Capacitive Coupler and Cavity Resonator for Wellbore Junction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the oil and gas industry, establishing electrical power and communication signals between lateral and main wellbores is challenging due to the need to avoid breaching pressure barriers and the difficulty in deploying control cables through junctions between tubing, casings, and components, especially in multilateral wellbores where equipment is installed separately.
Innovation Solution
A unitary multilateral junction system utilizing capacitive coupling and cavity resonators to wirelessly transfer power and signals between wellbores, eliminating the need for physical connections across pressure barriers and allowing for a single, integrated assembly that can be installed as a single unit, reducing debris-related sealing issues and enhancing wireless signal propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cables are deployed to establish electrical power and communication between wellbores, then connectivity is achieved, but the risk of breaching pressure barriers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cable connections with electromagnetic field-based wireless energy transfer. Capacitive couplers and cavity resonators transmit power and signals through electromagnetic coupling without physical cable penetration, eliminating the risk of pressure barrier breaches while maintaining connectivity between wellbores
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary medium to transfer energy and information between wellbores. Capacitive couplers generate electromagnetic fields that couple through the junction assembly, enabling power and communication transmission without direct cable contact across pressure barriers
2Ease of operation
If control cables are extended through junctions between tubing and casings, then equipment connectivity is established, but the complexity of deployment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical cable deployment through complex junctions by implementing wireless energy transfer. The system uses capacitive couplers and cavity resonators to transmit power and signals wirelessly, removing cables entirely from the deployment process and significantly reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes cables from the system by replacing them with wireless electromagnetic energy transfer. This extraction eliminates the need for cable routing through junctions, casings, and tubing, thereby removing the associated deployment complexity while maintaining equipment connectivity
3Ease of manufacture
If separate installation trips are used for lateral and main wellbore equipment, then equipment installation is possible, but the time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the installation processes of lateral and main wellbore equipment into a single integrated operation. The wireless energy transfer system allows both wellbores to be equipped simultaneously during one installation trip, as the junction assembly with capacitive couplers and cavity resonators can be installed once to serve both wellbores, eliminating the need for separate trips and significantly improving productivity
4Productivity
If multiple wellbores are equipped with completion equipment simultaneously, then installation efficiency improves, but the precision of equipment spacing and timing requirements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cable-based equipment installation with wireless energy transfer, which eliminates the need for precise equipment spacing and timing. The electromagnetic field-based system can power and communicate with equipment in multiple wellbores simultaneously without requiring synchronized cable deployment or precise spatial positioning, thereby maintaining high installation efficiency while reducing precision requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable high-pressure containment and simultaneous wireless power/communications in multilateral wellbores by minimizing the need for wet connections and preventing debris-induced sealing failures, ensuring efficient data transmission and power supply to intelligent well completion equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a first capacitive coupler disposed on a first tubular adjacent a first energy transfer mechanism and configured to wirelessly transfer power and signals to the first energy transfer mechanism
Implementation Method 2
a cavity resonator disposed on the first tubular adjacent the first capacitive coupler and configured to enhance wireless signal propagation between the first capacitive coupler and the second capacitive coupler
Data Source
AI summary
A unitary multilateral junction for deployment in a wellbore, wherein the multilateral junction permits electrical power and communications signals to be established in both a lateral wellbore and a main wellbore utilizing capacitive coupling and a cavity resonator. The unitary junction assembly generally includes a conduit with a first upper aperture, a first lower aperture and a second lower aperture where the first lower aperture is defined at the distal end of a primary passageway extending from a conduit junction and a second lower aperture defined at the distal end of a lateral passageway extending from the conduit junction. A lower wireless energy transfer mechanism in the form of a capacitive coupler is positioned along at least one of the passageways between the distal end of the passageway and the junction. A cavity resonator is adjacent the capacitive coupler to enhance the electric field signal of the capacitive coupler.