Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
340853200 | Diagnostic monitoring or detecting operation of communications equipment or signal | 46 |
20090027227 | Remote area Sensor System - A communications system comprises a primary wireless network and at least one secondary wireless networks, the primary and secondary wireless networks differing in at least one characteristic, at least one sensor unit comprising a means for sensing a parameter and a node of that secondary network adapted to transmit data relating to the parameter via that secondary network, at least one local data gathering point associated with the at least one secondary wireless network, incorporating a node of that secondary wireless network, a node of the primary network, and a control unit adapted to receive data signals from the at least one sensor unit via the secondary network, construct an outgoing data signal incorporating information from the received data signal, and transmit the outgoing data signal via the primary network, the primary wireless network being a multipoint radio network. The primary wireless network is optimised for relatively long distance communications, of the order of 10 km, and the secondary network or networks are optimised for relatively short distance communications of the order of 100 m, the radio power of each network being different and appropriate for each transmission distance required. This means that the secondary wireless network can have a restricted power output suitable for use proximate to wellheads, with the result that the range is unlikely to be greater than 1 km. The at least one sensor can be an oil or gas wellhead pressure sensor, preferably self powered. The nodes of the primary network may contain GPS receivers, to synchronise the sensors with which the nodes communicate, and aid routing performance of the primary wireless meshing network. | 01-29-2009 |
20090033516 | INSTRUMENTED WELLBORE TOOLS AND METHODS - A method for monitoring an operation conducted in a well in accordance with the present invention includes running a service tool into the well; delivering a material through the service tool; obtaining data using a plurality of sensors carried by the service tool; communicating the data to a local electronic hub; transmitting the data from the local electronic hub to a surface processor; and displaying the wellbore data on the surface processor. | 02-05-2009 |
20090045973 | COMMUNICATIONS OF DOWNHOLE TOOLS FROM DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS - In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a tubular for downhole operations. The tubular comprises a bottomhole assembly. The bottomhole assembly comprises a first downhole tool having a first sensor that is to generate a first data, wherein a first entity is at least one of a controller or an owner of the first downhole tool. The bottomhole assembly comprises a second downhole tool having a second sensor that is to generate a second data, wherein a second entity is at least one of a controller or an owner of the second downhole tool. The first data and the second data are to be coded in a common format. The bottomhole assembly also comprises a processor to execute instructions to receive and process the first data and the second data. | 02-19-2009 |
20090058674 | REAL TIME WELL DATA ALERTS - A system for remote monitoring of well operations. The system may include an alerts module positioned proximate a well, at least one well parameter sensor in communication with the alerts module, and a well operation control module in communication with the alerts module. The system may further include a remotely positioned well monitoring station in communication with the alerts module, and a user terminal in communication with the well monitoring station. | 03-05-2009 |
20090066535 | ALIGNING INDUCTIVE COUPLERS IN A WELL - An apparatus that is usable with a well includes a first equipment section that includes a first inductive coupler and a second equipment section that includes a second inductive coupler. The second equipment section is adapted to be run downhole into the well after the first equipment section is run downhole into the well to engage the first equipment section. A mechanism of the apparatus indicates when the first inductive coupler is substantially aligned with the second inductive coupler. | 03-12-2009 |
20090140879 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TELEMETRY AND POWER DELIVERY - Remote sensing systems are provided including a recorder, a cable network and a plurality of downhole sensor nodes. The cable network comprises a first cable and a second cable. The first and second cables form a loop. The recorder and the plurality of downhole sensor nodes are connected to the cable network in series. The first cable delivers power to the nodes and the second cable comprises a power return and closes the loop to the recorder. | 06-04-2009 |
