Down hole wireless data and power transmission system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303507-B2
Application number	US-201314044893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2013
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

This present invention generally relates to the issue of signal obstruction in down hole applications. This invention relates to conformal coatings and down hole transmission systems to aid in transmission of wireless signals down hole. The conformal coating includes a substrate material that has an array of rods embedded therein. These embedded rods are made of a Mie Resonance based dielectric material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conformal coating suitable for application onto production pipe for use in a wellbore, the conformal coating operable to bend signal around production pipe in a wellbore, the conformal coating comprising:
a substrate material;
the substrate material having an array of rods embedded therein,
the embedded rods comprising a Mie Resonance based dielectric material;
the substrate material having an array of rods embedded therein is operable to conform to a wall of a pipe for use in a cased hole, wherein the conformal coating is operable to cloak the pipe to reduce signal loss in a transmission path.

2. The coating of claim 1 wherein the substrate material has a dielectric constant of about 2.1.

3. The coating of claim 1 wherein the pipe includes a side pocket mandrel.

4. The coating of claim 1 wherein the substrate material is about 0.1 to about 0.5 inches thick.

5. The coating of claim 1 wherein the rods are about 0.1 to about 0.5 inches in diameter.

6. The coating of claim 1 wherein the rods are spaced about 0.5 inches apart.

7. The coating of claim 1 wherein the Mie Resonance based dielectric material is silicon carbide.

8. The coating of claim 1 wherein the substrate material is tetrafluoroethylene.

9. A transmission system comprising:
a conformal coating comprising a substrate, the substrate having an array of rods embedded therein, the embedded rods comprising a Mie Resonance based dielectric material;
a down hole monitoring system comprising a receiver antenna;
a transmitter antenna; and
a surface monitoring system, wherein the conformal coating is operable to bend radiation to cloak a pipe to reduce signal loss in a transmission path.

10. The transmission system of claim 9 wherein
the pipe is a down hole pipe;
the down hole monitoring system is installed in a first recess in a side of the down hole pipe;
the transmitter antenna is installed in a second recess in a side of the down hole pipe; and
the conformal coating is applied in a wellbore such that transmission of signals is facilitated from the transmitter antenna to the down hole monitoring system.

11. The transmission system of claim 9 wherein the conformal coating is operable to bend radiation from the transmitter antenna to the receiver antenna such that losses associated with a signal blockage in a transmission path is reduced.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the substrate is about 0.1 to about 0.5 inches thick.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the rods are about 0.1 to about 0.5 inches in diameter.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the rods are spaced about 0.5 inches apart.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the Mie Resonance based dielectric material is silicon carbide.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the substrate is tetrafluoroethylene.

17. A down hole apparatus for use in transmitting signals, comprising
a down hole device coated in a conformal coating;
the conformal coating operable to bend signal around obstructions that impede transmission of signals;
a substrate material having an array of rods embedded therein;
the embedded rods comprising a Mie Resonance based dielectric material, wherein the conformal coating is operable to cloak the down hole device.

18. The down hole apparatus of claim 17 wherein the down hole device is a down hole tool.

19. The down hole apparatus of claim 17 wherein the down hole device is a pipe.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the Mie Resonance based dielectric materials is silicon carbide.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the substrate material is tetrafluoroethylene.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Black Michael John
• Bouldin Brett Wayne
• Noui-Mehidi Mohamed N

Classifications

• E21B17/1085

  Wear protectors; Blast joints; Hard facing · CPC title

• Y10T428/24802

  Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.] · CPC title

• E21B47/13 Primary

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

• E21B17/003 Primary

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

• C08J7/00

  Chemical treatment or coating of shaped articles made of macromolecular substances (coating with metallic material C23C; electrolytic deposition of metals C25) · CPC title