System and method for downhole electrical transmission

A system for communicating electric signals, comprising:

• a pair of well components coupled via an electrically conductive bearing having a conductive rolling element positioned to enable relative rotation between the well components when positioned in a wellbore;
• a first electric lead connected to the electrically conductive bearing;
• a second electric lead connected to the electrically conductive bearing, the first electric lead and the second electric lead enabling communication of electric signals across the conductive rolling element of the electrically conductive bearing while the well components undergo relative rotation with respect to each other once delivered downhole into a wellbore via a well string;
• and
• electrically insulating the electrically conductive bearing from the pair of well components to ensure the communication of electric signals is limited to transmission from the first electric lead to the second electric lead across the conductive rolling element.

A method for communicating electric signals, comprising:

• coupling a first well component with a second well component via an electrically conductive bearing having a conductive rolling element to enable relative rotation between the first well component and the second well component;
• placing the electrically conductive bearing in an isolated cavity containing an isolating fluid;
• compensating for volume changes of the isolating fluid with a pressure compensator;
• connecting a first electric lead and a second electric lead to the electrically conductive bearing to enable communication of electric signals across the conductive rolling element of the electrically conductive bearing when the first well component and the second well component undergo relative rotation with respect to each other;
• positioning the first well component and the second well component downhole via a tool string;
• communicating electric signals across the bearing and across its conductive rolling element during relative rotation of the first well component with respect to the second well component;
• and
• electrically insulating a first conductive race ring and a second conductive race ring of the electrically conductive bearing from the first well component and the second well component via electrical insulation layers disposed between the first well component and the first conductive race ring and between the second well component and the second conductive race ring, respectively.