System and method for borehole communication

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for communicating between a tool and a surface of a subterranean formation including a signal generator configured to send a signal through the formation, a relay in communication with the generator, and a receiver in communication with the relay. A method and an apparatus for communicating between a tool and a surface of a subterranean formation including sending a signal from a generator configured to send a signal through a formation, receiving the signal at a relay, sending a second signal from the relay, and receiving the second signal at a receiver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for communicating between a tool and a surface of a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a signal generator configured to send a signal through the formation;   a relay in communication with the generator; and   a receiver in communication with the relay.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a signal received by the receiver has a higher signal to noise ratio than if no relay were present. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the relay and generator are separated by a distance, wherein the relay and receiver are separated by a second distance, and the first and second distance are tailored for signal clarity. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the relay is configured to modify the signal it receives before it sends a modified signal to the receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal is a mud pulse. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal is electromagnetic. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal is acoustic. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is positioned at the surface of the formation. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is positioned in a wellbore in the formation. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is positioned at the surface of the formation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is positioned at in a wellbore in the formation. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the generator and relay send signals that do not have the same frequency. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional relay. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a repeater. 
     
     
         15 . A method for communicating between a tool and a surface of a subterranean formation, comprising:
 sending a signal from a generator configured to send a signal through a formation;   receiving the signal at a relay;   sending a second signal from the relay; and   receiving the second signal at a receiver.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the relay modifies the signal it receives before it sends the second signal to the receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal and/or second signal is a mud pulse. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal and/or second signal electromagnetic. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal is acoustic. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal generator is positioned at the surface of the formation. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal generator is positioned in a wellbore in the formation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the generator and relay send signals that do not have the same frequency. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the receiver receives the signal and the second signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the receiver optimizes the demodulation.