Wellbore power and/or data transmission devices and methods

This application takes priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/870,023 filed Dec. 14, 2006.

1. Field of the Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to methods and devices for conveying power and data between the surface and one or more downhole locations.

2. Description of the Related Art

Valuable hydrocarbon deposits, such as those containing oil and gas, are often found in subterranean formations located thousands of feet below the surface of the Earth. To recover these hydrocarbon deposits, boreholes or wellbores are drilled by rotating a drill bit attached to a drilling assembly (also referred to herein as a “bottom hole assembly” or “BHA”). Thereafter, a casing is positioned in the wellbore and one or more production zones in the wellbore are completed using appropriate equipment such as packers, in-flow devices, submersible pumps etc.

Many of the devices presently deployed downhole utilize electrical power and/or communicate with surface equipment using electrical conductors. At the same time, these downhole devices can require fluid supplied from a surface source for control and/or energy. Conventionally, a cable for supplying electrical power and hydraulic fluid to downhole equipment includes a tubular having a bore for conveying a hydraulic fluid and an electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is formed of a metal core concentrically disposed within a metal tubular. The metal core and the metal tubular are separated by a suitable electrical insulator. The hydraulic fluid tubular and the electrical conductor run side-by-side and are wrapped in a common encapsulation. As is known in the art, wellbores can span thousands of meters and include deviated legs or sections. Moreover, the annular space through which conventional cables run can be limited. Conventional cables have a relatively large cross-sectional profile because they include separate conduits or conductors for hydraulic fluid and electrical power. Thus, such cables can easily be damaged during installation. Such damage can compromise the ability of the cable to carrying data and/or power.

The present disclosure addresses these and other drawbacks of the prior art cables.

In aspects, the present disclosure provides a method for providing signal transmission between one or more surface devices and one or more downhole devices positioned in a wellbore. The method may include positioning a wellbore tubular in the wellbore; coupling a conductive element to the wellbore tubular to form a conductive circuit; and coupling the surface devices to the downhole devices using the conductive element. The signal transmission may include data signals, command signals, and/or electrical power and transmitted across the circuit formed by the conductive element and the wellbore tubular. Illustrative uses for these signals include controlling or energizing the downhole devices. In aspects, the method may include conveying a fluid along a bore in the conductive element. The method may also include conveying a formation fluid to the surface using the wellbore tubular.

In aspects, the present disclosure provides a system for providing signal transmission in a wellbore. In one arrangement, the system may include a surface device; a downhole device; a conductive element electrically coupled to the surface device and the downhole device; and a wellbore tubular positioned in the wellbore. The wellbore tubular is electrically coupled to the conductive element. The surface device or devices may transmit data signals, and/or electrical power to the downhole device or devices using the conductive element. In one arrangement, the conductive element may be formed as a tubular having a bore configured to convey a fluid and may include a surface fluid source configured to supply the fluid into the bore of the tubular. In other embodiments, the conductive element may be formed as a solid core encapsulated with sheathing. The conductive element may be formed as a plurality of end-to-end segments and/or a continuous element. Additionally, in aspects, the wellbore tubular may be a production tubing configured to convey a fluid to the surface.

It should be understood that examples of the more important features of the disclosure have been summarized rather broadly in order that detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contributions to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For detailed understanding of the present disclosure, references should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given like numerals and wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a sectional elevation view of a sectional elevation view of a system utilizing a signal transmission device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates one signal transmission device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure for conveying fluid and power/data signals;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates one signal transmission device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure for conveying power/data signals; and

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