20100085210 | Actuating Downhole Devices in a Wellbore - A downhole tool system includes a first downhole tool and a second downhole tool. The first downhole tool includes a first controller operable to receive an actuation signal including a tone. The first controller actuates the first downhole tool if the tone is a first specified frequency and changes the first downhole tool to communicate the actuation signal to the second downhole tool if first downhole tool is not actuated in response to the actuation signal. A second downhole tool includes a second controller operable to receive the actuation signal. The second controller actuates the second downhole tool if the tone is a second specified frequency. The second frequency is different from the first frequency. | 04-08-2010 |
20100109906 | MEMORY LOGGING SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE CONDITION OF A SLIDING SLEEVE - A memory logging system for determining the status of a sliding sleeve valve disposed within the borehole. The sliding sleeve contains signal inducing devices. A logging tool is conveyed through the sliding sleeve and time intervals between sensor excursions induced by the sleeve's signal inducing devices are recorded and stored within the tool memory. These data are subsequently recovered when the tool is returned to the surface of the earth, and sensor excursion data are processed in a surface processor to ascertain relative axial positions of the sliding sleeve outer housing and the insert. The condition of the sliding sleeve is determined from these relative axial positions. | 05-06-2010 |
20100127888 | USING POCKET DEVICE TO SURVEY, MONITOR, AND CONTROL PRODUCTION DATA IN REAL TIME - A system for real-time data surveillance in an oilfield operation includes a data collection system deployed at a well site for collecting oilfield data; an office-based computer system for storing and analyzing the oilfield data; a portable device, wherein the portable device includes at least one program for communicating with the office-based computer system, for surveying the oilfield data stored in the office-based computer system, and for causing the office-based computer system to perform a process implemented on the office-based computer system; and a communication system providing communication links among the data collection system, the office-based computer system, and the portable device. | 05-27-2010 |
20100164748 | Method, System, and Apparatus of Downhole Time Interlaced Communications - A method, system, and apparatus of downhole time interlaced communications are provided. The method includes setting command intervals for first and second communications systems associated with downhole tools. Each command interval is a delay value between consecutive commands greater than an actual command duration to define periods of communications inactivity. The command interval of the second communications system is slightly greater than that of the first to overcome any drift. The method includes detecting communications interference between the systems and applying temporarily a positive command interval shift to the first communications system and a negative command interval shift to the second communications system so that a duration of a resynchronization is minimized. An apparatus for downhole time interlaced communications includes a configurable communications interface card to communicate with surface equipment, having a command interval register and a command interval shift register that is applied temporarily when communications interference is detected. | 07-01-2010 |
20100171638 | WELLBORE TELEMETRY AND NOISE CANCELLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE SAME - A method of signal processing includes providing at least a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor spaced in a drilling system and using an algorithm to separate the downwardly propagating waves from the upwardly propagating waves. In one or more examples, an algorithm may include determining a velocity of pressure signals in a wellbore, time-shifting and stacking pressure signals from at least the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to determine a downwardly propagating noise signal, and subtracting the downwardly propagating noise signal from at least the signal from the first pressure sensor. | 07-08-2010 |
20100194585 | SIGNAL PROCESSING IN DOWNHOLE EQUIPMENT - A method of transmitting power and/or data between downhole equipment and a surface through a circuit including an alternating current (AC) powered motor and its associated power cable for powering the downhole equipment is disclosed, where the data is transmitted at frequencies outside the normal operating ranges that are thought acceptable. Associated circuitry and apparatus for performing the method are disclosed. | 08-05-2010 |
20100271232 | ANTI-COLLISION METHOD FOR DRILLING WELLS - Methods for drilling a new well in a field having a plurality of existing cased wells using magnetic ranging while drilling are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a new well in a field having an existing cased well includes drilling the new well using a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having a drill collar having by an insulated gap, generating a current on the BHA while drilling the new well, such that some of the current passes through a surrounding formation and travels along a casing of the existing cased well, measuring from the BHA a magnetic field caused by the current traveling along the casing of the existing cased well, and adjusting a trajectory of the BHA to avoid a collision between the new well and the existing cased well based on measurements of the magnetic field. | 10-28-2010 |
