one of the frequencies.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the supply is in a subsea electronics module of a subsea control module of the tree.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the supply is mounted externally of the tree.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one device is in a subsea control module of the tree.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one device is located externally of a subsea control module of the tree.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one device comprises at least one of a sensor and a directional control valve.