DOWNHOLE COMMUNICATION

• US 20160145999A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Petrowell Limited (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Clarkson, Hugh, Knight, Matthew, Purkis, Daniel George
• Granted Patent: US 10,294,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/092 by detecting magnetic anomalies
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/30 operating with electromagnetic waves

Abstract

A system or apparatus for use in downhole communication or detection comprises a downhole arrangement defining a throughbore and primary and secondary elements. One of the primary and secondary elements is provided on the downhole arrangement and the other of the primary and secondary elements is provided in the throughbore. The primary and secondary elements are configurable for coupling of an electromagnetic field therebetween. The primary or secondary element which is provided in the throughbore may be provided on a tool such as a shifting tool which is deployable through the throughbore. The secondary element may be configured to provide the electromagnetic field coupled between the first and second elements with one or more characteristic features. The system may be configured for use, in particular though not exclusively, for communicating information to and/or from a downhole tool in an oil or gas well.

Claims

1. A system for use in downhole communication or detection comprising:

a downhole arrangement defining a throughbore; and

a primary element; and

a secondary element,

wherein one of the primary and secondary elements is provided on the downhole arrangement and the other of the primary and secondary elements is provided in the throughbore, and the primary and secondary elements are configurable for coupling of an electromagnetic field therebetween.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element is configured to provide the electromagnetic field coupled between the primary and second with one or more characteristic features.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element has a geometry and/or is formed from one or more materials selected to provide the electromagnetic field coupled between the primary and secondary elements with one or more characteristic features, or wherein the secondary element is configured so as to have a characteristic frequency response or a characteristic time-variant response, or wherein the secondary element is electronically passive.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field comprises a magnetic and/or an electric field;

or wherein the electromagnetic field comprises a time-varying magnetic field;

or wherein the electromagnetic field has a frequency in the range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz, 50 kHz to 500 kHz, or 100 kHz to 150 kHz.

11. A system according to claim 1, comprising a deployable tool, wherein the primary element is provided on one of the downhole arrangement and the deployable tool and the secondary element is provided on the other of the downhole arrangement and the deployable tool.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the primary element is provided on the deployable tool and the secondary element is provided on the downhole arrangement;

or wherein the deployable tool comprises a shifting tool for actuating the downhole tool.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the primary element comprises an insulated conductor;

or wherein the primary element comprises an electrically conductive turn, loop, coil or ring;

or wherein the primary element comprises a plurality of electrically conductive turns, loops, coils or rings.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the primary element extends circumferentially relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the throughbore of the downhole arrangement;

or wherein the primary element is arranged helically relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the throughbore of the downhole arrangement;

or wherein the primary element extends around an axis arranged radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the deployable tool.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element comprises an insulated conductor;

or wherein the secondary element comprises an electrically conductive turn, loop, coil or ring;

or wherein the secondary element comprises a plurality of electrically conductive turns, loops, coils or rings.

23. A system according to claim 20, wherein the secondary element comprises a capacitance.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the capacitance is selected so as to provide the secondary element with a characteristic frequency response and/or a characteristic time-variant response.

25. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element extends circumferentially relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the throughbore of the downhole arrangement.

26. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element comprises an electrically conductive ring defined by an annular portion of the downhole arrangement.

28. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element extends around an axis arranged radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the throughbore of the downhole arrangement.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the secondary element comprises an electrically conductive path or track defined on a flexible electrically insulating substrate which extends around the through bore of the downhole arrangement.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein the secondary element comprises a capacitance defined by, or mounted on, the substrate.

31. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element is configured to be selectively altered;

or wherein the secondary element is configured to be irreversibly altered;

or wherein the secondary element is configured to allow selective alteration of a frequency and/or time-variant response of the secondary element;

or wherein the secondary element is configured to be selectively altered by melting, fusing, burning and/or breaking of the secondary element;

or wherein the secondary element is configured to be selectively altered on coupling an electromagnetic field of sufficient strength with the secondary element.

36. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element comprises an electrical conductor or an electrically conductive portion having a resistivity and/or a cross-sectional geometry configured to fuse and/or break on coupling an electromagnetic field of sufficient strength with the secondary element.

37. A system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of secondary elements, wherein each secondary element is unconnected electrically to the other secondary elements, and wherein each secondary element is configured so as to provide the electromagnetic field coupled between the first and second elements with one or more characteristic features.

40. A system according to claim 37, wherein a material and/or a geometry of each secondary element is selected so as to provide each secondary element with a characteristic frequency response and/or a characteristic time-variant response.

41. A system according to claim 37, wherein the configuration of each secondary element is selected from a finite set of different secondary element configurations.

42. A system according to claim 37, wherein each secondary element extends around a different axis, each axis arranged along a different radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the downhole arrangement.

43. A system according to claim 42, wherein each secondary element is formed on a common substrate;

or wherein each secondary element comprises a corresponding electrically conductive path or track defined on a flexible electrically insulating substrate which extends around the throughbore of the downhole arrangement;

or wherein each secondary element comprises a corresponding capacitance defined by, or mounted on, the substrate.

46. A system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of primary elements.

47. A system according to claim 46, wherein each primary element extends around a different axis, each axis arranged along a different radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the downhole arrangement.

