Short Range Data Transmission In A Borehole

• US 20130038332A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Drilling International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scientific Drilling International, Inc.
• Inventors: White, Matthew A., Graf, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 10,539,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/342
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an antenna for transfer of information along a drill string. The antenna has an antenna coil having a long side and short side. The antenna coil is adapted to be affixed to the drill string such that the long side of the antenna coil is along the longitudinal axis of the drill string, and the short side is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill string.

Claims

1. An antenna for transfer of information along a drill string, the antenna comprising:

an antenna coil having a long side and short side, wherein the antenna coil is adapted to be affixed to the drill string such that the long side of the antenna coil is along the longitudinal axis of the drill string, and wherein the short side is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill string.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna coil is adapted to be fit within a cutout in the drill string.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a core and the core is a ferrite or ferromagnetic material.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the ferrite or ferromagnetic core is coated with an insulator.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna is comprised of an insulator.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a plurality of windings.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the antenna has between 1 and 300 windings.

8. A system for communication in a borehole comprising:

a first cross-coil antenna comprising an antenna coil having a long side and short side, wherein the antenna coil is affixed to a drill string, wherein the drill string includes a mud motor and a drill bit, wherein the long side of the antenna coil is along the longitudinal axis of the drill string, and wherein the short side is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill string; and

an insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, a band electrode, or a second cross-coil antenna.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first cross-coil antenna is located between the drill bit and the mud motor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna is located uphole from the mud motor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna is in electrical communication with a mud pulser.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna is in electrical communication with an MWD system.

13. A method of borehole communication comprising:

providing a first cross-coil antenna comprising an antenna coil having a long side and short side, wherein the antenna coil is affixed to a drill string, wherein the drill string includes a mud motor and a drill bit, wherein the long side of the antenna coil is along the longitudinal axis of the drill string, and wherein the short side is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill string;

providing a voltage source in electrical communication with the first cross-coil antenna;

providing an insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, a band electrode, or a second cross-coil antenna;

actuating the voltage source to produce an electrical current in the first cross-coil antenna;

inducing a magnetic field to form a current on the drill string;

using the current to transmit data along the drill string; and

receiving the data at the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the voltage source is an alternating current voltage source.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

providing a mud-pulser, wherein the mud-pulser is in electrical communication with the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna;

communicating the data between the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna to the mud-pulser; and

activating the mud-pulser to transmit the data uphole to a surface receiver.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first cross-coil antenna is located between the drill bit and the mud motor.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna is located uphole from the mud motor.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first cross-coil antenna has a core and the core is a ferrite or ferromagnetic material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the ferrite or ferromagnetic core is coated with an insulator.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the first cross-coil antenna is comprised of an insulator.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting data from the insulated gap electrode, toroidal antenna, band electrode, or second cross-coil antenna to the first cross-coil antenna using current; and

receiving data at the first cross-coil antenna.