Stabilizer with fin-mounted electrode for providing signals to drill string antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018106145-A1
Application number	US-201515556433-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Apr 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A stabilizer apparatus for applying an electrical signal to a drill string antenna, comprising: an elongate member; and a fin extending radially from the elongate member, said fin having an angled leading face and an electrode face that opposes the elongate member, the electrode face including an electrode to apply electrical signals to a conductive member of the drill string antenna.

First claim

1 . A stabilizer apparatus for applying an electrical signal to a drill string antenna, comprising:
an elongate member; and a fin extending radially from the elongate member, said fin having an angled leading face and an electrode face that opposes the elongate member, the electrode face including an electrode to apply electrical signals to a conductive member of the drill string antenna.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode couples to a metal insert that is at least partially disposed within said fin, and wherein the metal insert provides signals between the electrode and an electromagnetic tool.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electrode couples to said metal insert by way of a cantilever beam spring.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the cantilever beam spring couples to the metal insert by way of a conductive fastener.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer apparatus comprises second and third fins extending radially from the elongate member, and wherein said fin, said second fin and said third fin center the elongate member within the drill string.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fin comprises rubber and a cantilever beam spring, and wherein both the rubber and the cantilever beam spring provide contact force to the electrode to facilitate contact between said electrode and an inner diameter of the drill string.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said contact force is sufficient to inhibit exposure of the electrode to fluid within the drill string.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said angled leading face is angled to facilitate fluid flow past the angled leading face.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer apparatus comprises rubber.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drill string antenna is a dipole antenna comprising multiple conductive members of a drill string separated by an insulating gap sub, and wherein the electrode applies said electrical signals to one of said multiple conductive members.

11 . A system for providing electromagnetic signals, comprising:
a drill string having multiple conductive members that couple to a gap sub to form an antenna; an electromagnetic tool disposed within the drill string; and a stabilizer disposed within the drill string and coupled to the electromagnetic tool, the stabilizer comprising an elongate member and a fin extending radially from the elongate member, said fin having an angled leading face and an electrode face, an electrode on the electrode face electrically coupling to one of said multiple conductive members to facilitate communication between the antenna and the electromagnetic tool.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a fishing neck coupled to the stabilizer.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein said angled leading face is positioned closer to the fishing neck than to the electromagnetic tool.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the angled leading face facilitates fluid flow through the drill string.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the fin further comprises a conductive fastener that couples to the electrode via a conductive cantilever beam spring, and wherein the conductive fastener further couples to the electromagnetic tool via a metal insert that is at least partially disposed within said fin.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer comprises additional fins, and wherein the fin and the additional fins contact an inner diameter of the drill string to resist movement with respect to the drill string.

17 . A method for providing electromagnetic signals, comprising:
positioning a stabilizer within a drill string such that an electrode disposed on a fin of the stabilizer electrically couples to one of multiple conductive members of the drill string that are separated by a gap sub; and providing a signal between an electromagnetic tool coupled to the electrode and said one of the multiple conductive members.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fin comprises an angled leading face, and wherein an angle of the angled leading face facilitates fluid flow through the drill string.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising using a rubber material within said fin such that the rubber material and a spring provide contact force to the electrode sufficient to inhibit exposure of the electrode to fluid within the drill string.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising removing the stabilizer and the electromagnetic tool from the drill string using a fishing neck coupled to the stabilizer.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Carter Daniel Patrick
• Mohon Brian Allen

Classifications

• E21B47/13 Primary

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

• G01V11/002 Primary

  Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B) · CPC title

• E21B17/1078 Primary

  Stabilisers or centralisers for casing, tubing or drill pipes (E21B17/1007 - E21B17/1064 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/04

  Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use · CPC title

• E21B17/1042

  Elastomer protector or centering means · CPC title