Fail safe downhole signal repeater

摘要

A system and method of fail safe communication of information between surface equipment and downhole equipment. The system comprises two or more repeaters (34, 35, 36) disposed within a wellbore (38) such that two repeaters (34, 35) will receive each signal carrying information that is telemetered. The repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) includes a memory device that stores the information carried in the signal. A timer device also in the repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) will trigger the retransmission of the information after a predetermined time period unless the repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) has detected a signal carrying the information generated by the repeater (34) that is closer to the source (44).