text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jun 20, 2006
|Filing date
|Aug 19, 2003
|Priority date
|Jul 19, 2000
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|David R. Hall, H. Tracy Hall, Jr., David S Pixton, Scott Dahlgren, Joe Fox
|Original Assignee
|Intelliserv, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (105), Referenced by (78), Classifications (23), Legal Events (10)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/816,766 filed on Mar. 23, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,880 the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Said application, Ser. No. 09/816,766 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/619,084, filed Jul. 19, 2000, the entire disclosure of which was incorporated by reference into U.S. application Ser. No. 09/816,766. Therefore, the relevant portions of the specification and drawing figures of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 09/619,084 have been copied now into the present application.
This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE-FC26-97FT343656 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention.
The present invention relates to the field of data transmission systems, particularly data transmission systems suitable for use in downhole environments, such as along a drill string used in oil and gas exploration, or along the casings and other equipment used in oil and gas production.
The goal of accessing data from a drill string has been expressed for more than half a century. As exploration and drilling technology has improved, this goal has become more important in the industry for successful oil, gas, and geothermal well exploration and production. For example, to take advantage of the several advances in the design of various tools and techniques for oil and gas exploration, it would be beneficial to have real time data such as temperature, pressure, inclination, salinity, etc. Several attempts have been made to devise a successful system for accessing such drill string data. These systems can be broken down into four general categories.
The first category includes systems that record data downhole in a module that is periodically retrieved, typically when the drill string is lifted from the hole to change drill bits or the like. Examples of such systems are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents: 3,713,334; 4,661,932 and 4,660,638. Naturally, these systems have the disadvantage that the data is not available to the drill operator in real time.
A second category includes systems that use pressure impulses transmitted through the drilling fluid as a means for data communication. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,089. The chief drawbacks to this mud pulse system are that the data rate is slow, i.e. less than 10 baud; the system is complex and expensive; the results can be inconsistent; and the range of performance can be limited. In spite of these drawbacks, it is believed that this mud pulse system is the only real time data transmission system currently in commercial use.
The third category includes systems that transmit data along an electrical conductor that is integrated by some means into the drill string. Examples of such systems are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents: 3,879,097; 4,445,734 and 4,953,636.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,734, incorporated herein by this reference, teaches the use of a wire secured within the pipe by a liner. The wire is connected to annular contacts at each joint. The contact mechanism includes a means for wiping the surfaces of the contacts and of exerting pressure on the contacts in order to ensure efficient signal transmission.
Because the drill string can be comprised of several hundred sections of drill pipe, it is desirable to locate the electrical system within each section of pipe and then provide for electrical connections when the sections are joined together. A decided drawback of such systems is the fact that the downhole environment is quite harsh. The drilling mud pumped through the drill string is abrasive and typically has a high salt content. In addition, the downhole environment typically involves high pressures and temperatures. Moreover, heavy grease is typically applied at the joints between pipe sections. Consequently, the reliance on an electrical contact between joined pipe sections is typically fraught with problems.
A fourth category includes systems that use a combination of electrical and magnetic principles. In particular, such systems have an electrical conductor running the length of the drill pipe and then convert the electrical signal into a corresponding magnetic field at one end. This magnetic field is passed to the adjacent drill pipe and then converted to back to an electrical signal. Examples of such systems are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,379,800 to Hare describes a system with a primary transformer coil, consisting of a wire wound around a soft iron core, being installed within an annular groove at one end of the pipe and a similar, secondary transformer coil, being installed within an annular groove at the other end of the pipe. When the pipes are connected, the primary and secondary coils are brought close together. Once the signal is transmitted across the joint, it is carried along the drill pipe by a wire connected to the coil in the opposite end of the pipe. The system also included condensers, rectifiers, and amplifiers to aid the transmission of the signal from one pipe to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,719 to Cloud, discloses a serial inductive coupling system including a series capacitor in each link to tune the system to a given pass band, typically around 3 kHz. The capacitor has the undesired feature of providing a narrow bandwidth. Cloud also suggested the use of a U-shaped trough of a "magnetic member" (see reference numeral 56 in FIG. 9). The materials suggested for this magnetic member include "Armco iron, nickel alloy, and magnetic steel." All of these materials conduct electricity. As such, it is believed that eddy currents develop in this magnetic member, thereby lowering the efficiency of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,031 to Lord proposed an improvement to the Hare Patent to help reduce the power required in the transformer system. Lord's patent describes a circuit similar to Hare's but with the addition of a transistor and the use of mercury-type penlight batteries as a power source at each joint. As an alternative power source, he proposed the use of chemical additives to the drilling fluid that could provide power to the transformers by electrolytic action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,544 to Howard describes a system that utilized a Hall Effect sensor as a means to bridge the drill pipe joint. In this system, an electromagnetic field generating coil having a ferrite core is employed to transmit data signals across the joint. The magnetic field is sensed in the adjacent pipe through a "Hall effect sensor"(no relation to the present inventors). The Hall effect sensor produces an electrical signal corresponding to the magnetic field strength and sends the signal along a conductor wire to the coil and the next joint.
Although U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,806,928 and 4,901,069 to Veneruso do not describe a system that is incorporated into individual sections of drill pipe; these patents do show a system for electromagnetic coupling a cable passing through the well bore to a downhole tool. The system described includes inner and outer induction coils which are cooperatively arranged and adapted so that one of coils can be dependently suspended from a well bore cable and lowered into coaxial alignment with the other coil that is positioned within the well bore and electrically connected to a downhole apparatus.
Another example of a downhole data transmission system that uses the principles of induction is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,268 to Meador. This patent shows a current-coupled system that uses two toroidal coils at each joint. Each coil is confined within an electrically conducting housing. A first electrically conducting housing surrounding the first coil, located in the end of one drill string component, is electrically connected to a second electrically conducting housing for the second coil, located in the end of the adjacent drill string component. In this way, as an electrical current is induced by the first coil in the first electrically conducting housing, that electrical current is conducted to the second electrically conducting housing, whereupon, a magnetic field is induced in the second coil. Thus, although the principles of induction are used, the system in the "268 patent relies on an electrical connection between adjacent components of the drill string. As such, it is subject to the problems described above in connection with the third category of systems.
Briefly stated, the invention is a system for transmitting data through a string of downhole components.
The object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable communications system for power transmission and for sending and receiving data along a drill string. This is achieved by means of an electromagnetic inductive coupler capable of power transmission and of transmitting and receiving a low power, high frequency, multiplexing carrier signal of greater than 10 kilobaud along the length of the drill string. In this manner, information on the sub-terranean conditions encountered during drilling and on the condition of the drill bit and other drill-string components may be communicated to the technicians located on the drilling platform. Furthermore, technicians on the surface may communicate directions to the drill bit and other downhole devices in response to the information received from the sensors, or in accordance with the pre-determined parameters for drilling the well.
The coupler consists of a means for producing an electro-magnetic field positioned within the tool joints of each section of drill pipe. Within the pipe sections, the couplers are connected by means of a conductor medium attached within the wall of the pipe bore. A low-wattage power source is provided and is placed in communication with at least one of the couplers. When the pipe sections are joined together, the respective couplers are in sufficiently close proximity that they share and electromagnetic field capable of transmitting power and sending and receiving the carrier signal. Without the aid of an additional power source or repeater to boost the signal, the signal may be transmitted along the conductor at least across the next joint. In this manner power and data may be transmitted along the entire drill string.
Another object of this invention is to provide a power and carrier signal that is resistant to the flow of drilling fluid, drill string vibrations, and electronic noise associated with drilling oil, gas, and geothermal wells.
Another object of this invention is to transmit and receive a carrier signal across several lengths of drill pipe without the aid of repeaters and additional electronic circuitry. This reduces the complexity of the communication system and increases its reliability.
Another object of this invention is to provide a coupler that is transparent to make up methods employed on the drilling platform, as well as maintenance procedures employed in re-machining the tool joints.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system includes a plurality of downhole components, such as section of pipe in a drill string. Each component has a first end and a second end, the first end of one downhole component being adapted to be connected to the second end of another downhole component.
Located proximate to the first end is a first magnetically conductive, electrically insulating element. This element includes a first U-shaped trough with a bottom, first and second sides and an opening between the two sides. A second magnetically conductive, electrically insulating element is located proximate the second end of each downhole component. This second element likewise includes a second U-shaped trough with a bottom, first and second sides and an opening between the two sides. The first and second troughs are configured so that the respective first and second sides and openings of the first and second troughs of connected components are substantially proximate to and substantially aligned with each other.
A first electrically conducting coil is located in each first trough, while a second electrically conducting coil is located in each second trough.
An electrical conductor is in electrical communication with and runs between each first and second coil in each component.
In operation, a varying current applied to a first coil in one component generates a varying magnetic field in the first magnetically conductive, electrically insulating element, which varying magnetic field is conducted to and thereby produces a varying magnetic field in the second magnetically conductive, electrically insulating element of a connected component, which magnetic field thereby generates a varying electrical current in the second coil in the connected component.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the system includes a plurality of downhole components, each with a pin end and a box end. Each pin end includes external threads tapering to a pin face, while each box end includes internal threads tapering to a shoulder face within the box end. The pin face and shoulder face are aligned with and proximate each other when the pin end of the one component is threaded into a box end of the other component. A first inductive coil located within a recess formed in each pin face, while a second inductive coil located within a recess formed in each shoulder face. An electrical conductor is included which is in electrical communication with and runs between each first and second coil in each component.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the system includes a plurality of downhole components, each with a first end and a second end, the first end of one downhole component being adapted to be connected to the second end of another downhole component. A first electrically conducting coil having no more than five turns, and preferably no more than two, most preferably no more than one, is placed at each first end, while a second electrically conducting coil having no more than five turns, and preferably no more than two, most preferably no more than one, is placed at each second end. The first and second coils of connected components are configured so as to be substantially proximate to and substantially aligned with each other. An electrical conductor is provided which is in electrical communication with and runs between each first and second coil in each component. In operation, a varying current applied to a first coil in one component generates a varying magnetic field, which magnetic field induces a varying electrical current in the second coil in the connected component, to thereby transmit a data signal.
In accordance with another aspect, the invention is a downhole tool adapted to transmit data over the systems described above.
The present invention provides the advantage that, as the data transmission line uses alternating conductive and inductive elements, the inductive elements at the end of each segment enable the transmission line to be lengthened or shortened during drilling operations without need for an electrically conductive path across the joint. Indeed, the only closed electrical path is within each individual element, which constitutes a single closed path for electrical current.
It should be noted that, as used herein, the term "downhole" is intended to have a relatively broad meaning, including such environments as drilling in oil and gas, gas and geothermal exploration, the systems of casings and other equipment used in oil, gas and geothermal production.
It should also be noted that the term "transmission" as used in connection with the phrase data transmission or the like, is intended to have a relatively broad meaning, referring to the passage of signals in at least one direction from one point to another.
It should further be noted that the term "magnetically conductive"refers to a material having a magnetic permeability greater than that of air.
It should further be noted that the term "electrically insulating"means having a high electrical resistivity, preferably greater than that of steel.
The present invention, together with attendant objects and advantages, will be best understood with reference to the detailed description below in connection with the attached drawings.
The electromagnetic couplers may be axially stacked within the bore of the pipe as a means for accommodating maintenance of the tool joints. As the pipes are assembled and disassembled, shoulders 27A and 29A will often become damaged. These shoulders are the primary seal for the pipe joint, and a leak at the joint may cause a "wash out"and catastrophic failure of the joint, itself. Therefore, it is necessary to re-machine the sealing surface of the joint, resulting in a change of length of pin and box ends. In order to compensate for the change in length, the internal shoulder housing the electromagnetic coupler may also have to be re-machined. In a staked configuration, the outside coupler may be machined away to compensate for the change of length of the tool joint and fresh coupler exposed in its place. Normally, three re-machinings of the pipe joint are allowed before the threads must be recut. Therefore, a stack of three couplers may be provided in each joint as a means for allowing for the maintenance of the joint without having to reinstall the entire system. Another method that would accommodate maintenance of the tool joints would be to provide for a mechanical connector between the coupler and the shoulder of the groove. The attached conductor means could then be permanently attached to the female side of the connector and the coupler could be attached to the male side. The female side of the coupler could be of a sufficient width to allow for re-machining. Then, when maintenance of the tool joints is required, the coupler could be removed, the joints along with the female side of the connector re-machined, and the couplers reinstalled.
These small batteries may also be installed within the drill pipe wall, or within the wall of a specially designed sub assembly, without materially affecting the strength of the pipe.
Referring to the drawings,
The data transmission system of the present invention may also be used with the casings, sensors, valves, and other tools used in oil and gas, or geothermal production.
