Adaptive power saving telemetry systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10724362-B2
Application number	US-201816210650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 5, 2018
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are described herein for transmission of measurement while drilling (MWD) data from a MWD tool to a receiver. Such apparatuses, methods, and systems may modify MWD data to allow for transmission of the modified MWD data in a manner that conserves electrical power of the MWD tool. For example, the MWD data can be modified to allow for effectively slower transmission of the data while adhering to existing transmission settings. Furthermore, a MWD tool can communicate data to modify transmission settings between the MWD tool and a rig controller. The rig controller can then adjust settings of the rig and transmit corresponding communications to the MWD tool to modify settings of the MWD tool. Such techniques allow for MWD data to be conveyed in an electrically efficient manner, reducing maintenance and recharging requirements of the MWD tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a measurement while drilling (MWD) transceiver configured to communicate MWD data according to one or more MWD transmission settings; and
a rig transceiver configured to communicate data according to one or more rig transmission settings, wherein the MWD transceiver and the rig transceiver are configured to communicate when the one or more MWD transmission settings and the one or more rig transmission settings are synchronized, and wherein the MWD transceiver and/or the rig transceiver are further configured to:
transmit, from the MWD transceiver to the rig transceiver, parameter data associated with transmission settings;
select the one or more rig transmission settings in response to the rig transceiver receiving the parameter data; and
select the one or more MWD transmission settings in response to receiving the parameter data, wherein the selected one or more rig transmission settings and the selected one or more MWD transmission settings are synchronized.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rig transceiver is configured to provide setting data to the MWD transceiver to define the one or more MWD transmission settings, and wherein the MWD transceiver and/or the rig transceiver are further configured to:
transmit current setting data from the rig transceiver to the MWD transceiver to define the one or more MWD transmission settings, wherein the current setting data is transmitted in response to the rig transceiver receiving the parameter data, and wherein the one or more MWD transmission settings is selected in response to the MWD transceiver receiving the current setting data; and
communicate data between the MWD transceiver and the rig transceiver according to the selected one or more rig transmission settings and the selected one or more MWD transmission settings.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the parameter data is transmitted during a first time period and the selecting the one or more rig transmission settings and the transmitting the current setting data are performed during a second time period after the first time period.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the parameter data defines the second time period.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter data is a portion of the MWD data transmitted from the MWD transceiver to the rig transceiver.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter data is configured to adjust a setting associated with power usage of the rig transceiver and/or the MWD transceiver.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the MWD transceiver and the rig transceiver are configured to communicate via electromagnetic and/or mud pulse communications.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selected one or more rig transmission settings and/or the selected one or more MWD transmission settings comprise one or more of changed telemetry channels, changed pulse width, changed frequency, or adjusted time between symbols.

9. A system comprising:
a measurement while drilling (MWD) transceiver MWD communicator configured to communicate MWD data according to one or more MWD transmission settings; and
a rig transceiver configured to communicate data according to one or more rig transmission settings, wherein the MWD transceiver and the rig transceiver are configured to communicate when the one or more MWD transmission settings and the one or more rig transmission settings are synchronized, and wherein the MWD transceiver and/or the rig transceiver are further configured to:
transmit, from the MWD transceiver to the rig transceiver, the MWD data;
determine, from the MWD data received by the rig transceiver, a rig transmission setting adjustment;
adjust the one or more rig transmission settings according to the rig transmission setting adjustment; and
adjust the one or more MWD transmission settings, wherein the adjusted one or more rig transmission settings and the adjusted one or more MWD transmission settings are synchronized.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the rig transceiver is configured to provide setting data to the MWD transceiver to define the one or more MWD transmission settings, and wherein the MWD transceiver and/or the rig transceiver are further configured to:
transmit current setting data from the rig transceiver to the MWD transceiver in response to the adjusting the one or more rig transmission settings, wherein the adjusting the one or more MWD transmission settings is in response to the MWD transceiver receiving the current setting data; and
communicate data between the MWD transceiver and the rig transceiver according to the adjusting one or more rig transmission settings and the adjusting one or more MWD transmission settings.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the MWD data comprises delays caused by time between symbols (TBS) inserted into the MWD data.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the rig transceiver is further configured to:
identify the delays caused by the TBS; and
determine the rig transmission setting adjustment in response to the identifying the delays caused by the TBS.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the delays are between portions of the MWD data.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the TBS effectively changes a transmission rate of the MWD data to a first data rate, and wherein the adjusting one or more rig transmission settings and the adjusting one or more MWD transmission settings causes the rig transceiver and the MWD transceiver to communicate at a second data rate substantially similar to the first data rate.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the TBS is inserted into the MWD data in response to a battery level of the MWD transceiver.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting one or more rig transmission settings and/or the adjusting one or more MWD transmission settings comprise one or more of changed telemetry channels, changed pulse width, changed frequency, or adjusted the time between the symbols.

17. A method comprising:
transmitting, from a measurement while drilling (MWD) transceiver to a rig transceiver, parameter data associated with one or more MWD transmission settings, wherein the parameter data comprises instructions for the rig transceiver to select one or more rig transmission settings and for the rig transceiver to transmit setting data to the MWD transceiver;
receiving, with the MWD transceiver, the setting data from the rig transceiver in response to the transmitting the parameter data; and
selecting the one or more MWD transmission settings in response to the receiving the setting data, wherein the selected one or more MWD transmission settings and the selected one or more rig transmission settings are synchronized.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the parameter data is transmitted during a first time period and the setting data is received during a second time period after the first time period, and wherein the parameter data defines the second time period.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the parameter data is a portion of MWD data transmitted from the MWD transceiver to the rig transceiver.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the parameter data is configured to adjust a setting associated with power usage of the rig transceiver and/or the MWD transceiver.

Assignees

• Nabors Drilling Tech Usa Inc

Inventors

• Gajic Bosko
• Batke Keith

Classifications

• E21B47/13 Primary

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title

• E21B47/18

  through the well fluid {, e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry} · CPC title

• E21B47/122 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic