Systems and methods for wireless power transmission in a well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319804-B2
Application number	US-202016870655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2020
Priority date	May 15, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for wireless power transmission in a well, wherein first and second structural members of a well completion are electrically connected to form an electrical circuit, with first and second toroidal transformers positioned around the second structural member at different axial locations. A power source coupled to the first toroidal transformer is configured to generate an output voltage which is applied to the first toroidal transformer, inducing a corresponding electrical current in the electrical circuit. This in turn induces a second voltage on the second toroidal transformer, which is provided to a downhole tool. The tool may include conditioning circuitry, which rectifies the received power and charges a battery. The downhole electric tool is then operated using the received power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first structural member of a well completion;
a second structural member of the well completion, wherein the first and second structural members are coaxially positioned with an annular space between the first structural member and the second structural member, wherein a first portion of the annular space is filled with a well fluid and a second portion of the annular space is filled with air;
a first electrical coupling between the first structural member and the second structural member at a first axial location;
a second electrical coupling between the first structural member and the second structural member at a second axial location, wherein the first structural member, the second structural member, the first electrical coupling and the second electrical coupling form a first electrical circuit;
a first toroidal transformer positioned around the second structural member at a third axial location which is between the first axial location and the second axial location;
a second toroidal transformer positioned around the second structural member at a fourth axial location which is between the first axial location and the second axial location;
a power source coupled to the first toroidal transformer, wherein the power source is configured to generate an output voltage, wherein when the output voltage is applied to the first toroidal transformer, a corresponding electrical current is induced in the first electrical circuit, wherein the induced current induces a second voltage on the second toroidal transformer; and
a downhole electric tool coupled to the second toroidal transformer, wherein the downhole electric tool is configured to receive power at the second voltage from the second toroidal transformer and to operate using the received power.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole electric tool comprises a sensor which is configured to make one or more measurements of parameters in the well.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the system is configured to alternately operate in a power transmission mode and a communication mode, wherein in the power transmission mode the system transmits power from the power source to the downhole electric tool, and in the communication mode the system enables transmission of data between the downhole electric tool and equipment positioned at the surface of the well via the first and second toroidal transformers and the second structural member.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole electric tool comprises an energy storage device, wherein the power received from the second toroidal transformer is stored in the energy storage device, and wherein the downhole electric tool operates by drawing power from the energy storage device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the downhole electric tool further comprises a rectifier which is coupled between the second toroidal transformer and the energy storage device and is configured to convert an AC voltage received from the second toroidal transformer to a DC voltage which is provided to the energy storage device to charge the energy storage device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC power at a frequency between 30 Hz and 300 Hz.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first structural member comprises a conductive casing installed in the well, and wherein the second structural member comprises a conductive tubular installed in the well within the casing.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first structural member comprises a conductive casing installed in the well, and wherein the second structural member comprises a conductive rod coupled between a drive system and a pump installed in the well.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first structural member comprises a conductive tubular installed in the well, and wherein the second structural member comprises a conductive rod coupled between a drive system and a pump installed in the well.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising;
a third toroidal transformer positioned around the second structural member at a fifth axial location which is between the third axial location and the fourth axial location; and
a second downhole electric tool coupled to the third toroidal transformer, wherein the second downhole electric tool is configured to receive power at a third voltage from the third toroidal transformer and to operate using the received power.

11. A method implemented in a well having first and second structural members of a well completion system, wherein the first and second structural members are coaxially positioned with an annular space between the first structural member and the second structural member, a first portion of the annular space being filled with a well fluid and a second portion of the annular space being filled with air, wherein the first and second structural members are electrically coupled to form a first electrical circuit, the well completion system including first and second toroidal transformers positioned at axially different locations around one of the structural members with a power source coupled to the first toroidal transformer and a downhole tool coupled to the second toroidal transformer, the method comprising:
generating, by the power source, a first voltage,
applying the first voltage to the first toroidal transformer, wherein the first toroidal transformer induces a current corresponding to the data signal in the one of the structural members around which the first toroidal transformer is positioned;
inducing in the second toroidal transformer, by the current in the one of the structural members around which the first toroidal transformer is positioned, a second voltage;
providing power at the second voltage to the downhole tool; and
operating the downhole tool using the provided power.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the first voltage comprises the power source generating a first AC voltage at a frequency between 30 Hz and 300 Hz.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the first voltage comprises the power source generating a first AC voltage, and wherein providing power at the second voltage to the downhole tool comprises providing power at a second AC voltage to a rectifier which converts the second AC voltage to a DC voltage.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing power at the second voltage to the downhole tool further comprises applying the DC voltage to an energy storage device, wherein the downhole tool draws power from the energy storage device.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the downhole tool comprises a sensor, wherein the method further comprises the sensor making one or more measurements of parameters in the well, generating data corresponding to the one or more measurements, and storing the data in a data storage device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the downhole tool further comprises a sensor transmitter, wherein the method further comprises the transmitter communicating the data to a receiver positioned at the surface of the well via the first and second toroidal transformers and the one of the structural members around which the first and second toroidal transformers are positioned.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
operating alternately in a power transmission mode and a communication mode;
wherein operating in the power transmission mode includes the generating the first voltage, the applying the first voltage to the first toroidal transformer, the inducing the second voltage in the second toroidal transform

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Joshi Mahendra L
• Liao Yi
• Scott Thomas McClain
• Tyshko Alexey
• Howe Virginia
• Reeves Brian

Classifications

• E21B41/0085

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title

• E21B47/138

  Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals · CPC title

• E21B17/028

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• E21B43/126 Primary

  Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive (powered by fluid E21B43/129) · CPC title

• E21B47/00

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