The depicted section 11 includes a pin end 13, having external tapered threads 15 (see
There are several designs for the pin and box end of drill pipe. At present, the most preferred design to use with the present invention is that which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,212 to Grant Prideco, Inc. of Woodlands, Tex., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown in
An alternate design for the pin and box end is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,605, assigned to Hydrill Company, Houston, Tex. As seen in
As shown in
Preferably, the recess is machined into the face by conventional tools either before or after the tool joint is attached to the pipe. The dimensions of the recess can be varied depending on various factors. For one thing, it is desirable to form the recess in a location and with a size that will not interfere with the mechanical strength of the pin end. Further, in this orientation, the recesses are located so as to be substantially aligned as the joint is made up. Other factors will be discussed below.
As can be seen in these figures, the recess is preferably configured so as to open axially, that is, in a direction parallel to the length of the drill string. In an alternative embodiment shown in
A typical drill pipe alloy, 4140 alloy steel, having a Rockwell C hardness of 30 to 35, has a magnetic permeability of about 42. The magnetic permeability of a material is defined as the ratio of the magnetic flux density B established within a material divided by the magnetic field strength H of the magnetizing field. It is usually expressed as a dimensionless quantity relative to that of air (or a vacuum). It is preferably to close the magnetic path that couples the adjacent coils with a material having a magnetic permeability higher than the steel. However, if the magnetic material is itself electrically conducting, then they provide an alternate electrical path to that offered by the adjacent loops. The current thus generated are referred to as eddy currents; these are believed to be the primary source of the losses experienced in prior-art transformer schemes. Since the magnetic field is in a direction curling around the conductors, there is no need for magnetic continuity in the direction of the loop.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
One property of the MCEI element is that it is magnetically conducting. One measure of this property is referred to as the magnetic permeability discussed above. In general, the magnetically conducting components should have a magnetic permeability greater than air. Materials having too high of a magnetic permeability tend to have hysteresis losses associated with reversal of the magnetic domains themselves. Accordingly, a material is desired having a permeability sufficiently high to keep the field out of the steel and yet sufficiently low to minimize losses due to magnetic hysteresis. Preferably, the magnetic permeability of the MCEI element should be greater than that of steel, which is typically about 40 times that of air, more preferably greater than about 100 times that of air. Preferably, the magnetic permeability is less than about 2,000. More preferably, the MCEI element has a magnetic permeability les than about 800. Most preferably, the MCEI element has a magnetic permeability of about 125.
In order to avoid or reduce the eddy currents discussed above, the MCEI is preferably electrically insulating as well as magnetically conductive. Preferably, the MCEI element has an electrical resistivity greater than that of steel, which is typically about 12 micro-ohm cm. Most preferably, the MCEI has an electrical resistivity greater than about one million ohm-cm.
The MCEI element 27 is preferably made from a single material, which in and of itself has the properties of being magnetically conductive and electrically insulating. A particularly preferred material is ferrite. Ferrite is described in the on-line edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica as "a ceramic-like material with magnetic properties that are useful in many types of electronic devices. Ferrites are hard, brittle, iron-containing, and generally gray or black and are polycrystalline—i.e., made up of a large number of small crystals. They are composed of iron oxide and one or more other metals in chemical combination." The article on ferrite goes on to say that a "ferrite is formed by the reaction of ferric oxide (iron oxide or rust) with any of a number of other metals, including magnesium, aluminum, barium, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt, or even iron itself." Finally, the article states that the "most important properties of ferrites include high magnetic permeability and high electrical resistance." Consequently, some form of ferrite is ideal for the MCEI element in the present invention. Most preferably, the ferrite is one commercially available from Fair-Rite Products Corp., Wallkill, N.Y., grade 61, having a magnetic permeability of about 125. There are a number of other manufacturers that provide commercial products having a corresponding grade and permeability albeit under different designations.
As an alternative to using a single material that is both magnetically conductive and electrically insulating, the MCEI element can be made from a combination of materials selected and configured to give these properties to the element as a whole. For example, the element can be made from a matrix of particles of one material that is magnetically conductive and particles of another material that is electrically insulating, wherein the matrix is designed so as to prevent the conduction of electrical currents, while promoting the conduction of a magnetic current. One such material, composed of ferromagnetic metal particles molded in a polymer matrix, is known in the art as "powdered iron." Also, instead of a matrix, the MCEI element may be formed from laminations of a materials such as a silicon transformer steel separated by an electrically insulating material, such as a ceramic, mineral (mica), or a polymer. Because the induced electric field is always perpendicular to the magnetic field, the chief requirement for the MCEI element is that the magnetic field be accommodated in a direction that wraps around the coil, whereas electrical conduction should be blocked in the circumferential direction, perpendicular to the magnetic field and parallel to the coil.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the MCEI is formed from a single piece of ferrite of other piece of MCEI material. This can be accomplished by molding, sintering, or machining the ferrite to the desired shape and size.
In a more preferred embodiment shown in
As seen in
For a given application, the transformer diameter is fixed by the diameter of the pipe. The impedance of the transformer, and its desired operating frequency, can be adjusted by two factors: the number of turns in the conductor and the ratio of length to area of the magnetic path, which curls around the conductors. Increasing the number of turns decreases the operating frequency and increases the impedance. Lengthening the magnetic path, or making it narrower, also decreases the operating frequency and increases the impedance. This is accomplished by increasing the depth of the U-shaped trough or by decreasing the thickness of the side-walls. Adjusting the number of turns gives a large increment, while adjusting the dimensions of the trough enables small increments. Accordingly, the invention allows the impedance of the transformer portion of the transmission line to be precisely matched to that of the conductor portion, which is typically in the range of 30 to 120 ohms. Although an insulated copper wire is preferred, other electrically conductive materials, such as silver or copper coated steel, can be used to form the coil 63.
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
Because the faces 23 and 33 of the pin and box end may need to be machined in the field after extended use, it may preferred to design the troughs in the pin and box end with a shape and size so as to allow the first and second conductive coils to lie in the bottom of the respective troughs and still be separated a distance from the top of the respective first and second sides. As a result, the faces 23 and 33 can be machined without damaging the coils lying at the bottom of the troughs. In this embodiment, this distance is preferably at least about 0.01 inches, more preferably, this distance is at least about 0.06 inches.
