Develco, Inc.

Baker Hughes Corporation

Smith International, Inc.

Louis H Rorden

James V Leggett, Iii

Steven C Owens

Henry S More

Frank Lindsay Gibbons

Ashok Patel

Neil H Akkerman

Edward C Fraser

T Charles Moore

Patrick E Dailey

Charles D Barron

William H Bauer

John L Marsh

Thomas C Moore

A transducer is described especially for use in providing acoustic transmission in a borehole. The transducer includes a multiple number of magnetic circuit gaps and electrical windings that have been found to provide the power necessary for acoustic operation in borehole while still meeting the stringent dimensional criteria necessitated by boreholes. Various embodiments conforming to the design are described. Moreover, the invention includes transition and reflector sections, as well as a directional coupler and resonator arrangement particularly adapted for borehole acoustic communication.

Method and apparatus for communicating data in a wellbore and for detecting the influx of gas

A transducer is described especially for use in providing acoustic transmission in a borehole. The transducer includes a multiple number of magnetic circuit gaps and electrical windings that have been found to provide the power necessary for acoustic operation in a borehole while still meeting the stringent dimensional criteria necessitated by boreholes. Various embodiments conforming to the design are described. Moreover, the invention includes transition and reflector sections, as well as a directional coupler and resonator arrangement particularly adapted for borehole acoustic communication. An acoustic communication system is described especially designed for use in providing acoustic transmission of information in a borehole. The communication system comprises a surface transceiver and at least one downhole transceiver. The surface transceiver operates in conjunction with a host computer that sends commands to the downhole transceiver. Subsequently, the downhole transceiver transmits encoded data from subsurface, borehole sensors to the surface transceiver. The preferred embodiment uses Minimum Shift Keying (MSK) modulation for both transmitting commands to the downhole unit and for transmitting data to the surface transceiver. To facilitate operation of a coherent communication system in the inhospitable environment of a borehole, the acoustic channel is characterized to enable the system to choose the best possible frequency and bandwidth for communication transmission. Additionally, the system achieves synchronous operation by transmitting synchronization signals between the downhole transceiver and the surface transceiver prior to the units exchanging commands and data.

Method and apparatus for communicating data in a wellbore and for

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring current resulting from a magnetic field source (i.e., a transmitter) positioned on a drill collar. A plurality of current detectors are carried on the surface of the drill collar in an insulated relationship thereto. Each of the detectors is positioned to detect the value of current being received by the same from the formation. In this connection, the detectors are positioned at differing longitudinally displaced positions relative to the axis of the drill collar and the transmitting antenna(s), whereby each detects a different value of current. These currents will respectively flow through successively deeper layers of the formation. The longitudinal displacement is directly proportional to the depth of investigation, whereby the depth of investigation is many times the longitudinal distance between the current detector and the corresponding transmitting antenna. This set of measurements then produces an estimate of the resistivity profile of the formation adjacent the borehole.

Conductivity method and apparatus for measuring strata resistivity

A transducer is described especially designed for use in providing acoustic transmission in a borehole. The transducer includes a multiple number of magnetic circuit gaps and electrical windings that have been found to provide the power necessary for acoustic operation in a borehole while still meeting the stringent dimensional criteria necessitated by boreholes. Various embodiments conforming to the design are described. Moreover, the invention includes transition and reflector sections, as well as a directional coupler and resonator arrangement particularly adapted for borehole acoustic communication.

Borehole liquid acoustic wave transducer

The method and apparatus relies on a modified induction approach and preferably is incorporated into a metal drill collar for MWD measurements. A primary changing magnetic field is formed in a formation by a transmitting antenna which is in a groove on the surface of a drilling collar. Such drill collar also carries a plurality of detecting antennas and/or current detectors which detect the value of current induced in the formation to provide a resistivity profile immediately adjacent the borehole. An embodiment uses a hybrid modified induction and electrical approach.

The short hop communication link includes a sensor module positioned downhole from a motor in a well. The module includes sensors that monitor operational, directional and environmental parameters downhole and provide an electrical data signal indicative thereof. Sensors may also be positioned in the drill bit for obtaining parameters related to the bit, and communicating data signals reflecting the sensed parameters to the sensor module. The sensor module includes a transceiver, with an annular anrenna, for transmitting electromagnetic sensor data signals to a point above the motor. A control module, which also includes a transceiver with an annular antenna, is located above the motor, and receives the electromagnetic signals from the sensor module reflecting the sensed parameters. In addition, the control module is capable of transmitting command signals to the sensor module requesting data regarding desired parameters. The command module connects to a host module which orchestrates all measurement-while-drilling components downhole. The host module connects to a mud pulser for transmitting desired data to the surface for real-time processing. The sensor module is strategically placed within a removable, interchangeable sub below the motor, or alternatively, within an extended driveshaft of the motor, while the sensor antenna is located on an exterior shoulder of the sub or driveshaft. The sensor module and an associated battery pack reside within a pressure container which forms part of a current return path from the sensor antenna to the circuitry within the sensor module.

Short hop communication link for downhole MWD system

The method and apparatus relies on a modified induction approach and preferably is incorporated into a metal drill collar for MWD measurements. Directional nulls are created in a primary changing magnetic field formed in a formation by a transmitting antenna which is in a groove on the surface of the drilling collar. Detecting antennas are placed at the directional nulls to enable the primary magnetic field to be decoupled from the same and allow it to be distinguished from the secondary field caused by the current induced in the formation by such primary field. The drill collar also carries a plurality of current detectors which detect the value of current induced in the formation to provide a resistivity profile immediately adjacent the borehole. A preferred embodiment uses a hybrid modified induction and electrical approach.

Method and apparatus for measuring strata resistivity adjacent a borehole

A unipolar, RZ, constant width pulse telemetry is achieved in the combinatorial set, or any desired subset of pulse sequences thereof. Each input datum W is in one-to-one correspondence with a particular pulse sequence and the correspondence of datum with pulse sequence and vice versa is implemented by any selected ordering of the pulse sequences of the combinatorial set together with a successive comparison of the magnitude of the datum with the cumulative combinatorial capacity of the set.

Correlation for combinational coded telemetry

A modified subterranean antenna structure for use in boreholes that pivotally balances a separate core member within the hollow interior of a fixed winding member in order to filter out mechanically induced vibrations from the core. The mechanical natural resonant frequency of the core is reduced and becomes less than the lowest electromagnetic signal frequency intended to be transmitted to and received by the subterranean antenna. In this way, mechanically induced vibrations will not create mechanically generated frequency signals sympathetic to the frequencies chosen for the antenna communication band frequencies.

Gimballed antenna

Combinatorial coded telemetry in MWD

A subsurface valve-actuator combination for well production tubing is described. The valve is urged to closed position but held open by a battery-operated latch of the actuator. A receiver-relay in the battery-actuator circuit maintains a switch closed to permit the latch to be energized as long as the receiver-relay receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted from the earth's surface. The latch is deenergized upon interruption of the signal and/or if the battery power is insufficient to energize the same.

Actuation method

A method and apparatus for stabilizing a communication sensor in a borehole is described. The principle embodiment described includes a pair of centralizers at opposite ends of the housing for the communication sensor to maintain each of such respective ends at a constant lateral displacement from the borehole casing. A pair of flexible joints are provided to isolate the communication sensor to decouple the component to be protected from any motion and/or forces secured to the same urging it from the centralized position.

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Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Louis H Rorden