Baker Hughes Corporation

Nextstream Wired Pipe, LLC

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Rene Schulz

Robert Buda

Henning Rahn

Stephan Mueller

Detlev Benedict

Ingo Roders

Volker Peters

Helmut Dieter Floerke

Michael Koppe

Hans Robert Oppelaar

Stephen Mueller

Julia Reisewitz

A wired pipe system includes a wired pipe segment having a first end and a second end, a first coupler in the first end and a second coupler in the second end and a transmission line disposed in the wired pipe segment between the first and second ends. The transmission line includes a transmission cable that includes an inner conductor and an insulating material disposed about the inner conductor as well as a a wire channel surrounding the insulating material and the inner conductor for at least a portion of a length of the transmission cable. The wire channel and the insulating material are mated together by at least one mating feature.

Method of forming a wired pipe transmission line

A connector for use in connecting a communication element to a transmission line in a wired pipe segment includes a first female end adapted to surround and make electrical contact with a coupler connection that extends away from a communication element of the coupler; a second female end adapted to receive an inner conductor of a coaxial cable; and an inner connection element formed on an inner surface of the connector adapted to electrically connect the coupler connection and the inner conductor, the inner connection element formed such that it does not completely surround at least one of the inner conductor and the coupler connection.

Wired pipe coupler connector

An apparatus for locking a transmission line in a tubular includes a first clamp segment configured to surround at least a portion of the transmission line of the tubular, the transmission line having a longitudinal axis. The apparatus also includes a second clamp segment configured to surround at least a portion of the transmission line, the second clamp segment and the first clamp segment configured to apply radial forces in opposite radial directions when the first clamp segment is engaged with the second clamp segment, the opposite radial directions being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the radial forces operating together to maintain the transmission line in a fixed position relative to the tubular and maintain tension in the transmission line.

Maintaining tension of a transmission line in a tubular

Transmission line for wired pipe

An apparatus for communicating a signal to or from a downhole tool includes a drill pipe configured to be rotated to drill a borehole, a tubular under axial tension and secured in the drill pipe, and a retention device secured to the tubular and configured to maintain the tubular under the axial tension. The retention device includes a portion extending from a body of the device in a direction that is non-inward-radial with respect to a longitudinal axis of the drill pipe. The apparatus further includes a transmission line disposed in the tubular and in an opening of the retention device and in communication with the downhole tool.

Retention device for drill pipe transmission line

An electronic frame for use in a downhole component coupling mechanism includes: a first frame element including at least one retaining structure configured to retain an electronic component; and a second frame element configured to be disposed at the first frame element, the second frame element permanently joined to the first frame element to isolate the electronic component from downhole fluids and form the electronic frame, the electronic frame configured to be disposed in a coupling assembly of a first downhole component and a second downhole component and constrained axially by the coupling assembly.

Electronic frame for use with coupled conduit segments

An apparatus for communicating a signal downhole includes a downhole pipe configured to be coupled to another downhole pipe and a protection tube secured to the downhole pipe. A transmission line is disposed in the protection tube and configured to communicate the signal. A communication device is disposed in the downhole pipe and configured to communicate the signal to another downhole pipe. An end of the transmission line is configured to be axially movable with respect to the downhole pipe in order to have the end of the transmission line extending from the protection tube to establish a connection between the transmission line and the communication device.

Apparatus and method for drill pipe transmission line connections

An apparatus for maintaining tension of a transmission line in a tubular includes a first clamp segment configured to surround at least a portion of a transmission line and a second clamp segment configured to surround at least a portion of the transmission line. The second clamp segment has a first axial end and a second axial end. The first axial end is configured to contact an axial end of the first clamp segment, such that the first clamp segment and the second clamp segment are configured to apply a force in opposite radial directions to clamp the transmission line with respect to the tubular to lock a position of the transmission line with respect to the tubular.

A method for providing tension to a data or power transmission line in a pipe includes inserting a transmission line into a transmission line channel of a pipe. The transmission line has a first end and a second end and is inserted into a first end of the pipe second-end-first and has a first tension-load-supporting mechanism attached to the first end of the transmission line. The method includes applying a first level of tension to the transmission line in the pipe and applying a second tension-load-supporting mechanism to the second end of the transmission line while the first level of tension is applied to the transmission line. The method further includes removing the first level of tension from the transmission line to maintain a second level of tension along the transmission line between the first and second tension-load-supporting mechanisms.

Application and maintenance of tension to transmission line in pipe

An electronic frame for use in a downhole component coupling mechanism in a segmented wired pipe system includes a first frame element including at least one retaining structure configured to retain an electronic component. The frame also includes a sealed chamber disposed in the frame element, the sealed chamber including inputs to receive input signals from communication elements and either couple the inputs together or direct the input signals to control electronics.

Electronic frame having conductive and bypass paths for electrical inputs for use with coupled conduit segments

A wired pipe segment includes an inner bore extending through the wired pipe segment and a transmission line channel forming a channel from outside the wired pipe segment to the inner bore and including an inlet into the inner bore. The inner bore includes a pocket formed in the inner bore proximate the inlet and an insert is disposed in the pocket that substantially fills the pocket.

Wired pipe erosion reduction

An apparatus for retaining electronic components in a downhole component coupling mechanism includes: a power supply frame including a first housing configured to retain a power supply therein and isolate the power supply from downhole fluids, the power supply frame configured to be disposed in and constrained axially by a coupling assembly of a first downhole component and a second downhole component; an electronic component disposed in a second housing in the coupling assembly, the electronic component located external to the power supply frame; and a connector configured to transmit electric power from the power supply to the electronic component to supply electrical power to the electronic component.

Coupled electronic and power supply frames for use with borehole conduit connections

A wired pipe transmission line for disposal in a wired pipe segment for use in subterranean drilling. The transmission line includes an assembly including an inner conductor and a dielectric layer including silicon dioxide (SiO) insulating material surrounding the inner conductor and a protective layer that is formed of a rigid material and surrounding the dielectric layer. Also included is a method of forming a wired pipe transmission line.

Transmission line for wired pipe, and method

A method of forming a wired pipe transmission line includes: providing an assembly that includes an inner conductor surrounded by an insulating material; attaching a fixation element to the assembly at or near an end thereof; providing a tubular outer conductor; disposing the assembly and the fixation element within the outer conductor; and fixedly attaching the fixation element to the inner portion of the tubular outer conductor.

Growing community of inventors

Lower Saxony, Germany

Rene Schulz