| CPC E21B 47/20 (2020.05) [E21B 21/01 (2013.01); E21B 21/08 (2013.01)] | 26 Claims |
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1. A method for downlinking communication from a surface location to a bottom hole assembly during drilling operation, the method comprising:
(a) pumping drilling fluid through a fluid line and through a drill string to the bottom hole assembly;
(b) generating pressure wave signals by a modulator disposed against an outside surface of the fluid line at an outside-surface location of the fluid line, wherein the modulator is disposed entirely outside of the fluid line;
(c) detecting and receiving at the bottom hole assembly the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator; and
(d) processing and decoding the pressure wave signals with a decoder associated with the bottom hole assembly to identify a downlinking command purpose represented by the pressure wave signals and a required action for controlling drilling operations;
(e) wherein at least one of:
i. the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator include at least one letter of a downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet, the at least one letter of the downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet includes one or more orthogonal frequencies, an alphabetic component of the downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet with a highest frequency Fmax is determined by the modulator, and a selection of the modulator is based on a required value of the highest frequency Fmax; or
ii. the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator include at least one letter of a downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet, the at least one letter of the downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet includes one or more orthogonal frequencies; the alphabetic component of the downlinking combinatorial frequencies alphabet with a minimum frequency is determined by the modulator, and an initial amplitude of pressure wave signals at a frequency Fmin is equal to or greater than 10-15 times of a transducer sensitivity for a maximum hole measured depth; or
iii. the modulator generates the pressure wave signals by applying forces around an entire circumference of the outside surface of the fluid line, the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator are periodic wave pressure signals, the modulator tightly compresses the outside surface of the fluid line and performs periodic force actions in a direction perpendicular to the fluid line, and the modulator includes two jackets tightly compressed against the outside surface of the fluid line due to mutual tightening with fixing bolts, each jacket including a compartment filled with oil; or
iv. the modulator generates the pressure wave signals by applying forces around an entire circumference of the outside surface of the fluid line, the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator are periodic wave pressure signals, a choice of a command type and value of a downlinking command is based on a combined evaluation of real-time data from bottom hole assembly sensors, surface gages, drilling parameters, information from an onsite operator, and instruction from a remote center, and the method comprises encoding the downlinking command and transmitting corresponding one or more alphabet letters to a controller of the modulator to generate a harmonic pressure wave signal; or
v. the modulator generates the pressure wave signals by applying forces around an entire circumference of the outside surface of the fluid line, the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator are periodic wave pressure signals, the pressure wave signals represent different command types in the form of service commands, RSS commands for managing rotary steering system parameters, and optimization commands for optimization of at least one of acquisition and saving energy resources, and if multiple command types are transmitted simultaneously, the method comprises setting the service commands as highest priority, setting the RSS commands as a second highest priority, and setting the optimization commands as lowest priority for performing the required action associated with each of the command types; or
vi. the modulator generates the pressure wave signals by applying forces around an entire circumference of the outside surface of the fluid line, the pressure wave signals generated by the modulator are periodic wave pressure signals, and the method comprises detecting a presence of flow of the drilling fluid by a sensor disposed in the bottom hole assembly, wherein the sensor is a flow stat device, and comprising initiating recording of the pressure wave signals by a pressure transducer after detection of the presence of flow of the drilling fluid by the sensor.
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