Steering assembly position sensing using radio frequency identification
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsGopal M. Bhosle, Geoffrey A. Samuel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A downhole steering assembly includes a steering element having an adjustable azimuthal orientation relative to a tool body. The downhole tool further includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to read RFID tags arranged in an azimuthal arrangement. The downhole tool further includes an actuation mechanism that brings different RFID tags into range of the RFID reader. The downhole tool further includes a processor coupled to the RFID reader to determine an azimuthal orientation of the steering element and to responsively control the actuation mechanism.
Claims20
A downhole steering assembly comprising:
- a steering element having an adjustable azimuthal orientation relative to a tool body;
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader on one of said steering element and said tool body to read RFID tags arranged in an azimuthal arrangement on the other of said steering element and said tool body;
- an actuation mechanism that adjusts said azimuthal orientation, thereby bringing different RFID tags from the azimuthal arrangement into range of the RFID reader;
- and
- a processor coupled to the RFID reader to determine an azimuthal orientation of the steering element and to responsively control the actuation mechanism.
A method for orienting a bit of a downhole tool, comprising:
- reading a RFID tag on one of a steering element and a downhole tool body, the tool coupled to the bit;
- determining a first azimuthal orientation of the steering element based on a unique identifier associated with the RFID tag;
- rotating the steering element from the first azimuthal orientation to a second azimuthal orientation, the rotating steering element causing the bit to move from a first bit orientation to a second bit orientation.
A system for orienting a bit, comprising:
- an earth drilling bit;
- a steering element, having an adjustable azimuthal orientation relative to a tool body, coupled to the bit that orients the bit;
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader on said steering element to read RFID tags arranged in an azimuthal arrangement on said tool body;
- an actuation mechanism that adjusts said azimuthal orientation, thereby bringing different RFID tags from the azimuthal arrangement into range of the RFID reader;
- and
- a processor coupled to the RFID reader to determine an azimuthal orientation of the steering element and to responsively control the actuation mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.