An electrical conductor 67 is attached to the coil 63, in
Alternatively, the conductor can be a twisted pair of wires, although twisted pair generally suffers from higher attenuation than coaxial cable. Twisted pair generally has a characteristic impedance of about 120 ohms, which would provide a desired matching impedance to certain coil configurations. In addition, for certain configurations of drill pipe, there may be limited room at either end of the pipe for a large-diameter coaxial cable. In this case, a short length of twisted pair might provide a small-diameter transition between the coils at the ends of the pipe and a larger-diameter coaxial cable that runs most of the length of the pipe. For lengths of a few feet, the higher attenuation of twisted pair, and its mismatch of impedance to the coaxial cable are of little consequence. However, if desired, the impedance of the twisted pair can be matched to that of the coaxial cable with a small transmission line transformer (balun).
Although the pipe itself could be used as one leg of the current loop, coaxial cable is preferred, and most preferably the conductor loop is completely sealed and insulated from the pipe. It is preferable to select the electrical properties of the conductor so as to match the impedance of the coils to which it is attached. Preferably, the ratio of the impedance of the electrical conductor to the impedance of the first and second electrically conductive coils is between about 1:2 and 2:1. Most preferably, it is close to 1:1.
The preferred data transmission system provides a relatively broad bandwidth. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is currently believed that this is accomplished by the low number of turns of conductor and the low reluctance of the magnetic path, thus producing a surprisingly low mutual inductance for such a large diameter coil. For a two-turn coil with a 4.75-inch diameter, the mutual inductance of the assembled toroid is about 1 micro Henry. With a 50 ohm resistive load, peak signal transmission is at about 4 MHz, and at power transmission extends from about 1 MHz to about 12 MHz. The inductive reactance is about 65 ohms, and the attenuation is only about 0.35 dB per joint, equivalent to power transmission of about 92 percent. As adjacent segments are assembled, a serial filter is created, which has the effect of reducing the bandwidth. If each individual transformer had a narrow bandwidth, the band-pass of the filter would change as additional segments are added, which would require that each individual element be separately tuned according to its position in the system. Nevertheless, a surprising feature of the invention is that identical segments can be assembled in any arbitrary number of joints while still enabling efficient signal coupling. The 30-joint test described below gave a total attenuation of 37.5 dB (0.018% power transmission), of which 70% was in the coaxial cable itself, which was chosen to have a shield diameter of 0.047 inches. Maximum power transmission was at 4.2 MHz and the bandwidth, at half power, of 2 MHz. Thus a six volt, 90 milliwatt signal resulted in a detected signal, after 30 joints, of 80 mV.
Although possible problems relating to attenuation make it preferable to use an MCEI element in the system of the present invention, the inventors have found that using a coil having five turns or less can still produce a system with sufficient bandwidth to be useful. More preferably, such a system has 2 turns, and most preferably only a single turn 231. This alternative embodiment is shown in
It is preferred in the alternative embodiment in
Turning again to the preferred embodiment, and as shown in
These two holes can be drilled by conventional means. Preferably, they are drilled by a technique known as gun drilling. Preferably, the recesses can be machined and the holes can be drilled in the field, so as to allow for retrofitting of existing drill pipe sections with the data transmission system of the present invention in the field.
As can be seen in
After exiting the holes 69 and 70, the electrical conductor passes through the interior of the body of the pipe section. Accordingly, it is important to provide the electrical conductor with insulation that can withstand the harsh conditions as well. At present, the preferred material with which to insulate the conductor 67 is PEEK�. As shown in
In addition to the protection provided by an insulator like the tube of PEEK� described above, it is also preferable to apply a coating to add further protection for the electrical conductor 67. Referring to
The accelerometer 195 is connected to a circuit board 197, which generates a carrier signal and modulates it with the signal from the accelerometer.
The circuit board 197 is connected through conductor 199 to a coil in the MCEI element 187 at the bit end of the sub. It then communicates through MCEI element 189, conductor element 191, and MCEI element 193, to the opposite end of the sub, which is adapted to connect to corresponding elements in the drill string. As such, the sub 183 is adapted to communicate with the pin end of a section of drill pipe or some other downhole component.
Many other types of data sources are important to management of a drilling operation. These include parameters such as hole temperature and pressure, salinity and pH of the drilling mud, magnetic declination and horizontal declination of the bottom-hole assembly, seismic look-ahead information about the surrounding formation, electrical resistivity of the formation, pore pressure of the formation, gamma ray characterization of the formation, and so forth. The high data rate provided by the present invention provides the opportunity for better use of this type of data and for the development of gathering and use of other types of data not presently available.
Preferably, the system will transmit data at a rate of at least 100 bits/second, more preferably, at least 20,000 bits/second, and most preferably, at least about 1,000,000 bits/second.
An advantage of the present invention is that it requires relatively low power and has a relatively high preservation of signal. Thus, the system preferably transmits data through at least 10 components powered only by the varying current supplied to one of the first conductive soils in one of the components. More preferably, the system transmits data through at least 20 components powered only by the varying current supplied to one of the first conductive coils in one of the components.
Preferably, the varying current supplied to the first conductive coil in the one component is driving a varying potential having a peak to peak value of between about 10 mV and about 20 V. Preferably, the current loss between two connected components is less than about 5 percent. Put another way, it is preferred that the power loss between two connected components is less than about 15 percent.
It is anticipated that the transmission line of the invention will typically transmit the information signal a distance of 1,000 to 2,000 feet before the signal is attenuated to the point where it will require amplification. This distance can be increased by sending a stronger signal, with attendant increased power consumption. However, many wells are drilled to depths of up to 20,000 to 30,000 feet, which would necessitate use of repeaters to refurbish the signal. Preferably, the amplifying units are provided in no more than 10 percent of the components in the string of downhole components, more preferably, no more than 5 percent.
In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, any source of information along the drill string, such as the bit sub illustrated in
Although the invention provides a sufficiently broad-band signal to allow simultaneous transmission of information in each direction (full duplex), it is anticipated, because of the attenuation characteristics of the invention, that the most efficient communication will be half duplex, with a signal being sent from one end of the network to the other in one direction before a signal is sent in the opposite direction (half duplex). Alternatively, an asynchronous transmission line might be set up, with, for instance, 80% of the bandwidth reserved for upstream data and 20% for downstream commands. A control computer at the surface will relay a command down-hole requesting that an identified node send a packet of information. Each repeater examines the identifying header in the command packet. If the header matches its own address, it responds; otherwise, it simply relays the packet on down the network in the same direction. In this manner, many smart nodes can share a common transmission line. Any known scheme for collision detection or avoidance may be used to optimize access to the transmission medium.
Other types of data sources for downhole applications are inclinometers, thermocouples, gamma ray detectors, acoustic wave detectors, neutron sensors, pressure transducers, potentiometers, and strain gages.
