Drilling string optical fiber communication system and operation method

Abstract

An optical fiber communication while drilling system and an operation method. The system comprises: a slip ring (5) configured to convert an internal optical fiber channel from dynamic rotation to static transmission, wherein the slip ring (5) at least comprises a stator (5-2) and a rotor (5-3), the rotor (5-3) is configured to be communicated with an optical fiber link and is used for rotating together with a drilling tool during drilling, and the stator (5-2) is configured to receive an optical signal from the rotor (5-3) and output the optical signal for analysis and processing; and an optical fiber cable spool (10) connected to the rotor (5-3) of the slip ring (5) by means of a connecting rod (7) and at least comprising an optical fiber cable storage portion (10-2) and an anchoring mechanism (10-3), wherein the optical fiber cable storage portion (10-2) is used for storing an optical fiber cable, the optical fiber cable storage portion (10-2) is configured to release and retrieve the optical fiber cable downward into and from a wellbore within the drilling tool, and the anchoring mechanism (10-3) is configured to anchor the optical fiber cable spool (10) on the inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool drills, and to disengage from the inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool stops drilling.

Description

A drilling string fiber optic communication system and method of operation TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of oil engineering drilling wellsite communication, and particularly to a drilling tool internal fiber optic communication system and method of operation BACKGROUND

[0002] Intelligent drilling is the future development trend of oil engineering technology, and the downhole and ground information transmission system is a key link of intelligent drilling, and is the basis for realizing intelligent decision analysis and control by breaking through the stratum-wellbore-ground data high-speed transmission. The current well-ground signal transmission rate is not high during drilling. The conventional continuous wave drilling fluid pulse transmission technology has a transmission rate of 10b / s at a well depth of 5000m, and the domestic transmission rate is about 1b / s. The electromagnetic wave communication and acoustic wave communication are limited by well depth, well temperature, downhole high-frequency vibration noise, and low formation resistivity, and have not broken through the stratum-wellbore-ground data high-speed acquisition and high-reliability transmission link, and cannot meet the needs of intelligent drilling big data decision analysis. Fiber optic communication is a perfect choice for oil drilling while drilling data transmission due to its good transmission stability, temperature resistance, and large capacity and high-speed transmission characteristics. Under the drilling working condition, the realization of the laying and connection of the near-bit measurement instrument communication node to the ground fiber optic cable and the continuous extension of the fiber optic cable with the drilling tool during the tripping process (also known as the drilling tool lifting process) is one of the technical difficulties of the while-drilling fiber optic communication.

[0003] CN 115839236 A discloses a well logging method for analyzing the optical sensing characteristics of the oil formation by using an optical fiber sensor, determining the items that can be measured by the optical fiber sensor on the oil formation, and storing the data to obtain downhole information on the ground. The disclosure only involves using the optical fiber sensor for measurement, and does not involve using the optical fiber for well-ground signal transmission.

[0004] CN207080219U discloses a while-drilling fiber optic communication device, and the patent discloses a fiber optic communication device, communication link composition structure and method in the while-drilling measurement process. The disclosure uses wireless methods for information transmission on the ground and downhole, and cannot realize the whole fiber optic link communication requirement of the well-ground. Moreover, the wireless transmission method or wireless signal is easily disturbed in the drilling process, and cannot realize stable signal transmission. In addition, due to the conversion of the wireless signal and the optical fiber signal for multiple times, the circuit structure is complex and the corresponding power consumption is high.

[0005] A system and method for using fiber optic communication in a high temperature environment of a drilling well is disclosed in US2016168982A1. The technical solution in this publication involves fiber optic communication between sensors in a drill bit and logging electronic components located in a drilling tool. The technical solution only involves fiber optic communication on a part of the section in the drilling tool, does not use fiber optic for well-ground signal transmission, and does not involve continuous extension of the cable with the drilling tool during the tripping process.

[0006] In summary, for the demand of intelligent drilling while drilling measurement well-ground fiber optic communication transmission, the prior art fails to well implement the fiber optic cable layout from the near-bit instrument communication node to the ground under the drilling working condition and the continuous extension of the fiber optic cable with the drilling tool under the tripping working condition. SUMMARY

[0007] The embodiments in the present application conceive a set of communication fiber layout systems suitable for the drilling working condition, which can solve at least one of the defects in the prior art.

