Permanent downhole, wireless, two-way telemetry backbone using redundant repeaters

A system for providing communications among a plurality of devices in a well, comprising:

• a piping structure within said well, said piping structure having an electrically conductive portion;
• a master communication device electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure, said master communication device being adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current;
• a plurality of slave communication devices electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure, said slave communication devices being adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current;
• and
• an induction choke located about a portion of said piping structure, said induction choke being adapted to route time-varying current within said piping structure, and such that said master communication device can communicate with said slave communication devices via said piping structure.

A communications system comprising:

• a piping structure comprising a first location, a second location, and an electrically conductive portion extending between said first and second locations, wherein said first and second locations are distally spaced along said piping structure;
• a first communication device electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said first location, said first communication device being adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current;
• an induction choke located about an electrically choked portion of said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure, said induction choke being adapted to route time-varying current within said piping structure between said electrical connection location for said first communication device and an electrical return;
• an electrical current transformer located about part of said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said second location, said transformer being located along said piping structure between said electrical connection location for said first communication device and said induction choke, and said transformer being adapted to transform current flowing within said piping structure to an induced secondary current in said transformer;
• and
• a second communication device electrically connected to said transformer, such that said second communication device can communicate with said first communication device via said transformer and said piping structure.

A communication system for a petroleum well, comprising:

• a piping structure comprising a first location, a second location, and an electrically conductive portion extending between said first and second locations, wherein said first and second locations are distally spaced along said piping structure, and wherein said piping structure is part of a petroleum production system for said petroleum well;
• a computer system electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said first location, said computer system comprising a source of time-varying current and a first communication device, wherein said first communication device is adapted to send and receive spread spectrum communication signals along said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure via time-varying current waveforms;
• a downhole device electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said second location, said downhole device comprising a second communication device, wherein said second communication device is adapted to send and receive spread spectrum communication signals along said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure via time-varying current waveforms;
• and
• an unpowered ferromagnetic induction choke located about an electrically choked portion of said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure, said choke being adapted to route time-varying current flowing within said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure between said computer system and said downhole device, and such that said first communication device can communicate with said second communication device via said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure.

A petroleum well for producing petroleum products, comprising:

• a piping structure comprising a first location, a second location, and an electrically conductive portion extending between said first and second locations, wherein said first and second locations are distally spaced along said piping structure;
• a first communication device electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said first location, said first communication device being adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current;
• a second communication device electrically connected to said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure along said second location, said second communication device being adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current;
• and
• an induction choke located about an electrically choked portion of said electrically conductive portion of said piping structure, said induction choke being adapted to route time-varying current within said piping structure between said electrical connection location for said first communication device and said electrical connection location for said second communication device, and such that said first communication device can communicate with said second communication device via said piping structure.

A method of communicating with a remote device, comprising the steps of:

• providing an induction choke about a portion of a piping structure;
• generating a communication signal with a first communication device;
• transmitting said signal via a time-varying current along said piping structure using said first communication device;
• routing said time-varying current within said piping structure using said induction choke;
• and
• receiving said signal in said remote device via said time-varying current traveling within said piping structure.

A method of communicating with a downhole communication device in a well, comprising the steps of:

• providing an induction choke about a portion of a piping structure in said well;
• generating a spread spectrum signal with a surface communication device;
• transmitting said signal via a time-varying current along said piping structure using said surface communication device;
• routing said time-varying current within said piping structure using said induction choke;
• and
• receiving said signal in said downhole communication device via said time-varying current traveling within said piping structure.