Simulation and experiment of vibrational or acoustic communication in mining and oil-gas drill strings

Abstract

Drilling for exploration and mineral extraction purposes is generally an invisible process, that is, there is a lack of real-time information available from the tool head. The borehole mining and oil-gas drilling industries both face tremendous challenges because of this invisibility. Lack of data has impacts on extraction quantity and quality, process efficiencies, and is a major factor in overall program costs. This is why a communication method between the drill head and the surface has been under research. Different communication methods have enabled industries to establish more control over the drill bit. Low data transmission rate is one of the most concerning drawbacks of existing communication methods. Acoustic, also known as vibrational telemetry, is the most recent method used in transferring data through drill pipe at the highest data transmission rate. The proper use of acoustic tools and communication schemes will successfully establish a fast data transmission rate and is expected to become a popular method. This paper will introduce a simulation model for transmission of data through drill pipes and will extrapolate a practical case of a large number of pipes that is usually used in oil-gas extraction. It will also demonstrate an experimental setup of a new acoustic transducer.