Communications on the network are made pursuant to a network protocol. Examples of some commercial protocols are ATM, TCP/IP, Token Ring, and Ethernet. The efficiencies of the present system may require a novel protocol as well. A protocol is an established rule on what the data frame is comprised of. The data frame usually includes a frame header, a datagram, and a CRC. The body of the frame may vary depending on what type of datagram is in use, such as an IP datagram. The end of the frame is a CRC code used for error correction. The IP datagram consists of a header and IP datagram data. In an open system, more than one type of datagram is transported over the same communications channel. The header is further broken down into other information such as header information, source IP address and destination IP address, required by the protocol so that each node knows the origin and destination of each data frame. In this manner the downhole network will allow each node to communicate with the sensors and the surface equipment in order to optimize drilling parameters.
Although the primary purpose of the invention is for relaying of information, a limited amount of power can be transmitted along the transmission line. For instance, it may be desirable to have a second class of nodes distributed at intervals between the primary repeaters. The primary repeaters will be powered by batteries or by a device, such as a turbine, which extracts energy from the mud stream. The secondary nodes may incorporate low power circuits to provide local information of secondary importance, using energy from the transmission line itself. They would not constitute repeaters, since they would be in parallel with the existing transmission line. These secondary nodes may, for instance, tap a small amount of energy from the line to keep a capacitor or battery charged, so that when they are queried from the top at infrequent intervals they can send a brief packet of information at full signal strength. Using this principle, it might be possible to house a small low-power secondary node in every section of drill pipe, thereby providing a continuously distributed DLAN.
The following examples are provided by way of illustration and explanation and as such are not to be viewed as limiting the scope of the present invention.
Bench Test. Bench tests stimulating connected pipe joints were conducted. The tests incorporated 30 sets of inductively coupled joints incorporating flexible segmented ferrite MCEI units in steel rings with recesses machined therein, each set being joined together in series by 34 feet of coaxial cable. The coupler consisted of 0.25-inch long by 0.100-inch diameter ferrite cylinders of permeability 125, having an inside diameter of about 0.05 inches, which were ground in half parallel to the cylindrical axis after infiltration with epoxy, bonding to a nylon chord substrate, and bonding into the groove in the steel. This simulated joint was used to characterize system transmission. A 2-volt peak-to-peak sinusoidal signal from a single 50-ohm, 2.5-mW power source energized the coupler of the first joint and produced a 22 mV, signal at last joint, into a 50 ohm load. Peak signal transmission was at 4.3 MHz, with a band width, at half height, of 2 MHz, The average attenuation in each pipe segment was about 1.2 dB, corresponding to about 78% power transmission. About 70% of the attenuation was in the coaxial cable, which had a relatively small shield diameter (0.047 inches). The carrier signal was modulated with both analog and digital signals, demonstrating that that a recoverable, low power, high frequency, 56 kilobaud signal is achievable across 1000 feet of interconnected drill pipe without the aid of an additional power boost or signal restoration.
Drilling test. XT57 tool joints, one a pin end and the other a box-end, were obtained from Grant Prideco, Houston, Tex. The joints had an outside diameter of approximately 7″ and an inside diameter of 4.750 inches, and they were adapted to receive the coupling transducer by machining an annular groove measuring 0.125″�0.200″ deep, having a full radius bottom surface of 0.060″, approximately in the center of the 0.550″ wide external and internal secondary shoulders, respectively, of the pin and box ends. 0.500″ internal shoulder was also machined into the pin-end joint approximately 9 inches from the end opposite its secondary shoulder. The machining increased a portion of the internal diameter of the pin end to about 5.250″. A 0.375 inches borehole was gun drilled through the sidewalls of the two joints, parallel to their longitudinal axis. In the pin end, the borehole commenced within the groove and exited the internal shoulder. In the box end, the borehole commenced within the groove and exited the opposite end of the joint. The two joints were welded together, simulating a full-length pipe that normally would be more than 30 feet long. The change in the internal diameter of the welded joints allowed for positioning 30 feet of coaxial cable within the joint so that the test would electrically equivalent to a fullength section of pipe.
The coupling transducer, having a nominal diameter of 4.700″, comprising a grade 61 ferrite, with a permeability of about 125, obtained from Fair-Rite, was disposed within the annular grooves. The core of the coupler consisted of a segmented annular ferrite ring measuring approximately 0.100″ wide by 0.050″ high having a 0.050-inch diameter groove centrally located on its exposed face. The ferrite segments were attached to a substrate consisting of an epoxy impregnated nylon cord that served as a backing for the ferrite during the manufacturing process. A coil having two loops of 22-gauge (0.025 inch diameter), enamel coated copper magnet wire, was wound within the ferrite groove and held in place with aircraft epoxy. The wire and ferrite assembly were affixed within the grooves in the steel using a thermally cured polyurethane resin. The ends of the copper wire were allowed to extend approximately 0.5 inches beyond the coupler apparatus and were soldered to the conductors of a type 1674A, coaxial cable, 34 feet long, having a characteristic impedance 50 ohms, obtained from Beldon Cable. The cable was protectively sheathed within a thermoplastic PEEK� material obtained from Zeus Products, and the length of the cable was coiled within the hollow portion of the joint assembly and held in place with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sleeve.
A drilling test was conducted in a 100 foot well using thirty physically short, electronically full-length joints configured as described above. A seven-inch roller-cone bit sub from Reed Tool was fitted with an accelerometer, an FM modulator, and a battery power supply, which were sealed in a annular insert housed within the crossover sub connecting the drill string with the bit. The joints were assembled so that their respective transducers were concentrically aligned to within approximately 0.010″ of each other. In the test the drill bit drilled a cement plug with and without the aid of a drilling fluid. A 6V peak-to-peak sinusoidal signal (90 mW into 50 ohm) at the bit sub gave a clean 80 mV PP signal (50 ohm load) at the surface, which was 32 inductive couples and approximately 1000 electrical feet above the source signal. The two extra inductive pairs comprised a pair at the accelerometer sub and a rotary pair at the top drive. The audible portion of the accelerometer signal (below 20 kHz) produced an audio signal that enabled the ear to discriminate mud turbulence from drilling activity.