[0008] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a fiber optic communication system while drilling, comprising:

[0009] A slip ring for realizing the transformation of the communication channel from dynamic rotation to static transmission, the slip ring comprising at least a stator and a rotor, the rotor being configured to communicate with the communication cable link and to rotate with the drilling tool during drilling, the stator being configured to receive the communication signal from the rotor and output the communication signal for analysis and processing;

[0010] A wellhead connector, the wellhead connector comprising a first connecting part and a second connecting part, wherein the first connecting part is mechanically and communicatively connected with the rotor of the slip ring, the first connecting part and the second connecting part being configured to be repeatedly mechanically connected and disconnected to realize the on-off of the internal communication cable link of the wellhead connector; and

[0011] A cable line bin, a first end of the cable line bin being mechanically and communicatively connected with the second connecting part of the wellhead connector, the cable line bin comprising at least a communication cable storage part, the communication cable storage part being configured to store the communication cable, the communication cable storage part being configured to release and / or retrieve the communication cable downward in the drilling tool through a second end of the cable line bin.

[0012] In further embodiments, the cable line bin further comprises an anchoring mechanism, the anchoring mechanism being configured to anchor the cable line bin to the inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool is drilling, and to release the anchoring to the inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool stops drilling.

[0013] The drill-through communication cable system further comprises a connecting rod mechanically and communicatively connected between the slip ring and the first connecting portion of the wellhead joint, such that the distance between the wellhead joint and the optical-electrical slip ring is fixed, and the first end of the cable storage is mechanically and communicatively connected with the second connecting portion of the wellhead joint, such that the distance between the cable storage and the optical-electrical slip ring is fixed.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the distance between the wellhead joint and the optical-electrical slip ring is such that the wellhead joint is always in the wellhead position or above the ground in the drilling tool.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the stator upper portion is configured to connect a communication power composite cable, and the communication power cable is configured to drive the slip ring to move up and down.

[0016] In a further embodiment, a sealing assembly is provided on the stator of the slip ring, and the sealing assembly is configured to cooperate with the inner cavity of the support segment of the top drive to achieve sealing.

[0017] In a further embodiment, the slip ring is configured to be fixed by the support segment.

[0018] In a further embodiment, the cable storage is configured to be connected to the communication power composite cable through the wellhead joint, the connecting rod and the slip ring, and when the communication power composite cable drives the slip ring to move up and down, the communication cable storage releases and recovers the communication cable through the second end of the cable storage in the drilling tool.

[0019] In a further embodiment, the wellhead joint is a wet wellhead joint, and the mechanical connection is a threaded or flange connection.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the communication link is connected or disconnected by plugging between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and the mechanical structure connection between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is achieved by a threaded or flange connection.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the second connecting portion is connected to the cable storage in a threaded or flange manner.

[0022] In a further embodiment, the cable storage further comprises a support block configured to hang or support the cable storage on the inclined step or inclined surface of the inner surface of the end of the drilling tool.

[0023] The drill-through communication cable system further comprises a cable damper configured to release the tension on the communication cable between the cable storage and the downhole measuring instrument.

[0024] In a further embodiment, the cable damper comprises a spring configured to release the tension on the communication cable.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the cable damper is used for mechanical fixation with the downhole measuring instrument, and the cable damper is configured to rotate with the drilling tool together with the downhole measuring instrument.

[0026] In a further embodiment, the anchoring mechanism is a hydraulic anchoring mechanism configured to be anchored in response to the disappearance of the circulation pressure in the drilling tool, and to be unanchored in response to the appearance of the circulation pressure in the drilling tool.

[0027] In a further embodiment, the communication cable is an optical fiber, and the slip ring is an optoelectronic slip ring.

[0028] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of operating the fiber-optic communication system while drilling according to the first aspect described above to restore to an initial state, the initial state at least including: the first connecting part and the second connecting part of the wellhead joint being in a disconnected state, the first connecting part, the connecting rod and the optoelectronic slip ring being located in the top drive spindle; and the fiber-optic cable storage being hung or supported at the wellhead position by the support block, the method comprising:

[0029] stopping the driving of the top drive;

[0030] disengaging the lower part of the top drive from the upper part of the drilling tool;

[0031] raising the top drive while the positions of the optoelectronic slip ring, the connecting rod and the fiber-optic cable storage remain unchanged, so that the wellhead joint and the fiber-optic cable storage are exposed at the wellhead position;

[0032] disconnecting the first connecting part and the second connecting part of the wellhead joint;

[0033] raising the first connecting part, the connecting rod and the optoelectronic slip ring into the top drive spindle, thereby restoring to the initial state.

[0034] In a further embodiment, the method further comprises: supporting the fiber-optic cable storage on the inclined step or inclined surface of the inner surface of the top end of the drilling tool by the support block.

