Master communication tool for distributed network of wireless communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638029-B2
Application number	US-201514789978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A communications path between a surface control system and downhole equipment includes a network of wirelessly interconnected communication devices that are located along a conduit. When the communications path fails or cannot be established during performance of a downhole operation, a mobile master communication tool that is in communication with the surface system can be deployed within the wireless range of one of the devices to provide an alternative communication path between the surface system and the downhole equipment. In other embodiments, the alternative communication path can be a temporary path to provide for communications before the network is fully deployed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of communicating with downhole equipment in a borehole, comprising:
exchanging messages between a surface control system and downhole equipment to control performance of a downhole operation, wherein the messages are exchanged via a first communications path that includes a wireless communications path between a plurality of wireless devices provided along a tubing in the borehole;
in response to an inability to exchange messages via the first communications path while performing the downhole operation, deploying a master communications device to establish an alternative communications path between the surface control system and the downhole equipment, the alternative communications path including a wireless communication link between the master communications device and a first wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices; and
continuing performing the downhole operation using the alternative communications path to exchange messages between the surface control system and the downhole equipment to control the downhole operation;
wherein deploying the master communications device in the borehole comprises:
positioning the master communications device at a first location corresponding to a wireless range of a wireless device;
continuously or periodically broadcasting a polling signal with the master communications device until the master communications device receives a response by a wireless device acknowledging receipt of the polling signal;
establishing the wireless communications link between the master communications device and the wireless device acknowledging receipt of the polling signal; and
moving the master communications device to a second location within a wireless range of another wireless device if the alternative communications path cannot be established at the first location.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the master communications device is acoustically coupled to the first wireless device and electrically coupled to the control system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a second wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices is acoustically coupled to the first wireless device and electrically coupled to the surface control system.

4. A method, comprising:
establishing a first acoustic communications path between equipment and a control system, the acoustic communications path comprising a plurality of acoustic modems deployed along a conduit;
communicating messages via the acoustic communications path between the equipment and the control system;
establishing a different communications path between the equipment and the control system, the different communications path comprising at least a first acoustic modem and a second acoustic modem of the plurality of the acoustic modems and a wireless communications link between a mobile master modem located within a wireless range of the first acoustic modem; and
communicating messages via the different communications path between the equipment and the control system
wherein establishing a different communications path between the equipment and the control system comprises:
deploying the mobile master modem in a wellbore at a first location corresponding to the wireless range of the first acoustic modem;
continuously or periodically broadcasting a polling signal with the mobile master modem until the mobile master modem receives a response from the first acoustic modem acknowledging receipt of the polling signal;
establishing the wireless communications link between the mobile master modem and the first acoustic modem; and
moving the mobile master modem to a second location within a wireless range of the second acoustic modem if the alternative communications path cannot be established at the first location.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the wireless communications link between the mobile master modem and the first acoustic modem is an acoustic communications link.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising:
initiating deployment of the conduit in the wellbore;
stopping the deployment of the conduit when a subset of the acoustic modems is positioned in the wellbore;
establishing a temporary communications path between the equipment and the control system to communicate messages via the temporary communications path while the deployment is stopped, wherein the temporary communications path comprises the mobile master modem and at least one acoustic modem of the subset of the acoustic modems; and
continuing deployment of the conduit in the wellbore,
wherein the temporary communications path is established before the acoustic communications path has been initialized.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
moving the mobile master modem outside of a wireless range of the acoustic modems; and
communicating messages between equipment and the control system via the acoustic communications path.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the equipment comprises a sensor to monitor at least one of pressure and temperature in the wellbore.

9. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising:
performing an operation while communicating messages between the equipment and the control system via the acoustic communications path;
in response to an inability to communicate messages between the equipment and the control system, establishing the different communications path; and
continuing performance of the operation by communicating messages between the equipment and the control system via the different communications path.

10. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the mobile master modem is electrically coupled to the control system.

11. A communication system for communicating with downhole equipment in a wellbore, comprising:
a control system to exchange messages with the downhole equipment to control performance of a downhole operation;
a network of wireless modems located along a tubing deployed in the wellbore, the network providing a primary communications path between the control system and the downhole equipment, wherein a message from the downhole equipment is wirelessly received on the primary communications path by at least a first modem and wirelessly repeated on the primary communications path by at least a second modem of the network; and
a mobile master modem in communication with the control system wherein when the mobile master modem is moved within a wireless range of one of the first and second modems in response to detection of a failure of the primary communications path during performance of the downhole operation, a wireless communications link is established between the mobile master modem and the corresponding one of the first and second modems so that messages between the downhole equipment and the control system for controlling the downhole operation are transmitted through the mobile master modem and bypass at least a portion of the primary communications path,
wherein the mobile master modem is configured to:
continuously or periodically broadcast a polling signal until the mobile master modem receives a response by one of the first and second modems acknowledging receipt of the polling signal; and
establish the wireless communications link with the modem acknowledging receipt of the polling signal.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the primary communications path is acoustic communications path.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the wireless communications link is an acoustic communications link.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the mobile m

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Merino Carlos

Classifications

• E21B43/00

  Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells (applicable only to water E03B) · CPC title

• E21B34/16

  Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} · CPC title

• E21B34/06 Primary

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B47/14

  using acoustic waves · CPC title

• E21B47/124

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic