Theoretical Transmission Model of Helical Loop Antenna in Cased Wells and Channel Characteristics Analysis

Abstract

In the environment of oil and gas wells, the shielding effect of metal casing increases the difficulty of applying wireless electromagnetic wave transmission technology in such wells. This paper constructs a theoretical model of downhole electromagnetic helical loop transmission based on the finite element method. The magnetic loop is equated with the helical loop antenna in the model. By means of simulation calculations, this study deeply investigates the impact of various factors, such as working frequency within the cased well, drilling fluid resistivity, formation resistivity, drill string dimensions, and electrical conductivity, on the attenuation pattern of the helical loop antenna. The results show that low-frequency signals experience relatively less attenuation underground, while high-frequency signals demonstrate better transmission effects over shorter distances. Moreover, drilling fluids with low resistivity are more suitable for short-distance transmission, whereas high resistivity can effectively reduce signal attenuation and improve transmission distance. The variation in formation resistivity has a relatively small impact on signal transmission and can be considered negligible. In terms of drill string characteristics, as the electrical conductivity of the drill collars increases, signal attenuation gradually decreases, and the amplitude of the received signal is enhanced. With the inner and outer diameters of the drill collars remaining the same, a finer inner diameter of the casing aids electromagnetic wave short-distance transmission, whereas a thicker casing can reduce electromagnetic wave attenuation. Theoretical and practical results are in good agreement through field trial comparative analysis.