The primary function of Data Transmission System™ (DTS) equipment is to provide two-way radio frequency data communications on drill pipe and coiled tubing drilling systems between bottom-hole-assemblies and drill operators.  While several data transmission systems provide communications, the unique breakthrough of DTS is that communications modulated radio waves are inductively coupled to the skin of the drill pipe using specially designed antennas.  The system does not require any added wires to the drill pipe.  The radio waves propagate along the metal skin of the drill pipe.  DTS functions in both metal-cased and uncased well bores.  The system takes advantage of the natural waveguide properties of the hydrocarbon seam; the entire drill rod and the immediate surrounding layers of rock become the data transmission waveguide.  This mode of transmission permits a higher frequency carrier signal with a greater bandwidth than most common systems in use.  This in turn permits a higher data rate:  DTS has a data transmission rate of 2.4 kilobits per second.  Fast, reliable real-time communication with down hole sensors and equipment is an essential element of advanced measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and directional-drilling operations.

The system also includes F1/F1 signal repeater capability.  Repeaters are added to the drill string as required to maintain the signal-to-noise ratio.  The data bit error rate and gain are minimized in the DTS.  Repeaters are contained in a standard length of drill pipe (called a “stand”), thus adding a repeater is identical to inserting another stand to the drill string.  The distance between repeaters depends on the attenuation rates of the wellbore geology.

* Winner of the 2006 R&D 100 Award