Wireless Communication for Downhole Applications

Why this challenge?

In downhole drilling, extreme pressure, temperature, and distance make use of existing electronics components near impossible.

Our client, a major global oil & gas company, wanted to improve the use of two-way communication in identifying new partners with innovative and robust wireless communications systems. Not just robust, but also reliable to get a constant and clear flow of data to act upon.

NineSigma broke the project into two sections – one to focus on data transmission technology and the other to focus on powering these devices “downhole” with newer, breakthrough techniques.

Results

Nearly 50 responses were received, and a variety of approaches were identified through a facilitated evaluation, including approaches from outside oil and gas applications.

By breaking the problem down into two separate but linked projects, a wider array of interesting technologies was proposed. This is why it is very important to clearly discuss upfront any project to optimize the way it will be conveyed to the global innovation community.

Our client was able to tailor a complete solution by finding a good match between new methods for wireless data transmission and ways to power them autonomously.