Evaluating Wellbore Telemetry Systems

Abstract

Evaluating wellbore telemetry systems. Multiple evaluation signals are serially transmitted to multiple serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore. Each component is addressable by a respective one of the multiple evaluation signals. In response to serially transmitting the multiple evaluation signals, multiple communication links to the multiple components are evaluated based on a respective multiple responses to the multiple evaluation signals.

1 . A computer-implemented method to evaluate a wellbore telemetry system, the method comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and   in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a threshold number of times; 
 determining a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the threshold number of times; and 
 determining a ratio of the number of responses to the threshold number of times the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component. 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that the communication link to the component has failed if the ratio is less than a threshold ratio. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method to evaluate a wellbore telemetry system, the method comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and   in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a number of times at a first data rate; 
 determining that a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the number of times at the first data rate does not satisfy a threshold number; and 
 in response to determining that the number of responses does not satisfy the threshold number, transmitting the evaluation signal to the component at a second data rate that is less than the first data rate. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising continuously decreasing a data rate at which the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component until the number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component satisfies the threshold number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 for each communication link of the plurality of communication links, identifying a respective data rate at which a number of responses to transmitting a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals to a respective component satisfies a respective threshold number;   from among a plurality of data rates identified for the plurality of communication links, identifying a smallest data rate; and   transmitting data to the plurality of components at the smallest data rate.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining that a component is adapted to transmit data at a data rate that is greater than the smallest data rate at a first power; and   operating the component at a second power that is less than the first power, the second power sufficient to transmit data at the smallest data rate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 detecting an absence of the response to an evaluation signal transmitted to the component; and   identifying the component as a faulty component.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of evaluation signals are transmitted in a sequence downhole from a computer system disposed at a surface of the wellbore toward a sensor disposed downhole in the wellbore. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of evaluation signals are transmitted in a sequence uphole from a sensor disposed downhole in the wellbore toward a computer system disposed at a surface of the wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . A wellbore telemetry system comprising:
 a plurality of serially connected components disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by data signals; and   a computer system comprising:
 data processing apparatus, and 
 a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and 
 in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and 
 
   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a threshold number of times; 
 determining a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the threshold number of times; 
 determining a ratio of the number of responses to the threshold number of times the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component; and 
 determining that the communication link to the component has failed if the ratio is less than a threshold ratio. 
   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A wellbore telemetry system comprising:
 a plurality of serially connected components disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by data signals; and   a computer system comprising:
 data processing apparatus, and 
 a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and 
 in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and 
 
   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a number of times at a first data rate; 
 determining that a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the number of times at the first data rate does not satisfy a threshold number; and 
 in response to determining that the number of responses does not satisfy the threshold number, continuously decreasing, relative to the first data rate, a data rate at which the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component until the number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component satisfies the threshold number. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 for each communication link of the plurality of communication links, identifying a respective data rate at which a number of responses to transmitting a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals to a respective component satisfies a respective threshold number;   from among a plurality of data rates identified for the plurality of communication links, identifying a smallest data rate;   transmitting data to the plurality of components at the smallest data rate;   determining that a component is adapted to transmit data at a data rate that is greater than the smallest data rate at a first power; and   operating the component at a second power that is less than the first power, the second power sufficient to transmit data at the smallest data rate.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 detecting an absence of the response to an evaluation signal transmitted to the component; and   identifying the component as a faulty component.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer system is disposed at a surface of the wellbore and transmits the plurality of evaluation signals downhole. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer system is disposed downhole in the wellbore and transmits the plurality of evaluation signals uphole. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and   in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:   transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a threshold number of times;   determining a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the threshold number of times;   determining a ratio of the number of responses to the threshold number of times the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component; and   determining that the communication link to the component has failed if the ratio is less than a threshold ratio.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 serially transmitting a plurality of evaluation signals to a plurality of serially connected components of a wellbore telemetry system disposed in a wellbore, each component addressable by a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals; and   in response to serially transmitting the plurality of evaluation signals, evaluating a plurality of communication links to the plurality of components based on a respective plurality of responses to the plurality of evaluation signals; and   wherein evaluating a communication link to a component based on a response to a respective one of the plurality of evaluation signals transmitted to the component comprises:
 transmitting an evaluation signal to the component a number of times at a first data rate; 
 determining that a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component the number of times at the first data rate does not satisfy a threshold number; and 
 in response to determining that the number of responses does not satisfy the threshold number, continuously decreasing, relative to the first data rate, a data rate at which the evaluation signal is transmitted to the component until the number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component satisfies the threshold number. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a response to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component includes an acknowledgement of receipt of the evaluation signal. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a response to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component includes data describing a status of the component. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that the communication link has failed in response to determining that the number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal to the component is less than the threshold number of times. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 transmitting the evaluation signal at the second data rate to the component a threshold number of times;   determining a number of responses to transmitting the evaluation signal at the second data rate to the component the threshold number of times; and   determining a ratio of the number of responses to the threshold number of times the evaluation signal is transmitted at the second data rate to the component.