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|U.S. Classification
|340/853.1, 340/854.1, 340/870.31, 175/40, 166/242.6
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 10, 2004
Owner name: NOVATEK, INC., UTAH
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HALL, DAVID R.;HALL, JR., H. TRACY;PIXTON, DAVID S.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:014610/0421
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|Jun 10, 2004
Owner name: INTELLISERV, INC., UTAH
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|Mar 24, 2005
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|Dec 15, 2005
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|Sep 18, 2006
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|Dec 21, 2007
Owner name: INTELLISERV INTERNATIONAL HOLDING, LTD., TEXAS
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Effective date: 20070801
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Insiders say he is preparing for party polls and will be making leadership changes in other states as well.
KUALA LUMPUR: G Palanivel's recent takeover of the Perak MIC chairmanship is part of a larger plan to strengthen his position as he prepares for party elections due next year, party insiders have told FMT.
They said the party president would move next to Kedah, where he might make sweeping changes in the MIC leadership there.
Palanivel sent shockwaves across much of the MIC membership last Monday, when he took over the Perak job from S Veerasingam, a veteran party leader who is well regarded by Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.
He said the move was to strengthen MIC's position in the state, but FMT's sources said it was to tighten his own grip on the party and weaken the faction aligned to former president S Samy Vellu.
One source, a party veteran in Perak, said Palanivel was on a mission to "snatch" Perak from the former president's men and would be moving to other states to ensure the dominance of his own supporters.
It is widely believed that deputy president Dr S Subramaniam will challenge him for the top party post next year.
The party veteran said Palanivel's move to place his men in strategic positions began last year in Negri Sembilan, when he appointed T Rajagopalu as state party chief in place of VS Mohan. Mohan, a strong supporter of Samy Vellu, was moved to party headquarters as information chief.
Rajagopalu was once also a Samy Vellu man, but later switched his allegiance to Palanivel.
"After Negri Sembilan, it is now Perak's turn," said the veteran. "And it will continue in Kedah, Pahang and Malacca."
Currently, the top party posts in Kedah, Pahang and Malacca are held respectively by S Ananthan, M Davendran and R Perumal. None of FMT's sources would speculate whom Palanivel would replace them with.
Ganesan in the picture
The party veteran also claimed that Palanivel had already secured a pact with the party chiefs in Penang and Johor.
Asked who would eventually assume the chairmanship in Perak, he said Palanivel would likely choose State Legislative Assembly speaker R Ganesan. However, he added, 18 division chiefs had signed a letter urging the party president not to appoint Ganesan as state chairman.
"The letter was sent to the president about two weeks ago."
He also said Ganesan, who had been eyeing the Tapah parliamentary seat for the coming election, had been told he would be fielded for the Hutan Melintang state seat.
"Perhaps, if BN wins in Perak, Ganesan will be appointed as an executive councillor and also state MIC chief."

subset: commoncrawl


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Being Mrs Elliott Nollywood Movie Trailer: Omoni Oboli Releases First Movie
May 21, 2014 – Being Mrs Elliott Nigerian Movie Trailer: Omoni Oboli Releases First Movie
Nollywood actress-turned movie producer Omoni Oboli has released the official trailer of her upcoming movie entitled 'Being Mrs Elliott'.
The highly anticipated flick starred Lepacious Bose, Comedian Ayo Makun, AY, Seun Akindele, Bishop Umoh, Sylvia Oluchi and many others.
It was directed by Desmond Elliot and produced by Omoni Oboli.
The actress also starred her kids in the movie.
Watch Being Mrs Elliott movie trailer below:


text: So which one of you wonderful people volunteered to give a talk on Haskell at the coming LugRadio Live? I'm afraid I didn't catch the name, though it might have been a Magnus something? It might be enough to make me go if I knew there would be some funky Haskelling going on. Cheers, D. -- Dougal Stanton


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Flipping open a calendar to the first shiny month always makes me happy. January offers fresh starts and new beginnings and is also the birth month of a few of my favorite people (including my bff and co-editor Stef); I seem to be drawn to Capricorns. To celebrate the practical, independent and ambitious Capricorns, this 4 for Friday we're looking a few gems geared towards those born under the Sign of the Goat.
• Proudly declare yourself a Capricorns in this Goat Tank Top Tunic in graphic black and white. The long and flowy tee is made of 100% cotton and features a hand crafted, over-sized silk screen print of a majestic goat. $19
•Your favorite Capricorn will be drinking in style with this Vintage Zodiac Glass Goblet. The large glass goblet in a retro mint green measures 8 inches tall and 5 inches wide, and has a boldly painted goat graphic on the side. It's perfect for a (large) glass of wine to relax a hard-working Capricorn. $15
•Did you know Capricorns have a special relationship with nature? This Organic Perfume Oil is crafted especially for Capricorns with a hand formulated blend of essential oils, absolutes, and attars that correlate to the sign. This perfume boats natural notes like Oakmoss, Lime Spikenard and Vetiver to represent the nature loving Capricorn. $29
• Most, but not all Capricorns are born in January, so I couldn't resist a piece in many Goat's gem birth stone. This Sterling Silver Garnet Necklace will please the simplicity loving Capricorn. Custom designed and hand fabricated this piece is crafted of solid sterling that has been deeply oxidized and hand polished centered around a single garnet gemstone. $64
Readers – who is the favorite Capricorn in your life?
Tyna, co-founder and co-editor of wht, worries about becoming a crazy cat lady, reads at least a book a week, checks in at a Flyers fan forum every morning and is forever (some say obsessively) organizing her closets and drawers.


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The Iowa Hawkeyes continue to ride a wave of momentum on the recruiting trail that started just over two weeks ago with the commitment of their first prospect in the 2013 class. On Monday, the Hawkeye's grabbed commitment No. 6, from Centerville, Ohio defensive tackle Brant Gressel.
"Basically I felt right at home when I was out there and felt like I could fit right in with their defensive scheme," Gressel said following his commitment. "The coaches couldn't have been nicer and welcoming. It was the right time to do it and I feel great about it."
The 6-foot-2, 280-pound Gressel is the second defensive tackle to commit to the Hawkeyes this week, joining Howells, Neb., three-star Nathan Bazata. Iowa coaches have told recruits they plan on taking three at the position in the 2013 class.
Article Continues Below
Gressel had been steadily adding offers over the last several months, and held more than a dozen when he committed to the Hawkeyes on Monday. Among the teams Iowa beat out were Cincinnati, Louisville, Minnesota, N.C. State, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.
Gressel's commitment comes days after he made an unofficial visit to Iowa City, meeting with coaches and academic personnel, while also touring the campus and stadium. He capped the trip by talking with the Hawkeye's head coach.
