Abstract:
An assembly for use in subsurface drilling includes a drill collar section having a bore extending longitudinally through an inner surface of the drill collar section. A pocket is formed in a section of the inner surface of the drill collar section. A holster is located in the pocket and a sleeve is snuggly fitted inside the bore in order to secure the holster inside the pocket. The sleeve may be sealed to the drill collar section for example by seals such as O-rings such that the holster is sealed from the bore. O-rings may be located on one or both of the inside of the inner surface of the collar or on the outside of the sleeve.
Abstract:
An assembly for use in subsurface drilling includes a downhole probe having an EM telemetry signal generator and electrical contacts for carrying telemetry signals from the EM telemetry signal generator to first and second parts of a gap sub in a drill string. An outside surface of the probe and an inside surface of the gap sub are covered with layers of electrically-insulating material. Electrical conduction paths internal to the gap sub are removed, thereby increasing efficiency of EM telemetry.
Abstract:
A method for establishing downlink telemetry communication to a downhole system involves placing into a drillstring a telemetry transcoder, and advancing the drillstring so the telemetry transcoder is below the surface. The method then transmits downlink EM telemetry signals from surface equipment. These signals are received at the telemetry transcoder which retransmits the signals as mud pulse signals. The mud pulse signals are received at the downhole system.
Abstract:
Data is communicated from sensors at a downhole location near a drill bit to surface equipment. Communication to the surface equipment may be direct or may pass through a series of nodes. The nodes in some cases are intelligently reconfigured to achieve desired data rates, achieve power management goals, and/or compensate for failed nodes.
Abstract:
A range of apparatus and methods for providing local and long range data telemetry within a wellbore is described. These apparatus and methods may be combined in a wide variety of ways. In some embodiments data is transmitted across a gap in a drill string using signals of a higher frequency for which an electrical impedance of the gap or of a filter connected across the gap is low. Low-frequency EM telemetry signals may be applied across the gap. The gap and any filter connected across the gap present a high impedance to the low-frequency EM telemetry signals. The described technology may be applied for transferring sensor readings between downhole electrical packages. In some embodiments sensors are electrically connected across electrically insulating gaps in the drill string.
Abstract:
Disclosed are downhole probes in which electrical interconnections between different modules are achieved without wiring harnesses. Modules may be coupled to one another and/or to bulkheads in the probe my couplings that provide substantially rigid couplings. The couplings may be configured to connect together only in one orientation. Electrical connectors may be fixed relative to components of the couplings so that the electrical connectors are automatically aligned for connection by the couplings.
Abstract:
An electromagnetic (EM) telemetry method comprises encoding downhole data into a single data stream; separating the single data stream into a plurality of separate data streams; converting each separate data stream into a corresponding separate waveform using a selected digital modulation technique wherein at least one of the frequency and phase of each waveform is assigned a unique value or unique non- overlapping range of values; combining each separate waveform into a combined waveform; and transmitting from a downhole location, an electromagnetic (EM) telemetry carrier wave comprising the combined waveform.
Abstract:
A fluid pressure pulse generator for a downhole telemetry tool comprising a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a stator body and a plurality of radially extending stator projections spaced around the stator body, whereby adjacently spaced stator projections define stator flow channels extending therebetween. The rotor comprises a rotor body and a plurality of radially extending rotor projections spaced around the rotor body. The rotor projections are axially adjacent to the stator projections and the rotor is rotatable relative to the stator such that the rotor projections move in and out of fluid communication with the stator flow channels to create fluid pressure pulses in fluid flowing through the stator flow channels. The rotor projections may be positioned downhole of the stator projections and include a self-correction mechanism to move the rotor to an open flow position where the rotor projections are out of fluid communication with the stator flow channels if the telemetry tool fails. The stator body may be configured to fixedly attach to a pulser assembly of the downhole telemetry tool and the rotor may be configured to fixedly attach to a driveshaft of the pulser assembly with the driveshaft and/or the rotor body received within the bore of the stator body such that the stator projections are positioned between the pulser assembly and the rotor projections.
Abstract:
A gap sub comprises a female member comprising a first and second plurality of apertures, and a male member comprising a first and second plurality of cavities. A plurality of non-conductive pins may be inserted through the second plurality of apertures and the second plurality of cavities, thereby locking the relative positions of the female and male members. A plurality of conductive pins may be inserted through the first plurality of apertures and the first plurality of cavities such that there are no electrical connections between the conductive pins and the male member. A dielectric material may be inserted between the male member and the conductive pins.
Abstract:
The present disclosure is directed at methods, systems, and techniques for managing batteries for use in a downhole drilling application. The system includes a power bus, pairs of battery terminals for connecting to batteries, switching circuitry that connects and disconnects the batteries to the power bus, data collection circuitry that obtains battery parameters obtained during system operation, and a controller that controls the switching circuitry and receives the battery parameters. A control line connects the controller to the switching circuitry and a data line connects the controller to the data collection circuitry, with the control and data lines being distinct such that control and data signals are not multiplexed with each other.