20110018733 | Monitoring of Undesirable Fluid Ingress into Subsea Control Modules - A subsea control module has a casing ( | 01-27-2011 |
20110025525 | Apparatus and Method for Quality Assessment of Downhole Data - In one aspect, a method for assessing quality of a downhole data is provided. The method, according to one embodiment, may include defining a quality criterion based on one or more parameters of interest, determining a quality assessment value for a first data, determining a quality assessment value for each run of a plurality of runs using the quality criterion, determining a quality factor from the computed quality assessment values of the plurality of runs, and determining a quality level of the first data using the quality assessment value of the first data and the quality factor of the computed quality assessment values. | 02-03-2011 |
20110090091 | Apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with downwhole devices - Apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with one or more tools in a downhole tool string including a tractor, an auxiliary tractor tool, a logging tool, a safety sub, a release mechanism, a unit containing sensors for monitoring downhole conditions, a setting tool, and a perforating gun. Also provided are apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with one or more perforating guns, release devices, and explosive devices in a string to be lowered into a wellbore. Control and communication are accomplished by sending signals from the surface to control switches in the control units on the tool, with redundant switches for safety, to state machines in the respective control units, “each state machine returning a signal verifying switch status to the surface. Control and power functions are accomplished with voltage of different polarities for safety. | 04-21-2011 |
20110128160 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A WELL SERVICE RIG - A system for automating service operations at a well includes a service rig having at least one input device, an engine connected to an engine electronic control unit having a engine controller area network, a plurality of crown sheeves, a cable, an output device, a communication infrastructure, and at least one of a computer and an operator station; at least one remote server in electronic communication with the communication infrastructure; and a web portal in electronic communication with the at least one remote server. | 06-02-2011 |
20110187554 | INTEGRATED PERMANENT MONITORING SYSTEM - A technique facilitates monitoring of parameters in a well environment. At least one sensor is positioned downhole in a wellbore to measure a desired parameter or parameters. Data from the sensor is sent uphole to an electrical wellhead outlet which is integrated into the wellhead. The wellhead and integrated electrical wellhead outlet provide a simple system architecture that may be used to process well parameter data as desired. | 08-04-2011 |
20110187555 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECODING A SIGNAL SENT FROM A MEASUREMENT-WHILE-DRILLING TOOL - Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for decoding a signal sent from a measurement-while-drilling tool. In order to decode the signal, a decoder implementation that is communicative according to a decoder implementation protocol and that is configured to decode the signal into a decoded signal is instantiated. The decoder implementation protocol is then conformed to a transmission protocol. The signal is sent to the decoder implementation according to the transmission protocol. Because the decoder implementation protocol has been conformed to the transmission protocol, the decoder implementation can receive the signal and can decode it. One way in which the decoder implementation protocol can be conformed to the transmission protocol is through the use of a translation layer between the module that sends the signal to be decoded and the decoder implementation. | 08-04-2011 |
20110205079 | FLOW ASSURANCE MONITORING - In one oil production operation, a fluid conduit transports a fluid from a wellhead to a floating production platform. To prevent an occurrence of formations that obstruct the flow of fluid in the fluid conduit, a forecast is made as to whether a flow assurance curve will intersect an operating curve of the fluid conduit. In the event that the operating curve and the flow assurance curve will intersect, the appropriate personnel may be alerted so that they may attempt to prevent the hydrate forming conditions from occurring in the pipe. Which personnel are alerted may be based on a level of criticality. The level of criticality may be based on an estimated time period remaining until the flow assurance curve and the operating curve will intersect. | 08-25-2011 |
20110291855 | LOGGING TOOL WITH ANTENNAS HAVING EQUAL TILT ANGLES - The present disclosure relates to a downhole logging tool that includes two or more tilted antennas having equal tilt angles mounted in or on the tool body. The downhole logging tool may be, for example, a wireline or while-drilling tool, and it may be an induction or propagation tool. Various symmetrized and anti-symmetrized responses may be computed and used to infer formation properties and drilling parameters. | 12-01-2011 |
