# US 10,767,463 B2 · Downhole distributed pressure sensor arrays, pressure sensors, downhole distributed pressure sensor arrays including quartz resonator sensors, and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,463 B2 - Document ID: US10767463B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/195,420 - Filed: 2018-11-19 - Published: 2019-10-10 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-03 - Assignees: Quartzdyne, Inc. - Applicants: Quartzdyne, Inc. - Inventors: Brian T. Leeflang; G. Scott Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767463B2 ## CPC - E21B 47/01: Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like - E21B 47/017: Protecting measuring instruments - E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure - G01L 9/085: {with temperature compensating means (non electric temperature compensating means G01L19/04)} - G01L 11/04: by acoustic means - H03H 9/19: consisting of quartz - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P) ## Abstract Downhole distributed pressure sensor arrays include sensor housings each comprising at least one pressure sensor in a pressure housing. Downhole pressure sensors include a housing, at least one pressure sensor in a pressure housing portion of the housing, and at least one isolation element positioned at an outer wall of the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array, comprising: sensor housings, at least some of the sensor housings each comprising at least one quartz pressure sensor disposed in a sealed pressure housing for detecting a pressure of an environment external to the sealed pressure housing; cable segments connecting the sensor housings; and at least one electrical conductor extending through the cable segments and connecting a sensor housing of the sensor housings to an adjacent sensor housing of the sensor housings, wherein a portion of the at least one electrical conductor passes internally through at least one of the cable segments and internally within the sensor housing around the pressure housing of the sensor housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor comprises electrical conductors, wherein the sensor housing further comprises an electronics assembly, and wherein the at least one electrical conductor is electronically coupled to the electronics assembly and extends from a first electrical conductor of the electrical conductors at a first end of the sensor housing through the pressure housing and past the at least one quartz pressure sensor to a second electrical conductor of the electrical conductors at a second end of the sensor housing opposing the first end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor extends through one of the cable segments and into an internal portion the sensor housing where the at least one electrical conductor circumvents at least one chamber of the housings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor connecting adjacent sensor housings and passing around at least one chamber of the respective housing are each entirely internal to the pressure sensor array. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 1, wherein the sensor housing further comprises at least one chamber in the pressure housing holding the at least one quartz pressure sensor, the at least one chamber in communication with an environment exterior to the sensor housing and containing a substantially incompressible fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 5, wherein the sensor housing further comprises at least one diaphragm positioned between an interior portion of the sensor housing and the environment exterior to the sensor housing, the at least one diaphragm being in communication with the at least one chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical conductor extends along a longitudinal axis of the sensor housing within the sensor housing and along the pressure housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The downhole distributed quartz pressure sensor array of claim 7, wherein the sensor housing further comprises an electronics assembly disposed in an electronics housing portion, and wherein the at least one electrical conductor is electronically coupled to the electronics assembly and extends past the at least one quartz pressure sensor to the electronics assembly. ### Claim 9 A downhole distributed pressure sensor array, comprising: sensor housings, each sensor housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising: at least one pressure sensor comprising a quartz resonator; at least one chamber in the sensor housing holding a substantially incompressible fluid and in communication with the at least one pressure sensor, the at least one chamber in communication with an environment exterior to the sensor housing; and at least one isolation element coupled to the sensor housing in communication with the chamber; and electrical conductors extending through cable segments between adjacent sensor housings and extending internally within each sensor housing and around the at least one chamber of the respective sensor housing, the electrical conductors connecting each sensor housing of the sensor housings to an adjacent sensor housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The downhole distributed pressure sensor array of claim 9, wherein the electrical conductors are entirely internal to the pressure sensor array and only extend through the pressure sensor array either through and enclosed within the sensor housings or through and enclosed within the cable segments. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The downhole distributed pressure sensor array of claim 9, wherein the electrical conductors extend through the cable segments and into an internal portion of each of the sensor housings where the electrical conductors circumvent a respective at least one chamber of each of the sensor housings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The downhole distributed pressure sensor array of claim 9, wherein the electrical conductors connecting adjacent sensor housings and passing around the at least one chamber of the respective sensor housing are each entirely internal to the pressure sensor array. ### Claim 13 A downhole pressure sensor array, comprising: pressure sensors, each comprising: a housing having a longitudinal axis, the housing comprising: at least one quartz resonator for detecting a pressure of an environment external to the sensor; at least one chamber in a pressure housing portion of the housing holding the at least one quartz resonator and for holding a substantially incompressible fluid, the at least one chamber extending through at least one portion of an outer wall of the housing; and at least one isolation element coupled to the pressure housing portion of the housing in communication with the at least one chamber; and electrical conductors extending through cable segments and connecting each housing of the housing to an adjacent housing, the electrical conductors comprising electrical connections extending between respective cable segments entirely within one housing of a respective pressure sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the electrical conductors connect adjacent housings by passing around the at least one chamber of the respective housing at a location entirely internal to the pressure sensor array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the at least one chamber is configured to place the at least one quartz resonator in communication with the environment external to the sensor via the substantially incompressible fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the at least one isolation element comprises at least one diaphragm positioned between the housing and the environment external to the housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the electrical conductors extend along the longitudinal axis of each housing within the housing and along the at least one chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises an electronics assembly disposed in an electronics housing portion, and wherein the electrical conductors are electronically coupled to the electronics assembly and extends past the at least one quartz resonator to the electronics assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The downhole pressure sensor array of claim 13, wherein the at least one chamber comprises a substantially incompressible fluid disposed therein.