Method and apparatus for communicating data in a wellbore and for detecting the influx of gas

A wellbore tool adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, comprising:

• sensor means for sensing a stimulus propagating in the wellbore fluid and responsive thereto for generating a first output signal or a second output signal;
• an included wellbore tool adapted to be operated and adapted to generate a confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included wellbore tool;
• transducer means for transmitting a first acoustic signal into an acoustic data bus in response to said confirmation signal and receiving a second acoustic signal from said acoustic data bus;
• and
• controller means interconnected between said sensor means, said included wellbore tool, and said transducer means for operating said included wellbore tool in response to said first output signal from said sensor means.

A method of operating a wellbore tool adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, said wellbore tool including a sensor adapted to respond to a stimulus propagating in the wellbore fluid, an included wellbore tool adapted to be operated and adapted to generate a confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included wellbore tool, a transducer to transmit acoustic signals into and receive acoustic signals from an acoustic data bus, and a controller interconnected between said sensor, said included wellbore tool, and said transducer adapted for operating said included wellbore tool or said transducer, said controller storing information, comprising the steps of:

• propagating said stimulus in the wellbore fluid, said stimulus having a first signature;
• sensing, by said sensor, said stimulus and generating an output signal having said first signature;
• comparing, in said controller, said first signature of said output signal from said sensor with said information stored therein;
• generating from said controller an instruction signal when said first signature corresponds to a first part of said information stored in said controller and generating from said controller a signature signal when said first signature corresponds to a second part of said information stored in said controller;
• operating said included wellbore tool in response to said instruction signal from said controller and generating said confirmation signal from said included wellbore tool;
• and
• transmitting a first acoustic signal from said transducer into said acoustic data bus in response to said signature signal from said controller or in response to said confirmation signal.

A multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, comprising:

• a plurality of wellbore tools, a first one of said plurality of wellbore tools including;
• an input stimulus sensor adapted for sensing an input stimulus having a first signature propagating in the wellbore fluid and generating an output signal having said first signature in response thereto;
• an included wellbore tool adapted to be operated and adapted to generate a confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included wellbore tool;
• an acoustic transducer adapted for transmitting an acoustic signal into an acoustic data bus and receiving an acoustic signal from said acoustic data bus, and
• controller means connected between said input stimulus sensor, said acoustic transducer, and said included wellbore tool for receiving said output signal having said first signature from said input stimulus sensor and attempting to translate said first signature of said output signal from said input stimulus sensor into either a first instruction signal or a signature signal having a second signature;
• said included wellbore tool being operated in response to said first instruction signal when said first signature of said output signal is translated into said first instruction signal and generating said confirmation signal in response thereto;
• said acoustic transducer transmitting said acoustic signal having said second signature into said acoustic data bus in response to said confirmation signal or in response to said signature signal having said second signature from said controller means when said first signature of said output signal from said input stimulus sensor is translated by said controller means into said signature signal having said second signature.

A system for operating a multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a wellbore, comprising:

• a first wellbore tool adapted to be operated;
• a second wellbore tool connected to said first wellbore tool adapted to be operated;
• acoustic receiver means for receiving an acoustic command signal in the wellbore;
• and
• control means, connected to said acoustic receiver means, said first wellbore tool, and said second wellbore tool and responsive to said acoustic receiver means in said wellbore, for generating control signals for said first wellbore tool and said second wellbore tool, a first one of said control signals operating said first wellbore tool, said first wellbore tool generating a first confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said first wellbore tool, a second one of said control signals operating said second wellbore tool in response to said first confirmation signal, said second wellbore tool generating a second confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said second wellbore tool.

A remotely controlled multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a wellbore comprising:

• a plurality of wellbore tools, each of said plurality of wellbore tools including:
• a respective acoustic receiver responsive to a respective predetermined acoustic control signal, a respective controller responsive to said respective acoustic receiver;
• and a respective included wellbore tool responsive to said respective controller, at least one of said plurality of wellbore tools further including an acoustic transmitter responsive to said controller of the respective wellbore tool;
• and wherein said controller of said at least one said wellbore tool includes means for actuating said included wellbore tool, said included wellbore tool generating a confirmation signal indicative of the actuation of said included wellbore tool generating a confirmation signal indicative of the actuation of said included wellbore tool, and means responsive to said confirmation signal for actuating said acoustic transmitter to transmit the respective predetermined acoustic control signal to said acoustic receiver of another said wellbore tool.

A system for performing operations in a wellbore, comprising:

• a first apparatus including a first acoustic receiver, a first controller responsive to said first acoustic receiver, a first included wellbore tool responsive to said first controller, 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 included wellbore tool, the first included wellbore tool generating a confirmation signal indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said first included wellbore tool, to further operate said first acoustic transmitter in response to said confirmation signal to transmit a second control signal from said first acoustic transmitter to which said second acoustic receiver is responsive to thereby operate said second controller.