"I got to sit down with the head coach, Coach [Kirk] Ferentz, for about thirty or forty minutes and chatted about how the visit went and just kind of talked a little bit and that was about it," Gressel told HawkeyeReport.com following the visit. "I had a great time. It was a great visit."
With Gressel in the mix, Iowa has now picked up six commitments in the 2013 class, including four linemen.


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As ObamaCare continues to be implemented, a number of new and surprising cost increases are being revealed in areas where consumers least expect it. According to Fox News, a provision in the healthcare law requires supermarket owners to add special labels to food, a requirement that would "overburden thousands of grocers and convenience store owners."
Fox News reported on the rule, "The rule stems from an Obamacare mandate that restaurants provide nutrition information on menus. Most in the restaurant industry were supportive of the idea, but when the FDA decided to extend the provision to also affect thousands of supermarkets and convenience stores, the backlash was swift."
Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) states that companies with over 20 restaurants or vending machines must post nutrition content for standard menu items, and that vending machines must "provide a sign in close proximity to each article of food or the selection button that includes a clear and conspicuous statement disclosing the number of calories contained in the article."
Store owners would be mandated to label prepared foods, unpackaged foods found in salad bars and food bars, as well as soups and bakery items.
Erik Lieberman, regulatory counsel at the Food Marketing Institute, asserts that in order for store owners to comply, they would have to test foods with either expensive software or expensive off-site laboratory assessments. Regardless of which method, it would result in increased food costs for consumers.
"This is a huge burden. Before we sell an item — like this apple pie — we have to send it to a laboratory for analysis, we have to compile eight different records on the item, we have to put that sign up there which says 300 calories," Lieberman told Fox News' Shannon Bream last month.
"We have to invest a lot of money to do this and this is money that we're not investing in creating jobs or developing our stores and — savings that we can't pass on to consumers."
According to Lieberman, the cost of the regulation is estimated to be around $1 billion in the first year alone.
Store owners are begrudging the possibility of increased costs that will have to be passed on to consumers. "Well, I mean the supermarket industry is a business that's well known, that our net profit line and average and has been forever ... 1 percent," grocery store owner Tom Heinen said. "So when you incur a significant cost, there is no way that that doesn't get passed onto the customer in some form."
Lieberman made similar assertions during his interview with Fox News' Shannon Bream: "Because of this we could see a number of items going away and I can guarantee you that shoppers are going to see higher prices at the register," he stated. He added that a failure to accurately assess nutritional data results in strict penalties. "If you don't label, supermarkets face thousands of dollars worth of fines and executives of supermarkets could be put in federal jails," said Lieberman. "You can go to jail if you don't label the foods correctly under this federal regulation."
The Food and Drug Administration defends this provision by claiming that the purpose of ObamaCare is to help Americans improve their health, and that the labeling requirements would do just that.
In the text of the proposed regulation, the FDA states: "[The information] should help consumers limit excess calorie intake and understand how the foods that they purchase at these establishments fit within their daily caloric and other nutritional needs."
Critics of the regulation indicate that the benefits do not outweigh the costs and point to a 2011 executive order signed by President Obama that states that agencies must calculate a cost-benefit analysis for all new regulations and opt for the least burdensome regulations. "They are required to do it, and they didn't," Lieberman said. "They simply said, 'We can't quantify a benefit from this rule,' and that's because they really can't."
The FDA reports that it has already received hundreds of public comments on the proposal and will take them into consideration when finalizing the regulation.
The FDA mandate already confounded vending machine operators and restaurant owners in 2010 when it was first learned that they would have to disclose calories contents of the foods they sell, especially since the FDA did little at the time to provide guidance to businesses. CNS News reported at the time, "The FDA … has not been able to give vending machine operators complete and final guidance on how they should make their machines comply with the law, thus causing 'confusion' and 'frustration' in the industry."
"There's definitely confusion and a little bit of frustration from our folks who want to comply with the regulations," said Neal Monroe, vice president of government affairs at the National Automatic Merchandising Association.
Vending machine operators voiced similar concerns to those now being heard from storeowners regarding the staggering costs that the food labeling mandate would add to already struggling businesses. "To give you an idea of the economic impact, a vending operator who has just 20 machines is making less than $4,000 a year in profit," said Monroe. "And these regulations cost between $3 and $100 per machine."
"This could be an enormous economic hit for them," he told CNSNews.com.
"What we are concerned about is the impact of the regulation on our small business people in this economic situation," said Monroe. "The climate is pretty tough. As unemployment increases, there are fewer workers in the factories, there are fewer people buying snacks, so this is a — a pretty tough economic hit."
Critics are viewing the food-labeling mandate found within ObamaCare to be yet another flagrant example of the growing nanny state. Human Events opined on the provision:
Getting it "right" will make America look even more like a nation of hapless children, wandering aimlessly through a world wallpapered in warning labels and federally mandated advisory notices, most of which they never bother to read. Creeping socialism is awesome, isn't it?
The agency contends that the regulation will be released in the spring along with a final "economic analysis."


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Terrence Austin WR FA 5 years ago
Redskins waived WR Terrence Austin.
A seventh-round pick out of UCLA in 2010, Austin made 15 catches for 184 yards in 18 appearances. The 5'11/175 speedster will try to latch on as a slot man and potential returner elsewhere.
Terrence Austin WR FA 6 years ago
Terrence Austin played the second-most snaps among Redskins wideouts in Sunday's loss to the Bills.
With Santana Moss (hand) sidelined, Jabar Gaffney played 49 snaps, Austin saw 37 and Niles Paul got 30. Austin, a slot receiver, ended up with two catches for 22 yards and Paul did not record a reception. Outside of Fred Davis, this entire passing game is hands off in fantasy.
Terrence Austin WR FA 6 years ago
Terrence Austin caught three passes for 26 yards in Sunday's loss to the Panthers.
Austin racked up six targets, most of which came after Santana Moss (hand) left the game. The 2010 second-round pick will likely serve as the Redskins' primary slot receiver in three-wide sets going forward, but his upside is capped by his size and the Redskins' quarterback situation. He's someone to monitor more than add, even in deep formats.
Terrence Austin WR FA 6 years ago
Terrence Austin led the Redskins with 71 yards and a touchdown on five catches in the Redskins' third preseason game.
He's playing his way onto the roster. Most of Austin's production came in garbage time, but he's shown a strong connection with John Beck in back-to-back impressive games. Austin will be no higher than fifth on the depth chart to enter the season.
Terrence Austin WR FA 6 years ago
Redskins WR Terrence Austin is "making it very hard on coaches to cut him."