[0035] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of operating the fiber-optic communication system while drilling according to the first aspect described above to unload the drilling tool, comprising:

[0036] stopping the driving of the top drive;

[0037] raising the entire drilling tool by the top drive to lift the lower end of the first drilling tool directly connected to the top drive spindle above and close to the wellhead;

[0038] disengaging the connection between the first drilling tool and the second drilling tool located below the first drilling tool;

[0039] passing the fiber line bin down through the inner cavity of the first drilling tool to between the first drilling tool and the second drilling tool to expose the wellhead joint;

[0040] disconnecting the first connecting part and the second connecting part of the wellhead joint;

[0041] passing the first connecting part up into the top drive spindle along with the connecting rod and the electro-optical slip ring; and

[0042] disconnecting the top drive spindle from the upper part of the first drilling tool.

[0043] In further embodiments, the method further comprises supporting the fiber line bin on a beveled step or slope of the inner surface of the top end of the second drilling tool with a support block.

[0044] In further embodiments, during the passing down of the fiber line bin, the fiber cable of the lower part of the fiber line bin is retracted into the fiber cable storage.

[0045] The parts of the fiber-while-drilling communication system according to the disclosed embodiments are connected with fiber cables placed in the drilling tools to form a full-fiber communication link from downhole to ground, providing a reliable and stable communication channel for high-speed bidirectional transmission of large amounts of data between well and ground in drilling conditions, and meeting the requirements of efficient threading and extension of fiber cables along with the drilling tools in tripping conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0046] The accompanying drawings illustrate various examples of aspects of the present disclosure and are used for purposes of explanation and ought to be considered in conjunction with the description below. Those skilled in the art will realize that the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary and are not necessarily drawn to scale and that certain embodiments can have additional elements or not all the elements shown. It ought to be recognized that an element shown as an integral part of another element in a certain embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments as a separate element or as an integral part of another element. In the drawings:

[0047] FIGS. 1A-1C show structural schematic diagrams of a fiber-while-drilling communication system according to embodiments of the present application;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows an example structure of an electro-optical slip ring according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows an example structure of a cable damper according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0050] FIGS. 4A-4E show the process of fiber threading during the process of hooking the drilling tools according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIGS. 5A-C show the process of restoring the threading system to the initial state during drilling according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIGS. 6A-6F illustrate a process of unloading a drill string, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In the description of the present application, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used only for the purpose of description, and are not to be construed as indicating relative importance or implying that the indicated technical features are limited to a certain number. Thus, unless otherwise stated, the features defined with "first", "second", etc. can include one or more of the features explicitly or implicitly; the meaning of "a plurality" is two or more. The term "comprising" and any variation thereof, means the inclusion of the elements, integers, steps, operations, units, components, and / or combinations thereof, but not excluding the presence or addition of one or more other elements, integers, steps, operations, units, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0054] In addition, the terms indicating the orientation or positional relationship such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. are described based on the orientation or relative position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of the simplified description of the present application, and thus cannot be construed as limiting the present application in that the indicated device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, it cannot be construed as a limitation on the present application.

[0055] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connection" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrally connected; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or the internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] In the description of the present application, the term "tripping" also known as "drill string lifting", includes "drill pulling" and "drill running" in drilling operation. The operation of lifting the drill string down into the hole (well) to the ground is called drill pulling, and the operation of lowering the drill string into the hole (well) is called drill running, which are collectively referred to as tripping.

[0057] In the description of the present application, the term "drill string" refers to the whole drill pipe column and its joints used in the borehole during drilling construction. The drill string is composed of drill pipe, core pipe, and reamer and drill bit at the bottom end, and if necessary, a sediment pipe or drill collar is added to the upper part of the core pipe.

[0058] In the description of the present application, the term "top drive" refers to a top drive drilling system (TDS). It can directly rotate the drill pipe from the upper space of the derrick, send it down along the special guide rail, complete the drilling operation of rotating the drill pipe, circulate the drilling fluid, connect the stand, make up and break out the pin and cross the eye, etc.

[0059] In the description of the present application, the term "safety slip" or "slip" is a tool used to clamp and suspend the drill string and casing string during the tripping operation in the drilling process.

[0060] In the description of the present application, the term "elevator" is a tool used to lift the drill pipe, tubing and casing in the drilling engineering.

[0061] In the description of the present application, the term "wet connector" refers to a common connector that mainly uses a sealing ring and a threaded structure to achieve connection. The sealing ring can prevent liquid from leaking from the interface, and the threaded structure can provide enough force to enable the wet connector to withstand a certain pressure and tension, ensuring the stability of the connection.