20120139746 | Self Adaptive Two Dimensional Least Square Filter for Distributed Sensing Data - A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for filtering a signal from a plurality of distributed sensors is disclosed. The signal is obtained from the plurality of distributed strain sensors. A first subspace of a measurement space of the obtained signal is selected, wherein the first subspace is characterized by a step having a selected step size. An error for a filter corresponding to the first subspace is estimated and the step size when the estimated error meets a selected criterion. A second subspace characterized by a step having the adjusted step size is selected and the signal is filtered by applying a filter corresponding to the second subspace. | 06-07-2012 |
20120139747 | REAL TIME WELL DATA ALERTS - An apparatus for remote monitoring of well operations. The apparatus may include an alerts module positioned proximate a well, at least one well parameter sensor in communication with the alerts module, and a well operation control module in communication with the alerts module. The apparatus may further include a remotely positioned well monitoring station in communication with the alerts module, and a plurality of user terminal in communication with the well monitoring station. | 06-07-2012 |
20120146805 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WELL MONITORING - Devices capable of being disposed in a wellbore for outputting acoustical signals for monitoring downhole parameters are described. Receiving devices positioned remote from the devices and can receive the acoustical signals and determine the downhole parameters. The devices can output acoustical signals in response to fluid flow or otherwise. | 06-14-2012 |
20120176250 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRATED DOWNHOLE SENSING AND OPTICAL FIBER MONITORING - A system for measuring downhole parameters is disclosed. The system includes: a carrier configured to be disposed in a borehole in an earth formation; at least one optical fiber sensor in operable communication with the carrier; a measurement assembly including an electromagnetic signal source configured to transmit a first interrogation signal into the optical fiber sensor and a detector configured to receive a reflected signal indicative of a downhole parameter in response to the interrogation signal; and a processor configured to automatically receive scattered signals from the optical fiber sensor, generate distributed scattering data indicative of a condition of the optical fiber sensor and analyze changes in the distributed scattering data to identify changes in the condition of the optical fiber sensor. | 07-12-2012 |
20120200421 | DETECTOR FOR USE IN WELL-LOGGING APPLICATIONS - A detector includes a sonde having a housing and comprising a scintillator disposed within the housing and a calibration source coupled to the scintillator to fluoresce the scintillator at a known wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. The detector further includes an electromagnetic radiation sensing device coupled to the scintillator and disposed within the housing and a first programmable/re-programmable processing module (PRPM) coupled to the electromagnetic radiation sensing device and disposed within the housing. The PRPM is programmed to process signals from the electromagnetic sensing device based on a user-defined analysis mode selected from the group of modes consisting of filtering, windowing, discriminating, and counting. | 08-09-2012 |
20130027215 | Plug sensor - The present invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring physical parameters in an oil and/or gas well, the apparatus being connectable to a wellhead of the oil and/or gas well. The apparatus comprises a flange assembly configured with a through bore and an end termination, in which through bore a sensor and associated electronics are arranged. The sensor, including a first electronic circuitry, is connected to a second electronic circuitry via transmission devices that are passed through a pressure-tight element arranged in the through bore. The invention also relates to a wellhead for use with an oil and/or gas well with a plurality of casings defining a plurality of annili. The wellhead is configured with a plurality of through-holes, each leading into a respective annulus of the well, and each through-hole is connected to an apparatus as mentioned above. | 01-31-2013 |
20130113629 | PHASE SENSITIVE COHERENT OTDR WITH MULTI-FREQUENCY INTERROGATION - A fiber optic sensor system includes a coherent-detection optical time domain reflectometry system to extract phase information from optical signals returned from a fiber optic sensor arrangement in response to a plurality of interrogating pulses. The system includes a frequency-shifting circuit to repeatedly translate the frequency of an optical pulse generated by a narrowband source to generate a train of interrogating pulses of multiple frequencies. The optical signals returned from the sensor arrangement in response to the pulse train is mixed on a photodetector with light from the narrowband source that has not been shifted to generate mixed output signals. The mixed output signals are filtered into frequency bands, and the phase for each frequency band is extracted. | 05-09-2013 |
