Dual channel downhole telemetry
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsVimal V. Shah, Wallace R. Gardner, Paul F. Rodney, James H. Dudley, M. Douglas McGregor
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides several methods for selecting and transmitting information from downhole using more than one channel of communication wherein data streams transmitted up each communications channel are each independently interpretable without reference to data provided up the other of the communications channels. Preferred embodiments incorporate the use of a combination of at least two of mud-based telemetry, tubular-based telemetry, and electromagnetic telemetry to achieve improved results and take advantage of opportunities presented by the differences between the different channels of communication.
Claims81
A method for communicating data in a wellbore having a drill string, comprising:
- using a first telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a first data stream through a first communications channel;
- using a second telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a second data stream through a second communications channel;
- wherein said first data stream and said second data stream are each independently interpretable without reference to data provided up the other of the communications channels.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore having a drill string forming a tubular communications channel and through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations forming a mud communications channel, comprising:
- using a first acoustic transducer coupled to the drill string to transmit a first data stream through a first communications channel;
- using a second acoustic transducer coupled to the drill string to transmit a second data stream through a second communications channel;
- wherein said first data stream and said second data stream are each independently interpretable without reference to data provided up the other of the communications channels.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore having a drill string forming a tubular communications channel and through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations forming a mud communications channel, comprising:
- using a mud-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the mud channel when mud is flowing;
- using a tubular-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the tubular channel when active drilling is not occurring.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore wherein the earth forms an electromagnetic communications channel and having a drill string through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations forming a mud communications channel, comprising:
- using a mud-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the mud channel when mud is flowing;
- using an electromagnetic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the electromagnetic channel when active drilling is not occurring.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore wherein the earth forms an electromagnetic communications channel and having a drill string forming a tubular communications channel, comprising:
- using an electromagnetic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the electromagnetic channel when active drilling is occurring;
- using a tubular-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the tubular channel when active drilling is not occurring.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore wherein the earth forms an electromagnetic communications channel and having a drill string forming a tubular communications channel and through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations forming a mud communications channel, comprising:
- using a mud-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the mud channel when mud is flowing;
- using a tubular-based acoustic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the tubular channel when active drilling is not occurring;
- and
- using an electromagnetic telemetry device coupled to the drill string to transmit data through the electromagnetic channel when active drilling is not occurring.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore having a drill string through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations, comprising:
- using a first telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a first data stream through a first communications channel;
- using a second telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a second data stream through a second communications channel;
- wherein said second data stream comprises selected duplicated elements of said first data stream and wherein each data stream and such elements are each independently interpretable without reference to data provided up the other of the communications channels.
A method for communicating data in a wellbore having a drill string forming a tubular communications channel and through which drilling mud flows during drilling operations forming a mud communications channel and wherein the earth forms an electromagnetic communications channel, comprising:
- using a first telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a first collection of data through a priority communications channel, wherein the first collection of data comprises priority data;
- using a second telemetry transmitter coupled to the drill string to transmit a second collection of data through a secondary communications channel, wherein the second collection of data comprises formation evaluation data;
- wherein each collection of data is independently interpretable without reference to data provided up the other of the communications channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.