Abstract: A hybrid, hardwired and wireless well communication system having a fiber optical, electrical or other signal transmission conduit extending from the wellhead into the well and one or more wireless signal transducers that are located at a distance from the conduit and transmit wireless signals to one or more signal converters which are coupled to the conduit, and which are located near branchpoints of a multilateral well.

Abstract: A method for determining a flow property of a fluid flowing through a conduit provided with a capacitance meter having an upstream and a downstream annular capacitance sensor, wherein each annular capacitance sensor having at least three sensor electrodes, which sensor electrodes are arranged around the circumference of the conduit, the method having selecting, for each annular capacitance sensor a set of measurement capacitors, wherein a measurement capacitor is formed by two measurement electrodes, and wherein a measurement electrode consists either of a single sensor electrode or of at least two interconnected sensor electrodes; measuring at several moments during a time interval a capacitance of each measurement capacitor of each annular capacitance sensor; determining cross correlations between capacitances measured during the time interval at the upstream annular capacitance sensor and capacitances measured during the time interval at the downstream annular capacitance sensor; and determining the flow p

Abstract: A petroleum well for producing petroleum products that incorporates a system adapted to controllably route communications and/or electrical power having a time-varying current through a piping structure in the well, and methods of producing petroleum products use such a well, are provided by the present invention. The system comprises a first induction choke, a second induction choke, and a controllable switch. The first induction choke is located about a portion of a first branch of the piping structure. The second induction choke is located about a portion of a second branch of the piping structure. The controllable switch having two switch terminals. A first of the switch terminals I is electrically connected to the piping structure on a junction side of the induction chokes. The first and second branches of the piping structure intersect on the junction side of the induction chokes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating a desired target signal along a piping structure is provided. Because of a lossy communication path presented by the piping structure, an input signal, which is transmitted from a first location on the piping structure, is consciously predistorted prior to transmission. The amount and nature of the predistortion applied to the input signal is determined by mathematically modeling the communication path between the first location and a second location. Predistortion of the input signal results in reception of an output signal at the second location that closely approximates the desired target signal. Application of this predistortion method of communicating is described in the context of communicating in the borehole of a petroleum well.

Abstract: A petroleum well (20) for producing petroleum products that incorporates a system adapted to controllably route communications and/or electrical power having a time-varying current through a piping structure (30 and/or 40) in the well (20), and methods of producing petroleum products use such a well, are provided by the present invention. The system comprises a first induction choke (70 or 100), a second induction choke (70 or 100), and a controllable switch (90). The first induction choke (70 or 100) is located about a portion of a first branch (26) of the piping structure (30 and/or 40). The second induction choke (70 or 100) is located about a portion of a second branch (29) of the piping structure (30 and/or 40). The controllable switch (90) comprises two switch terminals. A first of the switch terminals is electrically connected to the piping structure (30 and/or 40) on a junction side (81) of the induction chokes (70 or 100).

Abstract: A method for determining a flow property of a fluid flowing through a conduit (1) provided with a capacitance meter comprising an upstream and a downstream annular capacitance sensor (2a, 2b), wherein each annular capacitance sensor comprises at least three sensor electrodes (11a-13a, 11b-13b), which sensor electrodes are arranged around the circumference of the conduit, the method comprising selecting, for each annular capacitance sensor, a set of measurement capacitors, wherein a measurement capacitor is formed by two measurement electrodes, and wherein a measurement electrode consists either of a single sensor electrode or of at least two interconnected sensor electrodes; measuring at several moments during a time interval a capacitance of each measurement capacitor of each annular capacitance sensor (2a, 2b); determining cross correlations between capacitances measured during the time interval at the upstream annular capacitance sensor (2a) and capacitances measured during the time interval at the downstr

Abstract: A hybrid, hardwired (4) and wireless (8) well communication system comprises a fiber optical, electrical or other signal transmission conduit (4) extending from the wellhead into the well and one or more wireless signal transducers (7) that are located at a distance from the conduit (4) and transmit wireless signals (8) to one or more signal converters (5) which are coupled to the conduit, and which are located near branchpoints (3) of a multilateral well.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating a desired target signal along a piping structure is provided. Because of a lossy communication path presented by the piping structure, an input signal, which is transmitted from a first location on the piping structure, is consciously predistorted prior to transmission. The amount and nature of the predistortion applied to the input signal is determined by mathematically modeling the communication path between the first location and a second location. Predistortion of the input signal results in reception of an output signal at the second location that closely approximates the desired target signal. Application of this predistortion method of communicating is described in the context of communicating in the borehole of a petroleum well.