Downhole High-Voltage Filtering for Noisy Wireline Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage power supplied downhole in wellbores is often contaminated with noise and interference, leading to malfunctions and operational delays in wireline systems used in the oil and gas industry.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for de-noising high-voltage direct current power by applying filters and adaptive post-filters to stabilize voltage levels, interpreting data bands as command inputs, and using intelligent quantization to manage tool operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-voltage power is supplied downhole through wireline systems, then power and telemetry can be delivered to downhole tools, but the power becomes contaminated with noise and interference from motor-induced EMI, load variations, and voltage walking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that includes filtering components and signal conditioning equipment. This intermediary system processes the noisy high-voltage power between the surface supply and downhole tools, removing contaminants while preserving the useful power signal. The intermediary approach allows the system to maintain power delivery capability while eliminating the harmful noise and interference through dedicated filtering stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful noise and interference components from the high-voltage power signal through filtering operations. By separating the useful power signal from the contaminants (motor-induced EMI, load variations, voltage walking), the system delivers clean power to downhole tools while discarding the extracted harmful elements. This extraction principle is applied through dedicated filter circuits that isolate and eliminate specific frequency ranges and noise patterns.
2Productivity
If downhole tools operate with noisy power, then operations can proceed in the wellbore, but malfunctions and errors occur leading to operating delays and unexpected repairs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by implementing protective filtering and voltage stabilization measures before the noisy power reaches the downhole tools. These preventive measures cushion the downhole electronics from the full impact of power contamination, reducing the likelihood of malfunctions. The system proactively protects against expected noise and interference rather than reacting to failures after they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the quality of power at various stages of the system. By continuously measuring voltage stability, noise levels, and power quality parameters, the system can adjust filtering parameters and signal conditioning in real-time to maintain reliable operation. This feedback loop enables the system to respond to changing noise conditions and prevent malfunctions before they occur.
3Reliability
If voltage stabilization is implemented through filtering, then power quality improves, but system complexity increases with additional components and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power processing system into distinct functional modules: initial filtering stage, voltage regulation stage, noise cancellation stage, and monitoring stage. Each segment handles a specific aspect of power conditioning, allowing for targeted optimization of each function. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity by breaking down the complex power stabilization task into manageable, independent components that can be designed and maintained separately.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for improved utilization of electrical power, particularly high-voltage power, supplied to a downhole component within a wellbore. An example method can include receiving electrical power at a downhole component, such as by receiving high-voltage electricity via a surface controller. The method can further include applying a filter to the electrical power to generate a stream of data points representing the electrical power over time. The method can also include categorizing those data points into a plurality of bands to form data bands. The data bands can then be interpreted as one or more signals. Based on the interpreted signals, the method can include causing a mechanical operation to be performed within the wellbore. The mechanical operation can include things such as moving a tool in a direction, changing an operating speed of the tool, and operating an anchor, arm, or linear actuator associated with the tool.