Patent ID: 9631485
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: E21B,G01V

Claim:
1. A method of transmitting data along a wellbore, comprising: providing a sensor along the wellbore proximate a depth of a subsurface formation; running joints of pipe into the wellbore, the joints of pipe being connected at threaded couplings; providing a series of communications nodes spaced along the joints of pipe, wherein the communications nodes are configured to communicate (i) with an adjacent communications node on a same joint of pipe by means of a conductive wire embedded into the joints of pipe, and (ii) with an adjacent communications node on a connected joint of pipe by means of an acoustic signal transmitted across threaded pipe couplings; providing a receiver at a surface; and sending signals from the sensor to the receiver via the series of communications nodes, node-to-node, with the signals being indicative of a subsurface condition.