[0062] The specific implementation of the embodiments of the present disclosure is described in detail below in combination with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific implementation described herein is only used to illustrate and explain the embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not used to limit the present disclosure. Moreover, for the sake of brevity, only the components closely related to the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 1A-1C, a schematic diagram of a fiber optic while-drilling system is shown. A drawworks 1 is connected to a support spool 4 (e.g., via a flange) and is installed at a location of a top drive well interface 6. A length of fiber optic cable 3 is wound on a drum inside the drawworks 1. The fiber optic cable 3 is connected at one end to external data acquisition instruments via the drawworks 1 and at the other end to a fiber optic slip ring 5. The fiber optic cable 3 is in communication and mechanical connection with the fiber optic slip ring 5, i.e., the fiber optic cable 3 can transmit optical and / or electrical signals with the fiber optic slip ring and can support the weight of the fiber optic slip ring 5 and connected components to suspend the fiber optic slip ring 5. The lower end of the fiber optic slip ring 5 is connected to the upper end of a connecting rod 7, and the lower end of the connecting rod 7 is connected to a wellhead adapter 8 (e.g., a wellhead wet adapter). The fiber optic slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, and the wellhead adapter 8 are mechanically connected and integrated via threads or other fastening means and are in internal communication via at least an optical fiber (e.g., optical fiber fusion) to transmit signals and / or data. The wellhead adapter 8 includes a first connecting portion 8-1 (e.g., a male connector) and a second connecting portion 8-2 (e.g., a female connector), and the internal communication channel of the wellhead adapter 8 can be opened and closed via the connection and disconnection (e.g., a joint that can be repeatedly connected and disconnected such as a plug-in connection, a clamping connection, a threaded connection, a magnetic attraction, a pin key, etc.) between the first connecting portion 8-1 and the second connecting portion 8-2. The length of the connecting rod 7 is configured such that the wellhead adapter 8 is at the wellhead position or above the ground to facilitate the connection or disconnection of the wellhead adapter and the corresponding disassembly and assembly of drilling tools. The wellhead adapter 8 is connected and disconnected manually or automatically to realize the physical connection and disconnection of the communication link (e.g., an optical fiber communication link) at the wellhead position, which facilitates the connection of drilling tools at the breakpoint.

[0064] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the drawworks 1 is rotated via, for example, a motor 2 to release and recover the fiber optic cable 3 wound on the drawworks 1. The assembly of the fiber optic slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, and the first connecting portion 8-1 is pulled up and down by the fiber optic cable 3. By pulling up the fiber optic cable 3, the connecting rod 7 and the first connecting portion 8-1 can be placed inside the top drive spindle. As the fiber optic cable 3 is pulled up, the upper part of the fiber optic slip ring 5 enters the inner cavity of the support spool 4. The support spool includes a limiting assembly for limiting and fixing the fiber optic slip ring and a sealing structure for cooperating with the structure of the fiber optic slip ring to form a seal, thereby isolating the mud channel inside the top drive spindle from the outside (the lower end of the top drive spindle is connected to a drilling pipe string or drilling tool under drilling conditions, thereby containing mud), and realizing pressure isolation during mud (or drilling fluid) circulation in the drilling tool. The combination of the fiber optic slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, and the first connecting portion 8-1 can be referred to as a ground fiber optic communication system and is located on the top drive.

[0065] The second connection portion 8-2 is connected to the fiber optic line canister 10 (e.g., by a flange). The fiber optic line canister 10 includes a support block 10-1 (see FIG. IB), a fiber optic cable storage section 10-2, and an anchoring mechanism 10-3 (see FIG. 1C). The fiber optic cable storage section 10-2 is disposed inside the fiber optic line canister 10 and includes, for example, a fiber optic cable stored in a coiled manner, the length of the stored fiber optic cable being designed according to the drilling depth to ensure that the fiber optic communication link extends with the borehole and the drilling tool throughout the entire drilling process. The upper end of the fiber optic cable storage section 10-2 is connected to the internal optical channel of the second connection portion 8-2. The fiber optic cable can extend downward from the fiber optic cable storage section 10-2 out of the fiber optic line canister 10 and onto the internal spring of the cable damper 11 and the end of the fiber optic cable is guided to be connected to the downhole measuring instrument 12. The cable damper 11 is fixedly connected to the downhole measuring instrument 12 by screwing or other mechanical connection. The fiber optic line canister 10 can be controlled to release and recover the fiber optic cable. The fiber optic line canister 10 is in communication with the cable damper 11 and the measuring instrument 12 through the fiber optic communication channel. The support block 10-1 (see FIG. IB) is located at the upper portion of the fiber optic line canister 10, and the fiber optic line canister 10 is hung or supported on the inclined step or slope of the inner surface of the end of the drilling tool (e.g., the inclined step or slope of the end of the standard drill pipe pin after the pin-box connection) by the support block 10-1. The support block 10-1 is a movable structure and can be manually or automatically opened or retracted to achieve support or release. Alternatively, the support block 10-1 can be a separate support structure that is separate from the fiber optic line canister 10. The anchoring mechanism 10-3 (see FIG. 1C) is located at the upper portion of the fiber optic line canister 10 or other portions of the fiber optic line canister. The anchoring mechanism 10-3 can be, for example, a hydraulic anchoring mechanism. When the drilling tool is drilling, the internal circulation pressure of the drilling tool drives the hydraulic anchoring mechanism to open, anchors the fiber optic line canister 10 to the inner wall of the drilling tool, and makes the fiber optic line canister 10 rotate with the drilling tool, thereby realizing that the internal fiber optic communication link rotates together with the cable damper 11 and the optical slip ring 5. Alternatively, the anchoring mechanism 10-3 can also use other anchoring methods to anchor the fiber optic line canister 10 to the inner wall of the drilling tool. In alternative embodiments, the anchoring mechanism can also be provided on the rotor portion of the optical slip ring 5 and / or on the cable damper 11. Alternatively, the support block 10-1 and the anchoring mechanism 10-3 can be combined into one component.