20130214933 | Monitoring of Undesirable Fluid Ingress Into Subsea Control Modules - A subsea control module has a casing inside which there is at least one pair of electrodes, there being electronic means connected with the electrodes of the or each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed. This can include, for example, a change due to an ingress of seawater and/or an ingress of hydraulic fluid into the interior of the casing. The or each pair of electrodes include an array in which each electrode of the pair has finger portions interleaved with finger portions of the other electrode. | 08-22-2013 |
20130300569 | Apparatus and Methods for Controlling and Communicating with Downhole Devices - Apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with one or more tools in a downhole tool string including a tractor, an auxiliary tractor tool, a logging tool, a safety sub, a release mechanism, a unit containing sensors for monitoring downhole conditions, a setting tool, and a perforating gun. Also provided are apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with one or more perforating guns, release devices, and explosive devices in a string to be lowered into a wellbore. Control and communication are accomplished by sending signals from the surface to control switches in the control units on the tool, with redundant switches for safety, to state machines in the respective control units, “each state machine returning a signal verifying switch status to the surface. Control and power functions are accomplished with voltage of different polarities for safety. | 11-14-2013 |
20140062715 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING FAULT LOCATION - Apparatus and methods for locating faults in inductively coupled wired drill pipe while drilling. In one embodiment, apparatus includes a drill string and a wired drill pipe fault monitor. The drill string includes a plurality of wired drill pipes. Each wired drill pipe includes an inductive coupler at each terminal end. The wired drill pipe fault monitor is coupled to the wired drill pipes. The fault monitor includes an impedance measuring system and a fault locator. The impedance measuring system is configured to measure, while drilling the borehole, an input impedance of the wired drill pipes. The fault locator is configured to determine a propagation constant for the wired drill pipes, and to analyze the measured input impedance and determine, as a function of the measured input impedance and the propagation constant, a location of a fault in the wired drill pipes. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062716 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING FAULT LOCATION - Apparatus and method for locating faults in wired drill pipe while drilling. In one embodiment, a fault location system includes a plurality of conductively coupled media sections, impedance measurement electronics, and a fault locator. Each media section includes conductive couplers on opposing ends of the media section, and conductive media connected to and communicatively coupling the conductive couplers. The impedance measurement electronics is configured to measure an input impedance of the media sections. The fault locator is configured to determine a propagation constant for the media sections, and to determine, as a function of the input impedance and the propagation constant, a location of a fault in the media sections. | 03-06-2014 |
20140152456 | Failure Point Diagnostics in Cable Telemetry - Methods and systems for failure point diagnostics in cable telemetry at a wellsite. The methods involve providing a system includes a cable operatively coupling between a surface modem and a downhole modem that is operatively coupled to a downhole toolstring of one or more downhole tools via a toolbus. The methods further involve generating a plurality of test signals, sequentially applying the test signals across one or more test loops in the cable telemetry system, and generating a failure point alert when at least one of the test signals fails in at least one of the test loops. The failure point alert identifies which component of the cable telemetry system caused the test signal to fail. | 06-05-2014 |
20140152457 | Toolstring Communication in Cable Telemetry - Systems and methods for toolstring communication in cable telemetry. The methods involve positioning a cable telemetry system in a wellbore. The cable telemetry system can include a surface modem, a downhole toolstring of downhole tools, a downhole modem operatively coupled to the downhole toolstring, a cable operatively coupling between the surface modem and the downhole modem, and a surface data routing module that polls and trains the cable telemetry system. The methods also involve performing a pre-transmission poll of a rate requirement for the downhole toolstring and a telemetry type for the downhole modem, applying a training phase to establish a transmission link between the surface modem and the downhole modem, configuring data obtained by the downhole toolstring for an uplink via the transmission link, and transmitting the uplink via the transmission link. | 06-05-2014 |
