Method and Apparatus for In-Situ Wellbore Measurement and Control with Inductive Connectivity

An apparatus for in situ wellbore measurements, the apparatus comprising:

• a wireless instrument unit for location outside of a non-magnetic portion of a wellbore conduit, the wireless instrument unit being operatively connected to a first set of one or more sensors arranged outside the wellbore conduit and to a first set of one or more actuators arranged outside the wellbore conduit, the wireless instrument unit comprising a first electromagnetic transceiver;
• an intervention tool situated inside the wellbore conduit and mounted on an electric-line logging cable, the intervention tool for selective placement in the wellbore conduit, the intervention tool comprising a second electromagnetic transceiver for communication with the first electromagnetic transceiver when the intervention tool is positioned with the electric-line logging cable at a location wherein the first and second electromagnetic transceivers are located close adjacent each other on opposite sides of the non-magnetic portion of the wellbore conduit;
• and
• a downhole interface unit also located on the electric-line cable for controlling communication with the wireless instrument unit to selectively obtain information from the one or more sensors arranged outside the wellbore conduit and to selectively operate the one or more actuators arranged outside the wellbore conduit.

A method of making in situ wellbore measurements, comprising:

• installing at least one wireless instrument unit outside of a non-magnetic portion of a wellbore conduit, the at least one wireless instrument unit being operatively connected to one or more sensors arranged outside the wellbore conduit and to one or more actuators arranged outside the wellbore conduit, the wireless instrument unit comprising a first electromagnetic transceiver;
• suspending an intervention tool having a second electromagnetic transceiver for communication with the first electromagnetic transceiver inside the wellbore conduit from an electric-line logging cable, the position of the intervention tool being adjusted by the electric-line logging cable to a location wherein the first and second electromagnetic transceivers are located close adjacent each other on opposite sides of the non-magnetic portion of the wellbore conduit;
• and
• communicating between a downhole interface unit also located on the electric-line cable and the wireless instrument unit to selectively obtain information from the one or more sensors arranged outside the wellbore conduit and to selectively operate the one or more actuators arranged outside the wellbore conduit.