Patent ID: 8122975

Claim:
A method for drilling a wellbore, comprising: drilling the wellbore by injecting drilling fluid through a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, the tubular string comprising a drill bit disposed on a bottom thereof, wherein: the drilling fluid exits the drill bit and carries cuttings from the drill bit, and the drilling fluid and cuttings (returns) flow to a surface of the wellbore via an annulus defined by an outer surface of the tubular string and an inner surface of the wellbore, a casing is hung from a wellhead of the wellbore, a liner is hung from the casing at or near a bottom of the casing, each of the casing and the liner have part of an inductive coupling; and while drilling the wellbore: measuring a first annulus pressure (FAP) using a pressure sensor attached to the liner; transmitting the FAP measurement from the liner to the casing via the inductive coupling and to the surface using a high-bandwidth medium; and controlling a second annulus pressure (SAP) exerted on a formation exposed to the annulus.