Downhole Tools and Oil Field Tubulars having Internal Sensors for Wireless External Communication

Abstract

A downhole tool has a housing assembly with an interior and an exterior. A sensor is disposed to the interior of the housing assembly. The sensor is operable to obtain data relative to a fluid parameter of a fluid disposed within the interior of the housing assembly and operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a data acquisition device disposed to the exterior of the housing assembly responsive to interrogation by the data acquisition device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole tool comprising:
 a housing assembly having an interior and an exterior; and   a sensor disposed to the interior of the housing assembly, the sensor operable to obtain data relative to a fluid parameter of a fluid disposed within the interior of the housing assembly and operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a data acquisition device disposed to the exterior of the housing assembly responsive to interrogation by the data acquisition device.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 1  wherein the interior of the housing assembly further comprises a fluid chamber of a downhole tester valve and wherein the sensor is disposed within the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 2  wherein the downhole tester valve further comprises:
 a mandrel assembly disposed within the housing assembly defining therebetween an operating fluid chamber, a biasing fluid chamber and a power fluid chamber; 
 a valve assembly disposed within the housing assembly operable between open and closed positions; and 
 a piston assembly operably associated with the valve assembly; 
 wherein, the sensor is disposed within at least one of the operating fluid chamber, the biasing fluid chamber and the power fluid chamber. 
 
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 1  wherein the interior of the housing assembly further comprises a sampling chamber of a fluid sampler and wherein the sensor is disposed relative to the sampling chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 4  wherein the fluid sampler further comprises:
 an actuator operable to establish a fluid communication path between the exterior and the interior of the fluid sampler; 
 a plurality of sampling chambers operable to receive fluid samples; and 
 a self-contained pressure source in fluid communication with the sampling chambers operable to pressurize the fluid samples obtained in the sampling chambers to a pressure above saturation pressure. 
 
     
     
         6 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 1  wherein the sensor wirelessly communicates with the data acquisition device by one of radio frequency transmission and acoustic transmission. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 1  wherein the sensor is powered by at least one of electromagnetic field energy, acoustic energy, thermal energy and radioactive energy. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole tool as recited in  claim 1  wherein the fluid parameter is at least one of pressure and temperature. 
     
     
         9 . A downhole tester valve comprising:
 a housing assembly;   a mandrel assembly disposed within the housing assembly defining therebetween an operating fluid chamber, a biasing fluid chamber and a power fluid chamber;   a valve assembly disposed within the housing assembly operable between open and closed positions;   a piston assembly operably associated with the valve assembly; and   a sensor disposed within at least one of the operating fluid chamber, the biasing fluid chamber and the power fluid chamber, the sensor operable to obtain data relative to a fluid parameter and operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a data acquisition device disposed to the exterior of the housing assembly responsive to interrogation by the data acquisition device.   
     
     
         10 . The downhole tester valve as recited in  claim 9  wherein the sensor wirelessly communicates with the data acquisition device by one of radio frequency transmission and acoustic transmission. 
     
     
         11 . The downhole tester valve as recited in  claim 9  wherein the sensor is powered by at least one of electromagnetic field energy, acoustic energy, thermal energy and radioactive energy. 
     
     
         12 . The downhole tester valve as recited in  claim 9  wherein the fluid parameter is at least one of pressure and temperature. 
     
     
         13 . A fluid sampler comprising:
 a sampling chamber having an interior and an exterior, the sampling chamber operable to receive a fluid sample;   an actuator operable to establish a fluid communication path between the exterior and the interior of the sampling chamber;   a self-contained pressure source in fluid communication with the sampling chamber, the pressure source operable to pressurize the fluid sample to a pressure above saturation pressure; and   a sensor disposed to the interior of the sampling chamber, the sensor operable to obtain data relative to a fluid parameter of the fluid sample and operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a data acquisition device disposed to the exterior of the sampling chamber responsive to interrogation by the data acquisition device.   
     
     
         14 . The fluid sampler as recited in  claim 13  wherein the sensor wirelessly communicates with the data acquisition device by one of radio frequency transmission and acoustic transmission. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid sampler as recited in  claim 13  wherein the sensor is powered by at least one of electromagnetic field energy, acoustic energy, thermal energy and radioactive energy. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid sampler as recited in  claim 13  wherein the fluid parameter is at least one of pressure and temperature. 
     
     
         17 . An oil field tubular system comprising:
 a plurality of oil field tubulars operably coupled together, the oil field tubulars having an interior and an exterior; and   a sensor disposed to the interior of the oil field tubulars, the sensor operable to obtain data relative to a fluid parameter of a fluid disposed within the interior of the oil field tubulars and operable to wirelessly transmit the data to a data acquisition device disposed to the exterior of the oil field tubulars responsive to interrogation by the data acquisition device.   
     
     
         18 . The oil field tubular system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the oil field tubulars further comprise a surface flowline. 
     
     
         19 . The oil field tubular system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the oil field tubulars further comprise downhole tubulars. 
     
     
         20 . The oil field tubular system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the sensor wirelessly communicates with the data acquisition device by one of radio frequency transmission and acoustic transmission. 
     
     
         21 . The oil field tubular system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the sensor is powered by at least one of electromagnetic field energy, acoustic energy, thermal energy and radioactive energy. 
     
     
         22 . The oil field tubular system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the fluid parameter is at least one of pressure and temperature.