Well ranging apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsHsu-Hsiang Wu, Yijing Fan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed embodiments include well ranging apparatus and systems that comprise well casing material installed in a well, well cement attached to the well casing material, and a device to conduct electromagnetic waves, the device disposed along a length of the well, substantially parallel to the well casing material, the device to be used in direct transmission or backscatter transmission of ranging signals. In some embodiments, the device comprises at least one of a conductor, an insulated conductor, a coaxial cable, a waveguide, a capacitor, or an inductor. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- well casing material installed in a well;
- well cement attached to the well casing material;
- and
- a device to conduct electromagnetic waves, the device disposed along a length of the well, substantially parallel to the well casing material, the device to be used in direct transmission or backscatter transmission of ranging signals.
A system, comprising:
- a power supply to couple current to a first well or a second well;
- well casing material installed in the second well, well cement attached to the well casing material, and a device to conduct electromagnetic waves, the device disposed along a length of the second well, substantially parallel to the well casing material, the device to be used in direct transmission or backscatter transmission of ranging signals between the insulated conductor and a ranging signal receiver;
- and
- a range determination module to receive electromagnetic field strength measurements associated with the ranging signals, and to determine an approximate range between the first well and the second well.
A method, comprising:
- first casing a first well in a geological formation with well casing material;
- first cementing the first well and the well casing material with well cement;
- and
- prior to or during the first cementing, installing a first device to conduct electromagnetic waves along a length of the first well, substantially parallel to the well casing material used to case the first well, the first device to be used in direct transmission or backscatter transmission of ranging signals provided by the first well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.