Communication to a downhole tool by acoustic waveguide transfer

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatuses for communication between a surface of a wellbore and a downhole location of a wellbore via acoustic waveguide transfer. A first device can transmit an acoustic signal through a wellbore waveguide that is coupled with the first device. The acoustic signal can transfer from the wellbore waveguide to a wellbore tubular through a contact between the wellbore waveguide and the wellbore tubular. A second device can receive the acoustic signal via the wellbore tubular that is coupled with the second device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 transmitting, by a first device, an acoustic signal through a wellbore waveguide that is coupled with the first device;   transferring the acoustic signal from the wellbore waveguide to a wellbore tubular through a contact between the wellbore waveguide and the wellbore tubular; and   receiving, by a second device, the acoustic signal via the wellbore tubular that is coupled with the second device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device and the second device comprise at least one of an accelerometer and a piezoelectric element. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contact is a radial contact formed by at least one of sinusoidal buckling of the wellbore tubular and helical buckling of the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first device, a reflected acoustic signal; and   determining one or more differences between the transmitted acoustic signal and the reflected acoustic signal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wellbore waveguide encapsulates at least a portion of the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wellbore waveguide is a static waveguide comprising casing, wellhead or production tubing, and wherein the wellbore tubular is a dynamic tubular comprising coiled tubing or jointed tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is at a surface location of a wellbore, and wherein the second device is at a downhole location of the wellbore. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the acoustic signal comprises instructions for a downhole tool, the method further comprising:
 decoding the acoustic signal to produce a digital signal; and   processing the digital signal via the downhole tool.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the second device, a second acoustic signal through the wellbore tubular that is coupled with the second device;   transferring the second acoustic signal from the wellbore tubular to the wellbore waveguide through the contact between the wellbore tubular and the wellbore waveguide; and   receiving, by the first device, the second acoustic signal via the wellbore waveguide that is coupled with the first device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second acoustic signal comprises data from a downhole tool. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a wellbore waveguide;   a wellbore tubular having one or more regions of contact with the wellbore waveguide;   a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal through the wellbore waveguide, wherein the transmitter is coupled with the wellbore waveguide at a surface location of a wellbore; and   a receiver for receiving the acoustic signal via the wellbore tubular, wherein the receiver is coupled with the wellbore tubular at a downhole location of the wellbore.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more regions of contact are formed by at least one of sinusoidal buckling of the wellbore tubular and helical buckling of the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the acoustic signal comprises instructions for a downhole tool. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wellbore waveguide is a static waveguide comprising casing or production tubing, and wherein the wellbore tubular is a dynamic tubular comprising coiled tubing or jointed tubing. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second receiver for receiving a reflected acoustic signal via the wellbore waveguide, wherein the second receiver is coupled with the wellbore waveguide at a surface location of a wellbore;   a processor coupled with the second receiver for receiving the reflected acoustic signal; and   a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 detecting one or more difference between the acoustic signal and the reflected acoustic signal. 
   
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a waveguide;   a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal through the waveguide, wherein the transmitter is adapted to be coupled with the waveguide at a surface location of a wellbore; and   a receiver adapted to receive the acoustic signal via a wellbore tubular, wherein the receiver is adapted to be coupled with the wellbore tubular at a downhole location of the wellbore.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wellbore tubular is adapted to receive the acoustic signal from the waveguide through a contact between the waveguide and the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitter comprises one or more piezoelectric elements. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the receiver comprises at least one of an accelerometer and a piezoelectric element. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wellbore tubular is a dynamic wellbore tubular.