Wireless communication
AssigneeTendeka B.V.
InventorsBard Tinnen, Havar Sortveit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for use in controlling pressure based signal transmission within a fluid in a flowline includes transmitting a pressure based signal through a fluid within a flowline using a flow control device, recognising a condition change associated with the flowline, and then controlling the flow control device in accordance with the condition change. Another method, or an associated method for use in communication within a flowline includes determining or composing an optimised pressure based signal for detection at a remote location and then transmitting the optimised signal using a flow control device.
Claims18
A method for autonomously controlling communication from a downhole communication system located downhole within a production well, the downhole communication system including a monitoring system, a controller and a flow control device, wherein the method comprises:
- (i) obtaining data relating to at least one downhole parameter using the monitoring system;
- (ii) using the controller to operate the flow control device to impart a pressure based signal through a fluid within a flowline within the production well such that the pressure based signal is transmitted through a flowing production fluid towards a receiver, the pressure based signal being representative of the data;
- (iii) regularly repeating steps (i) and (ii) to transmit multiple pressure based signals through the flowing production fluid;
- (iv) using the monitoring system and the controller to monitor for a condition change within the production well indicative of a flowline event in which a flow within the flowline is significantly reduced or is stopped;
- and
- (v) in response to recognising the flowline event, using the controller to control the flow control device to cease the transmitted pressure based signal through the flowing production fluid and to obtain and store the data relating to the at least one downhole parameter during the flowline event, wherein the at least one downhole parameter is associated with at least one of the flowing production fluid, the flowline, the flow control device, adjacent regions and components during the flowline event;
- (vi) using the monitoring system and the controller to monitor for the condition change within the production well indicative of a flow initiating event;
- and
- (vii) in response to recognising the flow initiating event repeating at least the steps (i) and (ii) and transmitting the data relating to the at least one downhole parameter during the flowline event via the pressure based signal.
A downhole communication apparatus for autonomous communication from a downhole location within a production well, the downhole communication apparatus comprising:
- a monitoring system configured to obtain data relating to at least one downhole parameter;
- a flow control device configured to impart a pressure based signal on a production fluid flowing along a flowline within the production well such that the pressure based signal is transmitted through the flowing of the production fluid towards a receiver;
- and
- a controller configured to receive the data from the monitoring system and operate the flow control device based on the data from the monitoring system by,
- monitoring for a condition change within the production well indicative of a flowline event in which the flowing within the flowline is significantly reduced or is stopped,
- in response to recognising the flowline event, controlling the flow control device to cease the transmitted pressure based signal through the production fluid and to obtain and store the data relating to the at least one downhole parameter during the flowline event, wherein the at least one downhole parameter is associated with at least one of the production fluid, the flowline, the flow control device, adjacent regions and components during the flowline event,
- monitor for the condition change within the production well indicative of a flow initiating event, and
- in response to recognising the flow initiating event, operate the flow control device to reinitiate the transmitted pressure based signal through the flowing of the production fluid towards the receiver and transmit the data relating to the at least one downhole parameter during the flowline event via the pressure based signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.