Electromagnetic telemetry apparatus and methods for use in wellbores
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A telemetry apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
- an electrically-conductive member deployed in the wellbore, the electrically-conductive member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface is coated with an electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating to reduce an attenuation of electromagnetic waves traveling along the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member;
a transmitter placed at a first location of the electrically-conductive member that induces the electromagnetic waves into the electrically-conductive member, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member between the electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating and the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member; and
a receiver placed at a second location spaced from the first location on the electrically-conductive member that detects the electromagnetic waves induced by the transmitter, wherein the transmitter induces the electromagnetic waves at a frequency determined based on a spacing between the first location of the transmitter and the second location of the receiver,wherein the transmitter generates electromagnetic waves at frequencies within a range of frequencies between 50 KHz and 1.5 MHz and the receiver sweeps such frequencies and selects one or more operating frequencies therefrom.
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Abstract
In one aspect, an apparatus for use in a wellbore is disclosed that in one embodiment includes an electrically-conductive member having an outer and/or inner surface coated with an electrically-insulating material, a transmitter placed at a first location on the electrically-conductive member that induces electromagnetic wave signals that travel along the coated surface of the electrically conductive member, and a receiver placed at a second location spaced from the first location on the electrically-conductive member that detects the electromagnetic induced by the transmitter.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A telemetry apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
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an electrically-conductive member deployed in the wellbore, the electrically-conductive member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface is coated with an electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating to reduce an attenuation of electromagnetic waves traveling along the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member; a transmitter placed at a first location of the electrically-conductive member that induces the electromagnetic waves into the electrically-conductive member, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate along the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member between the electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating and the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member; and a receiver placed at a second location spaced from the first location on the electrically-conductive member that detects the electromagnetic waves induced by the transmitter, wherein the transmitter induces the electromagnetic waves at a frequency determined based on a spacing between the first location of the transmitter and the second location of the receiver, wherein the transmitter generates electromagnetic waves at frequencies within a range of frequencies between 50 KHz and 1.5 MHz and the receiver sweeps such frequencies and selects one or more operating frequencies therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A telemetry apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
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an electrically-conductive tubular coated on at least one of its inside surface and its outside surface with an electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating to reduce an attenuation of electromagnetic waves traveling along the at least one of the inside surface and the outside surface of the electrically-conductive tubular; a transmitter comprising; a first electrically-conductive member having a first plurality of substantially longitudinal slits, and a first coil wrapped around the first electrically-conductive member at a first location; a receiver comprising a second electrically-conductive member having a second plurality of longitudinal slits and a second coil around the second electrically-conductive member, the receiver being disposed around the tubular at a second distal location in the wellbore; a transmitter circuit configured to cause the transmitter to induce electromagnetic wave signals into the tubular, wherein the electromagnetic wave signals propagate along at least one of the inside surface and the outside surface of the tubular between the electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating and at least one of the inside surface and the outside surface of the tubular at a frequency selected based on the distance between the transmitter at the first location and the receiver at the second location; and a receiver circuit configured to;
receive electromagnetic signals responsive to the transmitted electromagnetic wave signals;
process the received electromagnetic wave signals; and
perform an operation in response to the processed signals,wherein the transmitter generates electromagnetic waves at frequencies within a range of frequencies between 50 KHz and 1.5 MHz and the receiver sweeps such frequencies and selects one or more operating frequencies therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of transmitting data along an electrically-conductive member in a wellbore;
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providing an electrically-conductive tubular in the wellbore, wherein the tubular is coated on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the tubular with an electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating to reduce an attenuation of electromagnetic waves traveling along the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive member; transmitting electromagnetic wave signals representing data into the electrically-conductive tubular, wherein the electromagnetic wave signals propagate along at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the electrically-conductive tubular between the electrically-insulating powdered epoxy coating and the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular using a transmitter disposed at a first location on the tubular; receiving the electromagnetic wave signals traveling along one the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular responsive to the transmitted electromagnetic wave signals using a receiver disposed on at a second distal location on the tubular, wherein the transmitter induces the electromagnetic waves at a frequency determined based on a spacing between the first location of the transmitter and the second location of the receiver and at frequencies within a range of frequencies between 50 KHz and 1.5 MHz, and the receiver sweeps the range of frequencies to select one or more operating frequencies therefrom; and determining the data from the received electromagnetic wave signals. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification