US 11,686,197 B2 · Ultrasonic through barrier communication system for in riser communication

Abstract

A communication system employed during wellbore operations, such as during drilling, cementing, fracturing, or other wellbore operations, which utilizes ultrasound (i.e., acoustic waves characterized by ultrasonic frequencies) to communicate sensor and/or control information from inside a riser and/or blowout preventer (BOP) to outside the riser/BOP, and/or vice versa. More specifically, the communication system may include an internal ultrasonic module (IUM) residing inside the riser/BOP and acoustically coupled to a drill string and/or a centralizer also inside the riser/BOP. The communication system may further include an external ultrasonic module (EUM) residing outside the riser/BOP and acoustically coupled to the riser/BOP. The ultrasound may traverse from the IUM to the EUM, and vice versa, using a communication path that may include propagation of the ultrasound through the drill string, the centralizer, and the riser/BOP without traversal through fluids contained within a fluid column enclosed by the riser/BOP.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a drill string operatively connected to a running tool conducting a wellbore operation;
a riser encasing the drill string and the running tool within a fluid column containing a fluid;
an external ultrasonic module (EUM) residing entirely outside the riser, wherein the EUM comprises a first ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the riser;
a communication system comprising the EUM and an internal ultrasonic module (IUM);
and
a centralizer disposed, and configured to center the drill string, within the riser,
wherein the IUM resides entirely inside the riser and comprises a second ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the drill string, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer is further acoustically coupled to the centralizer,
wherein the IUM is operatively connected to the EUM and the running tool,
wherein the IUM and the EUM exchange information between one another using sets of ultrasonic acoustic waves that propagate along a communication path comprising the drill string, the centralizer, and the riser without traversal through the fluid contained within the fluid column enclosed by the riser.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ultrasonic through barrier communication system for in riser communication

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic through barrier communication system for in riser communication

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13