Logging-while-tripping system and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10995567-B2
Application number	US-201916406200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2019
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A downhole communication repeater adapted for use on a wired drill pipe that extends from a surface to a bottom hole assembly that includes downhole communication equipment, and the surface has surface communication equipment located thereon. The repeater includes memory adapted: to store segments of logging-while-tripping data received from said downhole communication equipment and a microprocessor adapted to receive said logging-while-tripping data; to store said logging-while-tripping data in said memory while said repeater is deployed along a drill string in a well; and to re-transmit segments of said logging-while-tripping data while said repeater is cut off from downhole communications during a tripping operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole communication repeater adapted for use in an associated wired drill pipe segment of a wired pipe drill string that extends from a surface to a bottom hole assembly, said bottom hole assembly comprising downhole communication equipment, and said surface having surface communication equipment located thereon,
wherein said surface communication equipment and said downhole communication equipment are not in communication with each other for a duration of a tripping operation;
said repeater comprising memory and adapted:
to store segments of logging-while-tripping data generated by said downhole communication equipment in said memory while said repeater is deployed along the wired pipe drill string in a well during said tripping operation; and
to re-transmit the segments of said logging-while-tripping data to the surface communication equipment while said repeater and said associated wired drill pipe segment are stored in a rack board during said tripping operation,
wherein the rack board adapted to house a plurality of seating guides, and
a seating guide of the plurality of said seating guides is adapted to ensure that a pin coupler of the wired drill pipe segment is located above a communication coupler.

2. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein said memory is periodically overwritten to store a new segment of said logging-while-tripping data.

3. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein said repeater is responsive to radiofrequency signals.

4. The repeater of claim 1 , wherein said repeater is adapted to be housed in a rotary connection of a wired drill pipe.

5. The repeater of claim 1 , further comprising a microprocessor that is responsive to dedicated logging-while-tripping commands from said surface communication equipment and from said downhole communication equipment.

6. A surface communication device adapted to communicate with a repeater adapted to store logging-while-tripping data received from downhole communication equipment and located in an associated wired drill pipe segment that is part of a wired pipe drill string, wherein the downhole communication equipment is not in communication with a surface communication equipment during tripping operation, said surface communication device comprising:
a structure that holds the associated wired drill pipe segment;
at least one communication coupler adapted to exchange signals with a pin coupler or a box coupler of the associated wired drill pipe segment carrying the repeater while said wired drill pipe segment is positioned proximal of the at least one communication coupler,
said at least one communication coupler reading the logging-while-tripping data during the tripping operation from said repeater of said associated wired drill pipe segment via said pin coupler or said box coupler while said repeater and said associated wired drill pipe segment are stored in the structure and have been removed from the wired pipe drill string;
a seating guide of a plurality of seating guides is adapted to ensure that the pin coupler of the wired drill pipe segment is located above the at least one communication coupler,
wherein the structure is a rack board adapted to house the plurality of said seating guides.

7. The surface communication device of claim 6 , further comprising said repeater for providing wired or wireless communications with the surface communication equipment.

8. The surface communication device of claim 6 , wherein said at least one communication coupler communicates with a said pin coupler of said associated wired drill pipe segment using radiofrequency signals.

9. The surface communication device of claim 6 , further comprising a communication equipment that communicates with said at least one communication coupler and is programmed to test functionality of the repeater.

10. The surface communication device of claim 6 , further comprising a communication equipment that is programmed to indicate functionality of the repeater.

11. The surface communication device of claim 10 , wherein said communication equipment provides an indication that the repeater has a depleted or nearly depleted battery.

12. The surface communication device of claim 6 , further comprising a pressure and/or optical sensor that indicates a presence or an absence of the wired drill pipe segment in a pin seat of said seating guide.

13. The surface communication device of claim 6 , further comprising a visual indicator indicating various conditions while said repeater is cut off from downhole communications.

Assignees

• Prammer Manfred G
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Prammer Manfred G

Classifications

• E21B47/26

  Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier · CPC title

• E21B17/003

  with electrically conducting or insulating means (E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/113

  using electrical indications; using light radiations · CPC title

• E21B19/16 Primary

  Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints (E21B19/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/13

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