48. A system according to claim 47, wherein adjacent primary elements overlap one another circumferentially relative to the longitudinal axis of the downhole arrangement;

or wherein each primary element comprises a pair of parallel connected coils which coils are located in diametrically opposed positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the downhole arrangement.

50. A system according to claim 1, comprising a controller configured to generate and apply an electrical signal to the primary element, measure an electrical signal existing on the primary element and determine a degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements from the measured electrical signal.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements according to a frequency spectrum of the measured electrical signal;

or wherein the controller is configured to determine the degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements according to the shape and/or frequency of one or more resonant features in the frequency spectrum of the measured electrical signal.

53. A system according to claim 50, wherein the controller is configured to apply an electrical signal to the primary element during a transmit period and measure an electrical signal present on the primary element during a receive period which is subsequent to the transmit period.

54. A system according to claim 53, wherein the controller is configured to apply electrical signals to, and measure electrical signals received from, a plurality of primary elements.

55. A system according to claim 54, wherein the controller is configured to apply an electrical signal to a first of the primary elements during a first transmit period, measure an electrical signal from the first primary element during a first receive period, to apply an electrical signal to a second of the primary elements during a second transmit period, and measure an electrical signal from the second primary element during a second receive period.

56. A system according to claim 1, comprising a tertiary element provided with the primary element, wherein the tertiary element is electrically independent of the primary element.

57. A system according to claim 56, wherein the primary and tertiary elements are orthogonally oriented;

or wherein the primary element comprises a plurality of turns, loops, coils or rings, each turn, loop, coil or ring of the primary element extends around a different axis, each axis is arranged along a different radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the downhole arrangement, each turn, loop, coil or ring is elongated along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the tertiary element extends circumferentially or helically relative to the longitudinal axis;

or wherein the system comprises a controller configured to generate and apply an electrical signal to the primary element, measure an electrical signal existing on the tertiary element and determine a degree of electromagnetic coupling between the primary and secondary elements from the measured electrical signal.

60. A system according to claim 1, wherein the downhole arrangement is configurable between a first configuration in which coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements is prevented and a second configuration in which coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements is permitted.

61. A system according to claim 60, wherein the downhole arrangement is configurable between the first and second configurations on actuation or de-actuation of the downhole arrangement.

62. A system according to claim 60, wherein the downhole arrangement comprises a cover member, the secondary element is arranged radially outwardly of the cover member relative to a longitudinal axis of the throughbore of the downhole arrangement, and the secondary element and the cover member are moveable relative to one another.

63. A system according to claim 62, wherein the cover member extends at least partially between the secondary element and the throughbore of the downhole arrangement in the first configuration and the cover member is at least partially withdrawn from between the secondary element and the throughbore of the downhole arrangement in the second configuration.

64. A system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of further secondary elements, the primary element and each of the further secondary elements being configurable for coupling of an electromagnetic field therebetween.

65. A system according to claim 64, wherein each of the further secondary elements are accessible for coupling of an electromagnetic field thereto from the primary element regardless of a status of the downhole arrangement;

or wherein the plurality of further secondary elements is configured for location downhole of the secondary element.

78. A system according to claim 2, wherein the secondary element is electronically passive.

4-6. -6. (canceled)

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13. (canceled)

15-16. -16. (canceled)

18-19. -19. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

32-35. -35. (canceled)

38-39. -39. (canceled)

44-45. -45. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

58-59. -59. (canceled)

66-68. -68. (canceled)

69. An element for use in downhole communication or detection, the element being configured for deployment in a throughbore defined by a downhole arrangement and the element being configured for coupling of an electromagnetic field with a further element provided on the downhole arrangement.

79. An element according to claim 69, wherein the element is configured to provide the electromagnetic field coupled between the element and the further element with one or more characteristic features.

80. An element according to claim 79, wherein the element is electronically passive.

81. An element according to claim 69, wherein the element is electronically passive.

70. A method for use in downhole communication or detection, the method comprising:

providing a primary element on one of a downhole arrangement and in a throughbore defined by the downhole arrangement;

providing a secondary element on the other of the downhole arrangement and in the throughbore defined by the downhole arrangement; and

aligning the primary and secondary elements so as to couple an electromagnetic field therebetween.

71. A method according to claim 70, comprising:

applying an electrical signal to the primary element;

measuring an electrical signal existing on the primary element; and

measuring a degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements from the measured electrical signal.

72. A method according to claim 71, comprising:

applying the electrical signal to the primary element during a transmit period;

measuring the electrical signal existing on the primary element during a receive period subsequent to the transmit period; and

measuring the degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements from the measured electrical signal.

74. A method according to claim 71, comprising:

preventing coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements; and

then

in response to actuation or de-actuation of the downhole arrangement, allowing coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements.

75. A method according to claim 71, comprising:

allowing coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements; and

then

in response to actuation or de-actuation of the downhole arrangement, preventing coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements.

76. A method according to claim 74, comprising:

determining a status of the downhole arrangement from the determined degree of coupling of the electromagnetic field between the primary and secondary elements.

77. A method according to claim 71, comprising:

providing the primary element on a shifting tool deployable within a throughbore of a downhole tool;

providing the secondary element on the downhole tool;

running the primary element past the secondary element;

monitoring an electrical signal existing on the primary element as the primary element is run past the secondary element; and

determining an identity of the downhole tool from the monitored electrical signal.

73. (canceled)