20140210632 | AMPLITUDE AND FREQUENCY-BASED DETERMINATION - A method includes computing, by an amplitude feature computation engine, an amplitude feature of a frame of time-series data. The method further includes computing, by a frequency feature computation engine, a frequency feature of the frame of time-series data. | 07-31-2014 |
20140354443 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING RFID TAGS IN A BOREHOLE ENVIRONMENT - Sensor assemblies are deployed in a borehole for a well, such as an oil well or other hydrocarbon recovery well. The sensor assemblies may be coupled to a casing string (e.g., the exterior of the casing), and detect RFID tags or other properties of material (e.g., fluids) in an annulus surrounding the casing string. During cementing or other operations, RFID tags may be used to track fluids. RFID detection circuits may be used to scan at different frequencies, and corresponding results may be compared by various means and processes to determine the presence of RFID tags. | 12-04-2014 |
20150029034 | SYSTEM AND CONSOLE FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING WELL SITE OPERATIONS - A well advisor system and console for monitoring and managing well drilling and production operations. The system may be accessed through one or more workstations, or other computing devices, which may be located at a well site or remotely. The system is in communication with and receives input from various sensors. It collects real-time sensor data sampled during operations at the well site. The system processes the data, and provides nearly instantaneous numerical and visual feedback through a variety of graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), which are presented in the form of an operation-specific console. The input and data provides information related to geologic uncertainty concerning a well being drilled, with a focus on the safety of the drilling operation. | 01-29-2015 |
20150084782 | REDUCING DISTORTION IN AMPLIFIED SIGNALS IN WELL LOGGING TOOLS - Technologies are described for reducing distortion in amplified signals in well logging tools based on spectral analyses of the amplified signals. For example, a system includes a well logging tool. The well logging tool includes an excitation source to direct an excitation signal towards an environment adjacent a wellbore and a receiver to amplify a probe signal received from the environment adjacent the wellbore in response to the excitation signal. The system also includes a feedback module to receive the amplified signal. The feedback module includes a spectrum analyzer module to spectrally analyze the amplified signal to generate spectral information of the amplified signal; and a controller module to determine, from the spectral information, whether the amplified signal includes distortion, and if so, to issue a feedback signal to the excitation source or the receiver to cause at least a reduction of the distortion in the amplified signal. | 03-26-2015 |
20150091737 | REMOTE VISUAL AND AUDITORY MONITORING SYSTEM - A well site remote monitoring system comprises a monitoring station, a number of recording devices, a number of sensors, a processor, and a power source. The monitoring station supports the recording devices, processor, and power source thereon and is positioned at a strategic location at a well site so that the recording devices can create video, audio, or other recordings of points of interest of the well site. The processor controls the recording devices and uploads the recordings to a remote server computer for storage and so that an operator can manage and view the recordings on a remote monitoring computer. | 04-02-2015 |
20150145687 | System, Apparatus, and Method for Drilling - A system, apparatus and method for monitoring a drilling operation includes receiving a signal via a first pair of antennas positioned on a surface of the earthen formation. The signal received by the first pair of antennas has a first signal characteristic. The method includes receiving the signal via a second pair of antennas positioned on the surface at a different location than that of the first pair of antennas. The signal received by the second pair of antennas has a second signal characteristic. The method includes identifying which of the first signal characteristic and the second signal characteristic of the signal received by the respective first and second pairs of antennas is a preferred signal characteristic. The method can include decoding the signal received by one of the first and second pairs of antennas that has received the signal with the preferred signal characteristic. | 05-28-2015 |
20150308257 | Wireless Well Fluid Extraction Monitoring System - A system for wirelessly monitoring a well fluid extraction process, which operates in conjunction with a host computer. The system includes a wireless base that has a base radio and a communication port to interface with the host computer. The system also has a first remote with a first remote radio that communicates with the base radio using a radio protocol. The first remote also has a first sensor interface that can receive a first sensor signal. The first remote digitally samples the first sensor signal at a predetermined sampling rate, and then communicates first sampled data to the wireless base through the radio protocol. A host software application, which executes on the host computer, receives the first sampled data from the wireless base communication port. | 10-29-2015 |
20150345281 | MULTI-LEVEL WELLSITE MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING SAME - A system for monitoring wellsite equipment at a wellsite is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of client devices. Each client device has radios with programmable channels. The client devices include a source client device, a base station client device, and a repeater client device. The source client device is mounted to the wellsite equipment and includes a sensor to measure wellsite parameters of the wellsite equipment. The base station client device is coupled to the surface unit for communication therewith. The repeater client device is positioned at the wellsite to communicate with the source client device and the base station client device. | 12-03-2015 |
20160003034 | ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE DOWNHOLE TELEMETRY - An apparatus for transmitting electromagnetic (EM) telemetry data from a downhole location to surface comprising: an EM signal transmitter configured to generate positive and negative polarity EM pulses corresponding to a telemetry signal; and an electronics subassembly communicative with the EM signal transmitter and comprising a processor and a memory having encoded thereon program code executable by the processor to perform a method comprising encoding measurement data into an EM telemetry signal using a modulation scheme comprising mapping a symbol set to at least one positive polarity EM pulse and one negative polarity EM pulse; and sending a control signal to the EM signal transmitter to generate EM pulses corresponding to the EM telemetry signal. The EM signal transmitter can comprise an H-bridge circuit electrically coupled to positive and negative ends of a gap sub such that applying a voltage across a positive pathway of the H-bridge circuit generates the positive polarity EM pulse, and applying a voltage across a negative pathway of the H-bridge circuit generates the negative polarity EM pulse. | 01-07-2016 |
20160017706 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REGULATING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC TELEMETRY SIGNAL SENT FROM DOWNHOLE TO SURFACE - A method for regulating an electromagnetic (“EM”) telemetry signal sent from downhole to surface includes determining a value of a controlled parameter of the EM telemetry signal, comparing the value of the controlled parameter to a configuration value, and adjusting the value of the controlled parameter in a first direction towards the configuration value while monitoring a feedback parameter of the EM telemetry signal when the value of the controlled parameter and the configuration value differ. The controlled parameter is one of transmission voltage and transmission current, and the feedback parameter is the other of transmission voltage and transmission current. The value of the controlled parameter ceases to be adjusted in the first direction upon the earlier of either of the following occurring: the value of the controlled parameter substantially equals the configuration value, a value of the feedback parameter meets a feedback parameter cutoff threshold, and a product of the controlled and feedback parameters meets a power cutoff threshold. | 01-21-2016 |
20160090834 | Systems and Methods for Monitoring a Condition of a Tubular Configured to Convey a Hydrocarbon Fluid - Systems and methods for monitoring a condition of a tubular configured to convey a fluid such as for use in producing hydrocarbons in relationship with a hydrocarbon system related wellbore operation. The methods include transmitting a data signal along the tubular with the communication network. The methods may include initiating a tubular operation responsive to the data signal indicating that the condition of the tubular is outside a predetermined condition range. The methods may include transmitting the data signal by propagating the data signal along the tubular via a plurality of node-to-node communications between communication nodes of the communication network and monitoring a signal propagation property of the plurality of node-to-node communications that is indicative of the condition of the tubular. The methods may include detecting the condition of the tubular and generating a condition indication signal. | 03-31-2016 |
20160160639 | Evaluating Wellbore Telemetry Systems - Evaluating wellbore telemetry systems. Multiple evaluation signals are serially transmitted to multiple serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore. Each component is addressable by a respective one of the multiple evaluation signals. In response to serially transmitting the multiple evaluation signals, multiple communication links to the multiple components are evaluated based on a respective multiple responses to the multiple evaluation signals. | 06-09-2016 |