Acoustic and Fiber Optic Network for Use in Laterals Downhole

摘要

Communication between a lateral and a main bore is established wirelessly preferably using sensors that transmit sensed parameters in the lateral and transmit acoustically coded messages to the main bore preferably into a fiber optic cable that extends in the main bore. The sensors have stored or/and generated power and communicate from their location to the fiber optic cable in the main bore either directly or indirectly using a network of sensors to relay the information along the lateral to the fiber optic. A surface processor can then associate the data from specific sensors and alternatively communicate with certain sensors to start or stop transmitting data.