Stripline energy transmission in a wellbore
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsMelvin Clark Thompson, David William Beck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A downhole energy transmission system is described. The system can include a casing string having a number of casing pipe disposed within a wellbore, where the casing string has at least one wall forming a cavity. The system can also include a remote electrical device disposed within the cavity of the casing string at a first location. The system can further include a first stripline cable disposed on an outer surface of the casing string, where the first stripline cable transmits a first energy received from an energy source. The system can also include a second stripline cable disposed adjacent to the first stripline cable at the first location, where the second stripline cable is electrically coupled to the remote electrical device.
Claims20
A downhole energy transmission system, comprising:
- a casing string comprising a plurality of casing pipe disposed within a wellbore, wherein the casing string has at least one wall forming a cavity;
- a first remote electrical device disposed within the cavity of the casing string at a first location;
- a first stripline cable disposed toward an outer surface of the casing string within the wellbore, wherein the first stripline cable transmits a first electromagnetic directional traveling wave in a first direction along the first stripline cable;
- and
- a second stripline cable disposed adjacent to the first stripline cable at the first location, wherein the second stripline cable is electrically coupled to the first remote electrical device,
- wherein the first electromagnetic directional traveling wave transmitted through the first stripline cable passively reciprocates a second electromagnetic directional traveling wave in the second stripline cable, wherein the second electromagnetic directional traveling wave is used to operate the first remote electrical device,
- wherein the first stripline cable comprises a rugged outer surface that withstands scraping against the wellbore as the casing string is inserted into the wellbore,
- wherein the second electromagnetic directional traveling wave is generated without resonance, without inductive materials, and without direct physical coupling between the first stripline cable and the second stripline cable, and
- wherein the first electromagnetic directional traveling wave comprises an operating frequency of at least one Hertz.
A method for providing energy in a wellbore of a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first electromagnetic directional traveling wave through a first stripline cable, wherein the first stripline cable is disposed toward an outer surface of a casing string within the wellbore;
- generating a second electromagnetic directional traveling wave in a second stripline cable using directional traveling wave coupling between the first stripline cable and the second stripline cable, wherein the second stripline cable is disposed within the casing string at a first location;
- and
- delivering, using the second stripline cable, the second electromagnetic directional traveling wave to a first remote electrical device, wherein the second electromagnetic directional traveling wave is used to operate the first remote electrical device at the first location,
- wherein the first stripline cable comprises a rugged outer surface that withstands scraping against the wellbore as the casing string is inserted into the wellbore,
- wherein the second electromagnetic directional traveling wave is generated without resonance, without inductive materials, and without direct physical coupling between the first stripline cable and the second stripline cable, and
- wherein the first electromagnetic directional traveling wave comprises an operating frequency of at least one Hertz.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.