Communication system for extended reach wells

A method of communicating downhole in an extended reach borehole, comprising:

• communicating between an operator unit for the borehole and a plurality of first communicators disposed in a highly deviated extension of the borehole via a plurality of paired second communicators, wherein each one of the plurality of first communicators is paired with a corresponding one of the plurality of second communicators, the plurality of first communicators located substantially in a plane with the plurality of second communicators, the plane extending vertically and along the highly deviated extension, the second communicators spatially remote from the borehole, the first and second communicators paired and configured such that each pair of the first communicators and second communicators is located separately from the other pairs of the plurality of pairs,
• wherein the second communicator of each pair is located within one of (i) a triangular prism-shaped volume, a base of the triangular prism-shaped volume defined by a surface in which the borehole is formed and an apex of the triangular prism-shaped volume is defined as a line extending through the corresponding first communicator along the highly deviated extension of the borehole and (ii) a cone-shaped volume, a base of the cone-shaped volume defined by a surface in which the borehole is formed and an apex of the cone-shaped volume defined by a location of the corresponding first communicator,
• wherein at least one pair of communicators is configured for selective communication with and operation of a device disposed in the extended reach borehole, and
• wherein each of said volumes containing the second communicator for each of the plurality of pairs does not substantially overlap and wherein the first and second communicators in each of the plurality of pairs only directly communicates with the corresponding communicator in that pair.

A method of completing an extended reach borehole, comprising:

• arranging a plurality of first communicators in the extended reach borehole;
• arranging two or more devices in the extended reach borehole, the devices in signal communication with at least one of the first communicators;
• arranging a plurality of second communicators spatially remote from the borehole and spatially remote from each other, the second communicators in signal communication with an operator unit for the borehole, wherein each one of the plurality of first communicators is paired with a corresponding one of the plurality of second communicators, such that each pair of the plurality of pairs is located separately from the other pairs of the plurality of pairs;
• and
• communicating between the device and the operator unit via the first and second communicators,
• wherein the second communicator of each pair is located within one of (i) a triangular prism-shaped volume, a base of the triangular prism-shaped volume defined by a surface in which the borehole is formed and an apex of the triangular prism-shaped volume is defined as a line extending through the corresponding first communicator along the highly deviated extension of the borehole and (ii) a cone-shaped volume, a base of the cone-shaped volume defined by a surface in which the borehole is formed and an apex of the cone-shaped volume defined by a location of the corresponding first communicator,
• wherein at least one pair of communicators is configured for selective communication with and operation of at least one of the two or more devices disposed in the extended reach borehole, and
• wherein each of said volumes containing the second communicator for each of the plurality of pairs does not substantially overlap and wherein the first and second communicators in each of the plurality of pairs only directly communicates with the corresponding communicator in that pair.