System and method to transport data from a downhole tool to the surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9250339-B2
Application number	US-201213430977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2012
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A system and method to transport data collected in a borehole penetrating the earth to a surface location are described. The system includes one or more measurement tools disposed in the borehole, the one or more measurement tools configured to collect data relating to the borehole and a formation penetrated by the borehole. The system also includes a data node tool disposed in the borehole with a plurality of data nodes, the data node tool being configured to receive the data from the one or more measurement tools, program one or more data nodes with at least a first portion of the data, and eject the one or more data nodes into a fluid stream for transport to the surface location.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method executed by a microcontroller of a data node tool to transport data from a downhole tool operating in a borehole penetrating the earth to a receiver at the earth surface, the method comprising:
controlling barriers for loading a data node cartridge of the data node tool with a plurality of data nodes;
buffering data collected downhole by the downhole tool and transmitted to the microcontroller;
controlling the barriers to release one data node of the plurality of data nodes at a time into a chamber with an antenna based on a microcontroller signaling one solenoid to open one of the barriers to release the one data node into the chamber;
programming the one data node with a portion of the data received from the downhole tool; and
controlling the barriers to eject the one data node into a fluid stream for transport to the earth surface, wherein the controlling the barriers includes the microcontroller signaling another solenoid to open another one of the barriers to eject the one data node into the fluid stream.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
verifying the programming, wherein the controlling the barriers to eject the data node is executed based on the verifying.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the verifying the programming includes reading the one data node and re-programming the one data node when the reading result is not the portion of the data written to the one data node.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling the barriers for loading the data node cartridge includes the microcontroller sensing that a battery of the data node tool is being charged.

5. A system to transport data collected in a borehole penetrating the earth to a surface location, the system comprising:
one or more measurement tools disposed in the borehole, the one or more measurement tools configured to collect data relating to the borehole and a formation penetrated by the borehole; and
a data node tool disposed in the borehole with a plurality of data nodes, the data node tool being configured to receive the data from the one or more measurement tools, program one or more data nodes with at least a first portion of the data, and eject the one or more data nodes into a fluid stream for transport to the surface location, wherein the data node tool comprises a data node cartridge configured to hold the plurality of data nodes when the data node tool is disposed in the borehole, the data node tool comprises barriers configured to block an opening of the data node cartridge and a microcontroller configured to control operation of the barriers, and the microcontroller controls the operation of the barriers by signaling solenoids that operate the barriers, wherein the microcontroller signals one of the solenoids to open one of the barriers to release one data node at a time from the data node cartridge, programs the one data node, and signals another one of the solenoids to open another one of the barriers to eject the one data node into the fluid stream.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of data nodes include a buoyancy chamber so that the one or more data nodes float in the fluid stream.

7. The system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a downhole processor configured to perform telemetry of a second portion of the data to the surface location; and
a surface processor configured to process the first portion of the data in the one or more data nodes and the second portion of the data at the surface location.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein at least part of the first portion of the data and the second portion of the data is the same.

9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the data is at a higher data rate than the second portion of the data.

10. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a data node reader at the surface location, the data node reader being configured to read the first portion of the data in the one or more data nodes and send the first portion of the data to the surface processor.

11. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising a magnet disposed at the surface location, wherein the plurality of data nodes include a metal insert and the magnet captures and sends, to the data node reader, the one or more data nodes ejected into the fluid stream at the surface location.

12. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the microcontroller signals the solenoids to open the barriers to load data nodes into the data node cartridge when the microcontroller senses that a battery of the data node tool is being charged prior to disposing the data node tool in the borehole.

13. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the data node tool comprises a filter configured to create capillary pressure in the data node cartridge at a different opening of the data node cartridge from the opening blocked by the barriers so that the plurality of data nodes in the data node cartridge are pushed toward the barriers.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions therein which, when processed by a computer processor, cause the processor to perform a method to transport data from a measurement tool operating in a borehole penetrating the earth to a processor at the earth surface via a plurality of data nodes, the method comprising:
controlling barriers for loading a data node cartridge of the data node tool with the plurality of data nodes based on a status of a battery of the data node tool;
buffering data collected downhole by the measurement tool and transmitted to the microcontroller;
controlling the barriers to release one data node of the plurality of data nodes at a time into a chamber with an antenna based on signaling one solenoid to open one of the barriers to release the one data node into the chamber;
programming the one data node with a portion of the data received from the measurement tool; and
controlling the barriers to eject the one data node into a fluid stream for transport to the earth surface, wherein the controlling the barriers includes signaling another solenoid to open another one of the barriers to eject the one data node into the fluid stream.

Assignees

• Ramirez Robert Mack
• Ade-Fosudo Adebowale
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Ramirez Robert Mack
• Ade-Fosudo Adebowale

Classifications

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · 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

• G01V1/32 Primary

  Transforming one recording into another {or one representation into another} · CPC title

• G06F17/00

  Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions (information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00) · CPC title

• E21B47/138

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