[0066] The fiber optic communication channel is connected from the second connection portion 8-2, through the fiber optic cable 10-2 coiled on the fiber optic line canister 10 and the cable damper 11 to the measuring instrument 12. The lower end of the measuring instrument 12 can be connected to other drilling instruments and tools. The second connection portion 8-2, the fiber optic line canister 10, and the cable damper 11 form a downhole fiber optic communication system. As the drilling depth increases, the drilling tool is continuously connected and extended, and the fiber optic in the fiber optic line canister 10 is continuously released, thereby gradually increasing the distance between the fiber optic line canister 10 and the cable damper 11 and the downhole measuring instrument 12, which will be described in detail later.

[0067] Next, referring to FIG. 2, an example structure of the photoelectric slip ring 5 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The photoelectric slip ring 5 includes a sealing assembly 5-1, a stator 5-2, and a rotor 5-3. The sealing assembly 5-1 can be sealed in cooperation with a sealing structure of the inner cavity of the support segment 4, and the lower end of the rotor 5-3 is mechanically and communicatively connected to the connecting rod 7. The sealing assembly 5-1 is fixed on the stator 5-2. During drilling of the drilling tool, the rotor 5-3 and the connecting rod 7 rotate with the drilling tool, and the stator 5-2 and the sealing assembly 5-1 do not rotate. For example, an optical component (e.g., a prism) can be provided in the stator 5-2, and the optical signal received from the optical fiber in the rotor 5-1 is received by the optical component (e.g., the prism). Although the optical signal received from the rotating optical fiber is incident on different positions of the prism due to the rotation of the optical fiber with the drilling tool, the prism can achieve stable output at a point, thereby achieving the transformation of the internal optical fiber channel from dynamic rotation to static transmission.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 3, an example structure of the cable damper 11 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The cable damper 11 includes a tension release component 11-1, such as a spring. When the tension of the optical fiber cable becomes large due to impact, vibration, or the like during drilling, the tension release component 11-1 is elongated, thereby releasing the tension of the optical fiber cable and ensuring the stable and safe state of the optical fiber cable during drilling. The cable damper 11 is communicatively connected to and mechanically fixed to the downhole measuring instrument 12, which is arranged in, for example, a drill collar, for collecting various downhole measurement data, transmitting the data to the optical fiber cable, and then transmitting the data to the ground for analysis and processing.

[0069] In summary, through the photoelectric slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, the wellhead connector 8, the optical fiber cable bin 10, and the cable damper 11, a full-optical fiber communication link from the downhole to the ground is formed, which provides a reliable and stable communication channel for bidirectional high-rate transmission of large amounts of well-ground data under drilling conditions, and meets the connection of the drilling tool while realizing the threading and continuous extension of the optical fiber cable with the drilling tool under tripping conditions. The cable bin pre-stores a certain length of cable, ensuring the laying of the full-well optical fiber cable in one trip, with high efficiency.

[0070] Next, referring to FIGS. 4A-4E, the fiber splicing process during the process of hanging the drilling tool is shown according to the embodiments of the present application. In the initial state, the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 of the wellhead joint 8 are in a disconnected state, the first connecting part 8-1 is in the top drive spindle with the connecting rod 7 and the optical slip ring, and the second connecting part 8-2 is suspended or supported in the drill collar or the installed downhole drilling tool by the support block 10-1 in the wellhead position, and the optical fiber is extended from the lower part of the fiber cable storage 10 to connect to the cable damper 11, forming an optical fiber link connection. Start to hang the drilling tool, first referring to FIG. 4A, the top drive is raised to the top of the derrick, and the drilling tool to be hung is transported to the wellhead (for example, by a lifting clamp). Then referring to FIG. 4B, the lower end of the top drive spindle is connected to the upper end of the drilling tool to be hung, for example, by a drill pipe buckle. Continue to FIG. 4C, the motor 2 controls the winch 1 to rotate, releasing the optical-electric composite cable 3 to drive the optical slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, and the first connecting part 8-1 of the wellhead joint 8 to pass through the inner cavity of the drilling tool to be hung to the wellhead position. Then the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 are connected together (for example, the female wet joint head 8-1 and the male wet joint head 8-2 are inserted) at the wellhead position to make the internal optical fiber channel communicate, and the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 are mechanically fixed (for example, the threaded connection outside the female wet joint head 8-1 and the male wet joint head 8-2). The fiber splicing process continues to FIG. 4D, and the motor 2 is controlled again to drive the winch 1 to rotate in reverse, recovering the optical-electric composite cable 3, and then driving the optical slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, the wellhead joint 8 in the connecting state, and the fiber cable storage 10 to pass through the inner cavity of the drilling tool to be hung together. During or before this process, the support block 10-1 at the upper part of the fiber cable storage 10 is recovered to the inside of the fiber cable storage 10 or removed from the fiber cable storage 10 (for example, by manual or automatic means). During the upward process of the fiber cable storage 10, the fiber cable is released and pulled out from the fiber cable storage part 10-2 at the lower end of the fiber cable storage 10, completing the fiber layout in the drilling tool. Finally, the optical slip ring 5 is raised to the support sub 4 and forms a seal with the sealing structure in the support sub 4. The optical fiber communication link is connected from the optical-electric composite cable 3, the optical slip ring 5, the connecting rod 7, the wellhead joint 8, the fiber cable storage 10, the cable damper 11 to the downhole measuring instrument 12 or the communication module inside it.

[0071] Finally, as shown in FIG. 4E, the to-be-connected drill tool is connected with the downhole string or downhole drill tool at the wellhead to realize the communication of the internal optical fiber communication link and the communication of the external to-be-connected drill tool, downhole drill tool, drill collar, top drive instrument short section housing and other components, forming a drilling string. During normal drilling, the internal circulation pressure of the drill tool drives the anchoring mechanism 10-3 (such as a hydraulic anchoring mechanism) at the upper part of the optical fiber wire bin 10 to open, anchoring the optical fiber wire bin 10 to the inner wall of the drill tool, so that the optical fiber wire bin 10 rotates with the drill tool, and then the internal optical fiber communication link rotates together with the cable damper 11 to the optical slip ring 5. And through the upper stator part of the optical slip ring 5, the dynamic transmission is changed to static transmission, and then the drill tool rotates under the drilling condition, and the internal optical fiber communication link is continuously and stably connected from the underground to the ground.

[0072] Next, referring to FIGS. 5A-5C, the process of restoring the optical fiber communication system to the initial state during drilling is shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As the top drive drives the drill tool to drill deeper, the top drive and the drill tool directly connected thereto descend, causing the upper end of the drill tool directly connected to the top drive to approach the wellhead (i.e., a column of drill tools is completed), as shown in FIG. 5A, at which time a new drill tool needs to be connected in order to continue drilling. In order to connect the new drill tool, the optical fiber communication system needs to be first restored to the initial state. As described above with respect to FIG. 4, in the initial state, the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 of the wellhead joint 8 are in a disconnected state, the first connecting part 8-1 is located in the top drive spindle with the connecting rod 7 and the optical slip ring; the second connecting part 8-2, the optical fiber wire bin 10 is suspended or supported in the drill collar or the installed downhole drill tool through the support block 10-1 and is located at the wellhead position, and the optical fiber extends from the lower part of the optical fiber wire bin 10 to connect to the cable damper 11, forming an optical fiber link connection.

