Communication Connections for Wired Drill Pipe Joints

Abstract

A drill pipe includes a pin end connector, a box end connector, a first communication connector and a second communication connector. The pin end connector includes a first region to form a threaded connection to join sections of the drill pipe together, and the first region includes at least one thread that begins at one end of the first region and ends at the other end of the first region. The box end connector receives the pin end connector, and the box end connector includes a second region to mate with the first region to form the threaded connection. The first communication connector is attached to the pin end connector and is located in the first region; and the second communication connector is attached to the box end connector and located in the second region to form a communication connection with the first communication connector.

1 . A drill pipe comprising:
 a pin end connector comprising a first region to form a threaded connection to join sections of the drill pipe together, the first region comprising at least one thread that begins at one end of the first region and ends at the other end of first region;   a box end connector to receive the pin end connector, the box end connector comprising a second region to mate with the first region to form the threaded connection;   a first communication connector attached to the pin end connector and located in the first region; and   a second communication connector attached to the box end connector and located in the second region to form a communication connection with the first communication connector.   
   
   
       2 . The drill pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication connector is adapted to form the communication connection at a thread of the first region. 
   
   
       3 . The drill pipe of  claim 2 , wherein the first communication connector is adapted to form the communication connection at a thread flank of said thread of the first region. 
   
   
       4 . The drill pipe of  claim 2 , wherein the first communication connector is adapted to form the communication connection at a crest or root of said thread of the first region. 
   
   
       5 . The drill pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication connector is adapted to form the communication connection at one of a crest and root of said thread of the first region, and the second communication connector is adapted to form the communication connection at the other of said crest and root of a thread of the second region. 
   
   
       6 . The drill pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises a non-threaded region between two threads, and the first and second communication connectors are adapted to form the communication connection at said non-threaded region. 
   
   
       7 . The drill pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second communication connectors comprise direct contact connectors, inductive connectors, resistive couplers, toroid-type connectors, or fiber optic connectors. 
   
   
       8 . A drill pipe comprising:
 a pin end connector;   a box end connector to receive the pin end connector;   a first communication connector; and   a second communication connector,   wherein one of the pin end connector and the box end connector includes a shoulder that defines a corner and is located near an end of the other of the pin end connector and the box end connector, when the box end connector receives the pin end connector and one of the first communication connector and the second communication connector is located in a pocket that is formed in the corner.   
   
   
       9 . The drill pipe of  claim 8 , wherein the corner comprises a corner formed in an external shoulder of the pin end connector. 
   
   
       10 . The drill pipe of  claim 8 , wherein the corner comprises a corner formed in an internal shoulder of the box end connector. 
   
   
       11 . The drill pipe of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second communication connectors are adapted to communicate a data signal, a power signal or a control signal. 
   
   
       12 . The drill pipe of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second communication connectors comprise direct contact connectors, inductive connectors, resistive couplers, toroid-type connectors, or fiber optic connectors. 
   
   
       13 . A drill pipe comprising:
 a pin end connector comprising an end;   a box end connector to receive the pin end connector, the box end connector comprising an inner shoulder to be in close proximity to the end of the pin end connector when the box end connector receives the pin end connector;   a first communication connector attached to the pin end connector near the end of the pin end connector; and   a second communication connector attached to the box end connector near the inner shoulder of the box end connector and is located radially outside of the first communication connector to form a communication connection with the first communication connector.   
   
   
       14 . The drill pipe of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second communication connectors comprise direct contact connectors, inductive connectors, resistive couplers, toroid-type connectors, or fiber optic connectors. 
   
   
       15 . The drill pipe of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second communication connectors are adapted to communicate a data signal, a power signal or a control signal. 
   
   
       16 . A method comprising:
 connecting drill pipe sections together, comprising threadably engaging a first region of a pin end connector with a second region of a box end connector; and   communicating a signal through a communication connection that spans between the first and second regions.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating across a thread of the first region. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating across a thread flank of said thread of the first region. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating across a crest or root of said thread of the first region. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating, across a non-threaded region between two threads of the first region. 
   
   
       21 . A method comprising:
 connecting drill pipe sections together, comprising engaging a pin end connector with a box end connector, the pin end connector comprising an end and the box end connector comprising an inner shoulder; and   communicating a signal through a communication connection between a first region of the pin end connector located near the end of the pin end connector and a second region of the box end connector located near the inner shoulder of the box end connector and radially outside of the first region.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the act of communicating comprises communicating an electrical signal, an inductive flux signal, a resistive signal or a fiber optic signal.