Use of gap subs behind a coil antenna in electromagnetic induction tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035975-B2
Application number	US-201615757483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

An electromagnetic induction tool and method. The electromagnetic induction tool may comprise a tool body, a gap sub may separate different sections of the tool body and may be positioned to at least partially hinder the flow of an axial current and an azimuthal current on the tool body. A coil antenna may be disposed over the gap sub. A method of increasing an electromagnetic field may comprise providing an electromagnetic induction tool. The electromagnetic induction tool may comprise a tool body, a gap sub may separate different sections of the tool body and may be positioned to at least partially hinder flow of an axial current and an azimuthal current on the tool body. A coil antenna may be disposed over the gap sub. The method may further comprise placing the electromagnetic induction tool into a wellbore and operating the coil antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic induction tool comprising:
a tool body;
a cascaded gap sub section comprising circumferential bands stacked in an axial direction, wherein the circumferential bands comprise gap subs and a metal support that is disposed in-between the gap subs, the cascaded gap sub section configured to separate different sections of the tool body and positioned to reduce flow of an axial current and an azimuthal current across the gap subs, wherein the cascaded gap sub section connects collars along a bottom hole assembly, wherein the axial current and the azimuthal current are secondary currents resulting from induced electromagnetic fields; and
a coil antenna, wherein the coil antenna encompasses and contacts a portion of the cascaded gap sub section that reduces the flow of the currents across the cascaded gap sub section, or wherein the coil antenna encompasses a portion of the tool body that is adjacent to the cascaded gap sub section.

2. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 1 , wherein the coil antenna comprises a receiver or electromagnetic source, wherein the cascaded gap sub section is a single insert with a connector on each end, wherein the connectors are at least threaded, bolted, or pressed to the sections of the tool body.

3. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 2 , wherein the coil antenna is disposed about ten degrees to about ninety degrees from an axis of the electromagnetic induction tool.

4. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 1 , wherein the cascaded gap sub section further comprises additional circumferential bands stacked in the axial direction, wherein the additional circumferential bands comprise additional gap subs and additional metal supports that are disposed in-between the additional gap subs, wherein the coil antenna is disposed over all of the gap subs.

5. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 4 , wherein the coil antenna comprises a receiver or electromagnetic source.

6. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 4 , wherein the coil antenna is disposed about ten degrees to about ninety degrees from an axis of the electromagnetic induction tool.

7. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic induction tool comprises a plurality of coil antennae, wherein each of the plurality of coil antennae are disposed over at least one gap sub.

8. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of coil antennae each individually comprises a receiver or an electromagnetic source.

9. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 8 , wherein the coil antenna is disposed about ten degrees to about ninety degrees from an axis of the electromagnetic induction tool.

10. The electromagnetic induction tool of claim 1 , wherein the gap subs comprise ferrite or conductive materials.

11. A method of increasing an electromagnetic field comprising:
providing an electromagnetic induction tool, wherein the electromagnetic induction tool comprises:
a tool body;
a cascaded gap sub section comprising circumferential bands stacked in an axial direction, wherein the circumferential bands comprise gap subs and a metal support that is disposed in-between the gap subs, the cascaded gap sub section configured to separate different sections of the tool body and positioned to reduce flow of an axial current and an azimuthal current across the gap subs, wherein the cascaded gap sub section connects collars along a bottom hole assembly, wherein the axial current and the azimuthal current are secondary currents resulting from induced electromagnetic fields; and
a coil antenna, wherein the coil antenna encompasses and contacts a portion of the cascaded gap sub section that reduces the flow of the currents across the cascaded gap sub section, or wherein the coil antenna encompasses a portion of the tool body that is adjacent to the cascaded gap sub section;

placing the electromagnetic induction tool into a wellbore; and
operating the coil antenna.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electromagnetic induction tool further comprises a plurality of coil antennas on the electromagnetic induction tool, wherein the plurality of coil antennas each cover at least one gap sub, wherein the cascaded gap sub section is a single insert with a connector on each end, wherein the connectors are removably coupled to sections of the tool body, wherein the connectors are at least threaded, bolted, or pressed to the sections of the tool body.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of coil antennas each individually comprises a receiver or an electromagnetic source.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of coil antennas are disposed about ten degrees to about ninety degrees from an axis of the electromagnetic induction tool.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cascaded gap sub section further comprises additional circumferential bands stacked in the axial direction, wherein the additional circumferential bands comprise additional gap subs and additional metal supports that are disposed in-between the additional gap subs, wherein the coil antenna covers all the gap subs.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the coil antenna is a receiver or an electromagnetic source.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the coil antenna is disposed about ten degrees to about ninety degrees from an axis of the electromagnetic induction tool.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gap subs comprise ferrite or conducive materials.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gap subs function to increase the gain.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gap subs hinder a counter current, increasing the electromagnetic field emitted from the coil antenna.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Chang Paul Chin Ling
• Capoglu Ilker R
• Wu Hsu-Hsiang

Classifications

• E21B47/00

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title

• G01V3/28 Primary

  using induction coils · CPC title

• E21B47/0228

  using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor · CPC title

• G01V3/30

  operating with electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• E21B17/003

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