[0073] In order to restore to the initial state, the top drive first stops driving the spindle, so that the hydraulic anchoring mechanism 10-3 at the upper part of the optical fiber wire bin 10 automatically retracts due to the absence of pressure in the drill tool inner cavity. Next, referring to FIG. 5B, a fixing device (such as a elevator) is placed at the wellhead to fix the drill tool at the wellhead position, the drill pipe connection between the lower part of the top drive spindle and the upper part of the drill tool is disconnected, and then the top drive ascends while the winch 1 releases the optical fiber composite cable 3, thereby exposing the wellhead joint 8 and the support block 10-1 at the upper part of the optical fiber wire bin 10, opening the support block 10-1, and thereby supporting the optical fiber wire bin 10 on the inclined step or slope of the inner surface of the top end of the drill tool through the support block 10-1. The process continues to FIG. 5C, disconnecting the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 of the wellhead joint 8, and then the winch 1 retracts the optical fiber composite cable 3 upward, so that the first connecting part 8-1 is located in the top drive spindle with the connecting rod 7 and the optical slip ring 3, thereby restoring to the initial state. After restoring to the initial state, a new drill tool can be connected, and the specific process is similar to the process described with reference to FIGS. 4A-4E, which will not be described here.

[0074] After the drilling work is completed, the drilling tool needs to be unloaded, and Figs. 6A-6F show the process of unloading the drilling tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. First, referring to Fig. 6A, the top drive stops driving the main shaft, so that the hydraulic anchoring mechanism 10-3 on the upper part of the fiber optic cable bin 10 automatically retracts due to the absence of pressure in the inner cavity of the drilling tool, releasing the anchoring, and then the top drive goes up to lift the first drilling tool directly connected with the main shaft of the top drive, so that the drill pipe buckle at the lower end of the first drilling tool is lifted above and close to the wellhead, and the elevator or safety slips or other fixing devices anchor the second drilling tool below the first drilling tool. Then, referring to Fig. 6B, the drill pipe buckle between the first drilling tool and the second drilling tool is disconnected. Next, referring to Fig. 6C, the winch 1 is controlled to rotate to release the fiber optic composite cable 3, so that the fiber optic cable bin 10 goes down through the inner cavity of the first drilling tool to the first drilling tool and the second drilling tool, and the support block 10-1 is exposed, then the support block 10-1 is opened and the winch 1 is further controlled to rotate until the support block 10-1 is supported on the inclined step or slope on the inner surface of the top end of the second drilling tool. The fiber optic cable bin 10 and the lower fiber optic cable thereof are thus suspended in the inner cavity of the second drilling tool, and the wellhead joint is exposed between the first drilling tool and the second drilling tool. And during the descent of the fiber optic cable bin 10, the fiber optic line at the lower part of the fiber optic cable bin 10 can be retracted into the fiber optic cable storage part.

[0075] Next, referring to Fig. 6D, the first connecting part 8-1 and the second connecting part 8-2 of the wellhead joint 8 are disconnected. Then, referring to Fig. 6E, the winch 1 retracts the fiber optic composite cable 3 upward, so that the first connecting part 8-1 is located in the main shaft of the top drive together with the connecting rod 7 and the fiber optic slip ring 3. Finally, the elevator is hung on the upper part of the first drilling tool, and after the crane bears the weight of the first drilling tool, the top drive disconnects the drill pipe buckle on the upper part of the first drilling tool, and thus the unloading process of the drilling tool from the pipe string is completed, and the fiber optic communication system returns to the initial state.

[0076] Those skilled in the art can understand that the above fiber optic communication system and the operation method are not limited to fiber optics, but are applicable to all communication lines as long as they do not contradict the technical solutions of the present application.

[0077] The above detailed the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be recognized that certain features of the present disclosure described in the context of separate embodiments can also be provided in combination in a single embodiment, for the sake of clarity. Conversely, various features of the present disclosure described in the context of a single embodiment can also be provided separately or in any appropriate subcombination or in any other described embodiment of the present disclosure, for the sake of convenience. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments should not be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is invalid without those elements.

[0078] While the present disclosure has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many alternatives, modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein will be apparent. It is therefore intended to cover all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

[0079] All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. In addition, no admission is made that any reference or identification of a reference constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Where a section heading is used, it should not be construed as limiting the subject matter covered by the specification.

