# US 10,122,196 B2 · Communication using electrical signals transmitted through earth formations between boreholes

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- Number: US 10,122,196 B2
- Document ID: US10122196B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/488,738
- Filed: 2017-04-17
- Published: 2017-08-10
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-03
- Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC
- Applicants: Daniel Ernesto Sequera; John Wakefield
- Inventors: Daniel Ernesto Sequera; John Wakefield
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122196B2

## CPC

- H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- E21B 43/116: Gun or shaped-charge perforators
- E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure
- E21B 47/125: using earth as an electrical conductor (by electromagnetic energy E21B47/13)
- E21B 47/13: by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
- E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A battery charging arrangement including a communication borehole having a conductive component, a subject borehole having a conductive component, a surface conductor electrically connecting the communication borehole and the subject borehole, an inducer of a voltage difference between the communication borehole and the subject borehole, a portion of a formation in which the communication borehole and the subject borehole are defined, having a resistivity conducive of creation of a circuit, and a battery in one of the communication or subject boreholes configured to be charged using current from the circuit. A method for charging a battery in a downhole environment including electrically connecting at least two boreholes to one another, inducing voltage in the boreholes, creating a circuit through the boreholes and through a portion of a formation, charging the battery with the circuit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery charging arrangement comprising:
a communication borehole having a conductive component disposed therein;
a subject borehole having a conductive component disposed therein;
a surface conductor electrically connecting the communication borehole and the subject borehole;
an inducer of a voltage difference between the communication borehole and the subject borehole;
a portion of an earth formation in which the communication borehole and the subject borehole are defined, having a resistivity conducive of creation of a circuit; and
a battery in one of the communication or subject boreholes configured to be charged using current from the circuit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication borehole conductive component is a string.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface conductor is a wire.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inducer is a communication device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion of the earth formation is an electrical conductor of the circuit with the electrical resistance of the earth formation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication borehole and the subject borehole are disposed so that respective toes thereof are within a proximity of one another such that a formation resistance along a path between the respective toes is less than would be necessary to prevent current flow between the toes through the formation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion of the formation further includes a conductive material intentionally disposed therein.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein the deviated section of one of the communication borehole and the subject borehole overlaps with the other of the communication borehole and the subject borehole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the subject and communication boreholes further includes a deviated section.

### Claim 10

A method for charging a battery in a downhole environment comprising:
electrically connecting at least two boreholes to one another using a surface conductor, each of the at least two boreholes having a conductive component disposed therein;
inducing a voltage between the at least two boreholes;
creating a circuit through the boreholes and through a portion of an earth formation;
charging the battery with current from the circuit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method as claimed in claim 10 further including creating the at least two boreholes and ensuring respective toes of the boreholes are disposed in a formation region and at a distance from one another that supports conductivity between the respective toes through the earth formation.