Acoustic system and method for performing operations in a well

A remotely controlled tool string for an oil or gas well, comprising:

• a plurality of working apparatus;
• an acoustic receiver, including means for responding to an acoustic signal transmitted in the well;
• and
• an integrated circuit controller connected to said working apparatus and said acoustic receiver, said integrated circuit controller including means for determining when said acoustic receiver responds to at least one acoustic signal and means for controlling the operation of said working apparatus in response thereto.

A system for performing operations in an oil or gas well, comprising:

• a first apparatus including a first acoustic receiver, a first controller responsive to said first acoustic receiver, and a first acoustic transmitter responsive to said first controller;
• a second apparatus including a second acoustic receiver and a second controller responsive to said second acoustic receiver;
• and
• master acoustic transmitter means for transmitting a first control signal to which said first acoustic receiver is responsive so that said first acoustic receiver actuates said first controller to operate said first acoustic transmitter to transmit a second control signal to which said second acoustic receiver is responsive to thereby operate said second controller.

A method of performing operations in an oil or gas well wherein a tool string is disposed, the tool string comprising:

• a first apparatus including a first acoustic receiver, a first controller responsive to the first acoustic receiver, and an acoustic transmitter responsive to the first controller;
• and a second apparatus including a second acoustic receiver and a second controller responsive to the second acoustic receiver, said method comprising:
• transmitting a first acoustic control signal to which the first acoustic receiver is responsive;
• actuating the first controller in response to the first acoustic receiver responding to the first acoustic control signal;
• operating the acoustic transmitter with the actuated first controller to transmit a second acoustic control signal to which the second acoustic receiver is responsive;
• and
• actuating the second controller in response to the second acoustic receiver responding to the second acoustic control signal.

A method of testing an oil or gas well, comprising:

• lowering a test string into the well after drilling has stopped, the test string including a plurality of working apparatus each comprising:
• a respective acoustic receiver responsive to a respective predetermined acoustic control signal, a respective controller responsive to the respective acoustic receiver, and a respective acoustic transmitter responsive to the controller of the respective working apparatus;
• transmitting the respective predetermined acoustic control signal for the acoustic receiver of a selected one of the working apparatus;
• detecting the transmitted acoustic control signal in the acoustic receiver of the selected working apparatus;
• and
• actuating the controller of the selected working apparatus in response to said detecting the transmitted acoustic control signal so that the actuated controller operates the selected working apparatus and further so that the actuated controller operates the acoustic transmitter of the selected working apparatus to transmit the respective predetermined acoustic control signal to the acoustic receiver of another of the working apparatus.