Repeatable reference for positioning sensors and transducers in drill pipe

• US 6,888,473 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IntelliServ, LLC (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intelliserv, Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Fox, Joe, Hall, H. Tracy Jr., Pixton, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/620,073
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 340/854.4, 340/854.5, 340/854.8, 367/82, 367/83, 175/40, 285/333, 285/355, 285/390, 439/194
• US Class Current: 340/854.4
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0283 characterised by the coupling being contactless, e.g. inductive
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B

Abstract

A drill pipe having a box end having a tapered thread, and an internal shoulder and an external face for engagement with a drill pipe pin end having a tapered mating thread, and an external shoulder and an external face adapted for data acquisition or transmission. The relative dimensions of the box and pin ends are precisely controlled so that when the tool joint is made up, a repeatable reference plane is established for transmitting power and tuning downhole sensors, transducers, and means for sending and receiving data along the drill string. When the power or data acquisition and transmission means are located in the tool joint, the dimensions of the tool joint are further proportioned to compensate for the loss of cross-sectional area in order maintain the joints ability to sustain nominal makeup torque.

Claims

1. A drill string comprising a plurality of downhole components, each downhole component having two ends, the plurality of downhole components each detachably joined one to another at their respective ends;

each downhole component having at least two coupled inductive transmission devices, with at least one transmission device mounted in a reference plane in each end of the downhole component such that the transmission device is paired with and spaced a distance from the adjacent transmission device in the adjacent reference plane in the adjacent joined downhole component, wherein the distance between each set of paired transmission devices is substantially constant, forming a tuned electrical communication system in the plurality of downhole components.

2. The drill string of claim 1, wherein the downhole components comprise lengths of drill pipe to form a drill string for oil, gas, and geothermal well drilling.

3. The drill string of claim 1, wherein the downhole components are detachably joined one to another with tool joints wherein, when each tool joint is connected under a nominal makeup torque, the distance between an internal shoulder of a box end and an external face of a pin end of the tool joint is between 0.003 and 0.010 inches.

4. The drill string of claim 3, wherein the downhole components comprise lengths of drill pipe to form a drill string for oil gas, and geothermal well drilling.

5. The drill sting of claim 2 wherein the electrical communication system comprises a combination of power transmission and data transmission.

6. The drill string of claim 3, wherein when the tool joint is made up under a nominal makeup torque, the predetermined distance between the paired transmission devices is less than 0.010 inches.

7. The drill string of claim 3, wherein the makeup torque is at least approximately 0.5 times the torsional yield strength of the tool joint.

8. The drill string of claim 3, wherein the tool joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the makeup torque.

9. The drill string of claim 3, wherein, when the transmission devices are located within the box end of the drill pipe, a cross-sectional area of a counterbore, the internal shoulder, and tapered thread are further proportioned to sustain a nominal makeup torque.

10. The drill string of claim 3, wherein, when the transmission devices are located within a nose section of a pin end of the drill pipe, the nose section, a tapered thread, a base section, and an external shoulder are further proportioned to sustain a nominal makeup torque.

11. The drill string of claim 9, wherein said joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal makeup torque.

12. The drill string of claim 10, wherein said joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal makeup torque.

13. The drill string of claim 3, wherein, when an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal torque is applied to the joint, the predetermined distance between the paired transmission devices is less than 0.010 inches.

14. The drill string of claim 1, wherein a device communicating with the tuned electrical communication system is selected from the group consisting of conductors, accelerometers, potentiometers, gamma ray sensors, thermocouples, pressure transducers, inclinometers, magnetometers, chemical sensors, and acoustic transducers.

15. A drill string comprising a plurality of downhole components, each downhole component having two ends, the plurality of downhole components each detachably joined one to another at their respective ends;

each downhole component having at least two coupled inductive transmission devices, with at least one transmission device mounted in a reference plane in each end of the downhole component such that the transmission device is paired with and spaced a distance from the adjacent transmission device in the adjacent reference plane in the adjacent joined downhole component, wherein the distance between each set of paired transmission devices is substantially constant, forming a tuned electrical communication system in the plurality of downhole components;

wherein the downhole components comprise lengths of drill pipe to from a drill string for oil, gas, and geothermal well drilling which are detachably joined one to another with tool joints wherein, when each tool joint is connected under a nominal makeup torque, the distance between an internal shoulder of a box end and an external face of a pin end of the tool joint is between 0.003 and 0.010 inches.

16. The drill string of claim 15, wherein the downhole components comprise lengths of drill pipe to form a drill string for oil, gas, and geothermal well drilling.

17. The drill string of claim 15, wherein the electrical communication system comprises a combination of power transmission and data transmission.

18. The drill string of claim 15, wherein, when the tool joint is made up under a nominal makeup torque, the predetermined distance between the paired transmission devices is less than 0.010 inches.

19. The drill string of claim 15, wherein the makeup torque is at least approximately 0.5 times the torsional yield strength of the tool joint.

20. The drill string of claim 15, wherein the tool joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the makeup torque.

21. The drill string of claim 15, wherein, when the transmission devices are located within the box end of the drill pipe, a cross-sectional area of a counterbore, the internal shoulder, and a tapered thread are further portioned to sustain a nominal makeup torque.

22. The drill string of claim 15, wherein, when the transmission devices are located within a nose section of a pin end of the drill pipe, the nose section, a tapered thread, a base section, and an external shoulder are further proportioned to sustain a nominal makeup torque.

23. The drill string of claim 21, wherein said joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal makeup torque.

24. The drill string of claim 22, wherein said joint is capable of sustaining an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal makeup torque.

25. The drill string of claim 15, wherein, when an additional torque of approximately 1.25 times the nominal torque is applied to the joint, the predetermined distance between the paired transmission devices is less than 0.010 inches.

26. The drill string of claim 15 herein a device communicating with the tuned electrical communication system is selected from the group consisting of conductors, accelerometers, potentiometer gamma ray sensors, thermocouples, pressure transducers, inclinometer, magnetometers, chemical sensors, and acoustic transducers.