Claims

1. A drilling communication cable system, comprising: a slip ring for implementing a transformation of a communication channel from dynamic rotation to static transmission, the slip ring comprising at least a stator and a rotor, the rotor being configured to communicate with a communication cable link and to rotate with a drilling tool during drilling, the stator being configured to receive a communication signal from the rotor and output a communication signal for analysis processing; a wellhead adapter, the wellhead adapter comprising a first connecting part and a second connecting part, wherein the first connecting part is mechanically and communicatively connected with the rotor of the slip ring, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are configured to be repeatedly mechanically connected and disconnected to implement the on-off of an internal communication cable link of the wellhead adapter; and a cable line bin, a first end of the cable line bin being mechanically and communicatively connected with the second connecting part of the wellhead adapter, the cable line bin comprising at least a communication cable storage part for storing a communication cable, the communication cable storage part being configured to release and / or retrieve the communication cable in the drilling tool through a second end of the cable line bin. 2.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 1, wherein the cable line bin further comprises an anchoring mechanism configured to anchor the cable line bin to an inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool is drilling, and to release the anchoring to the inner wall of the drilling tool when the drilling tool stops drilling. 3.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting rod, the connecting rod being mechanically and communicatively connected between the slip ring and the first connecting part of the wellhead adapter, such that a distance between the wellhead adapter and the electro-optical slip ring is fixed, and the first end of the cable line bin being mechanically and communicatively connected with the second connecting part of the wellhead adapter such that a distance between the cable line bin and the electro-optical slip ring is fixed. 4.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 3, wherein the distance between the wellhead adapter and the electro-optical slip ring is such that the wellhead adapter is always in a wellhead position or above the ground in the drilling tool. 5.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 4, wherein a stator upper part of the slip ring is configured to connect a communication power composite cable, the communication power cable being configured to drive the slip ring to move up and down. 6.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 3, wherein a sealing assembly is arranged on the stator of the slip ring, the sealing assembly being configured to cooperate with an inner cavity of a support segment of a top drive to achieve sealing. 7.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 6, wherein the slip ring is configured to be positionally fixed by the support segment. 8.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 5, wherein the cable line bin is configured to be connected to the communication power composite cable through the wellhead adapter, the connecting rod and the slip ring, wherein when the communication power composite cable drives the slip ring to move up and down, the communication cable storage part releases and retrieves the communication cable in the drilling tool through the second end of the cable line bin. 9.The drilling communication cable system according to claim 4, wherein the wellhead adapter is a wet wellhead adapter, and the mechanical connection is a threaded or flange connection. ​ 10. The drill-through communication cable system of claim 9, the communication link between the first connection portion and the second connection portion is enabled or disabled by plugging, and the mechanical structural connection between the first connection portion and the second connection portion is enabled by screwing or flanging.

11. The drill-through communication cable system of claim 10, wherein the second connection portion is connected to the cable line carrier by screwing or flanging.

12. The drill-through communication cable system of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the cable line carrier further comprises a support block for hanging or supporting the cable line carrier on a bevel step or bevel surface of an inner surface of a top end of the drill string.

13. The drill-through communication cable system of any one of claims 1-11, further comprising a cable damper for releasing tension on the communication cable between the cable line carrier and the downhole measuring instrument.

14. The drill-through communication cable system of claim 13, wherein the cable damper comprises a spring for releasing the tension on the communication cable.

15. The drill-through communication cable system of claim 13, wherein the cable damper is configured to be mechanically fixed with the downhole measuring instrument, and the cable damper is configured to rotate with the drill string along with the downhole measuring instrument.

16. The drill-through communication cable system of any one of claims 2-11, wherein the anchoring mechanism is a hydraulic anchoring mechanism configured to be anchored in response to a circulating pressure within the drill string, and to be unanchored in response to the circulating pressure within the drill string disappearing.

17. The drill-through communication cable system of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the communication cable is an optical fiber, and the slip ring is an optical slip ring.

18. A method of operating the drill wire system of any of claims 1-17 to restore to an initial state, the initial state comprising at least: the first connection portion and the second connection portion of the wellhead connector are in a disconnected state, the first connection portion is located in the top drive spindle along with the link and the slip ring; and the cable line carrier is hung or supported at the wellhead location by the support block, the method comprising: stopping the top drive from driving; disengaging the top drive lower portion from the drill string upper portion; raising the top drive while the slip ring, the link, and the cable line carrier remain in place, exposing the wellhead connector and the cable line carrier at the wellhead location; disconnecting the first connection portion from the second connection portion of the wellhead connector; raising the first connection portion along with the link and the slip ring into the top drive spindle, thereby returning to the initial state.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: supporting the cable line carrier on the bevel step or bevel surface of the inner surface of the top end of the drill string with the support block.

20. A method of operating the drill-through communication cable system of any one of claims 1-17 to unload the drill string, comprising: stopping the top drive from driving; raising the entire drill string by the top drive, such that the lower end of the first drill string directly connected to the top drive spindle is lifted above and proximate to the wellhead; disengaging the connection between the first drill string and the second drill string below the first drill string; lowering the cable line carrier through the inner cavity of the first drill string to between the first drill string and the second drill string, to expose the wellhead connector; disconnecting the first connection portion from the second connection portion of the wellhead connector; raising the first connection portion along with the link and the slip ring back into the top drive spindle; and disengaging the connection between the top drive spindle and the upper portion of the first drill string.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: The cable line pod is supported by a support block on a bevel or ramp of the inner surface of the second tool tip.

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