Austin hauled in three catches for 23 yards in the Redskins' preseason tilt with the Colts on Friday after catching two balls for 46 yards against the Steelers last week. Under-sized at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Austin is going to have to continue to shine if he wants to make the team after being active just five times as a rookie in 2010.


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The Golf Club at Devils Tower marks the frontier for a new breed of sportsman. What began as the Neiman family's dream of a golf course tucked away from the clamor of civilization has developed into a golf community honored as America's Top Facility by the National Golf Foundation. The Club boasts an 18-hole, championship golf course spread graciously over approximately 150 acres. The Club House and Pro Shop overlook the course and adjacent practice area, and McAvoy's, a full service restaurant, features regional cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating. With world-class hunting, recreation and climbing, the Club is an excellent destination for both family and corporate gatherings. Now this natural haven, home to national treasures, rich native history, legends and legacies, awaits you.
Unspoiled, unbridled and just minutes from our nation's first National Monument, The Golf Club at Devils Tower is where pure sport meets the spirit of the American West. Visitors are invited to play the Club's exclusive course with a Discovery Package including: Two 18-hole rounds of championship golf and a night's stay at a signature property on the course. With packages starting at $275 per person, today is the perfect day to plan your Wyoming Vacation!


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Nice runs for everyone today!!
6+ soggy miles earlier this evening on the rail trail ... chilly enough to see your breath.
rmcj001 nice paces for your run
NH Runner 12 miles is a good distance
adkkev still no spring?
I did some doubles, because I have Mon. Sat. Sun. off this week and was trying to make up the difference. I have a local marathon in about a month, which I am not ready for, but signed up anyways just for fun. ( walking breaks will be involved)
6 miles plus weight machines.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
20 minutes on the treadmil today, just a quick recovery run. I got a little carried away the last few days in my come-back and my legs need a break.
Chantilly, good luck in your marathon. I swore 'em off this year, but if I have a good summer I may jump in and run one in the Fall.
A comfortable 5 mile run this morning. Nice running weather and quiet.
Art in AZ
Mesa, AZ
Chantilly ... we had a taste of spring for a few days & then POOF! it was gone. Meh, it's April, so you have to expect it.
7 damp & cool miles around town this evening ... 2000' elly gain/loss.
8 easy miles today, nearly 80F very sluggish after yesterday.
Chantilly, Rich, Art, adkkev - good runs all!
5 miles today running the breakdown lane on the highway. The hardest things for me to get engrained into my thick skull is to run relaxed and to drive with my core. I managed to get into a good rythmn today and do both and it showed, splits were 9:03, 8:35, 8:35, 8:32 and 8:35. Now if I can just do something about this thick skull...
adkkev.... you run some crazy hills, but they're worth it, nothing makes your legs burn like a good hill...lol
Good runs everyone...
Snow on the grass when I woke this morning! Did 4.4 on TM to warm up, then headed out to finish 13.1, my longest run before Door County Half Marathon on 5/4. I checked the temp, but not the wind before leaving. After a mile or so called DW to bring my windbreaker and balaclava, then was fine the rest of the way. Tried a new road to add mileage and found some nice hills to work into the routine. Added a little too much mileage so ended up doing 14.4 over all. As I was finishing snow flakes were starting to come down, felt colder than when I left! My race is north of where I live in WI, so I'm REALLY hoping for a warm up by early May.
Do you have room for another?
4-13 Long Run day for me :35 minutes
4-14 Walk-only :10 minutes
Do you have room for another?
Fran50- You betch we've got room! Welcome. Good to hear your back at it and making progress. The "Hi!" thread is also a good place for over 50 support. What part of the country to you live in?
Fran - Welcome, there's always room.
Dan - Nice long run there!
Sunday, Artichoke Half Marathon - 13.4 miles in 1:51:34 by my watch. Results won't be out til Tuesday - very low tech. 43+ miles this week, first time over 40! Race report will be in "Hi" thread and gotta get to those taxes
4 miles on the railtrail for me today. We got a couple inches of snow the other day and it's melted, but the result was mud on the railtrail today. I tiptoed along and had a reasonably good run, splits were 9:59, 9:31, 9:50 and 9:25. Gives me 38 miles/week
Nice run Dan
Welcome aboard Fran
Ray, that's a solid race so soon after your injury, good for you! Nice weekly mileage too!
A very rough week for mr. Tuesday I did a 6.19 mile run. Wednesday I ran 6 miles. It was raining heavy so I wore what looks like a waterproof light nylon hoodie over a long sleeve cotton tee and a pair of sweatpants to keep me warm. Big mistake, the nylon was not very waterproof and soaked through in just a few minutes and I was soaked. The cotton sweatpants got heavy when wet. Luckly the rain stopped after the first mile. But the wet shirt rubbed against me and I had bloody nipples which left two red dots on my shirt. Should have learned from past experiences that if I am going to get a wet shirt to put bandaids on my nips to protect them. Thurday I ran again, 4.15 miles. There had been a bit of freezing rain earlier and there was some pretty ice on the trees. Friday, my plan was to do a 13 mile run followed by a 4 mile run Saturday or Sunday. This would have given me a nice workout of a 40 mile week. However, I had to go into Rochester and got back too late on Friday. I modified my plan to do the long run on Monday, when I was to be on vacation. Saturday I was tired and just rested. Sunday, after work I went for a 3.87 mile run. Lovely day, 53 degrees. Like all the runs from my house it started in the village running on sidewalks. Half a mile into the run my foot caught on a crack and I went forward. Usually I am able to catch myself in a stumble, but this happened so fast. My hands went out to break the fall, but I had so much forward momentum that my legs flew up and my mouth hit the pavement. I picked myself up. My hands felt numb from the fall. My lip was bleeding and a front tooth was chipped. Note that this tooth had been broken before on a previous mishap when I slipped trying to move a rock in my backyard and was repaired by the dentist with some type of ceramic material. Like a true running nut I finished my run, it helped me to calm down and I had a fairly fast pace for me of 10:57. My girlfriend insisted I go to emergancy where they put some tiny stiches into my lip and took xrays of my wrists, which were hurting me by this time. Since then I have seen the dentist, who will fix my tooth in a few weeks, and an orthopaedic doctor, who said I had bilateral wrist strain and gave me wrist braces to wear for the next two week. Fortunately, he said that my scaploid bones (small bones in the hand) were not fractured, which was the concern of my primary doctor. Anyway, the reasonable thing for me is not to risk injuring my wrists again so soon and stop running until I am better. I was making good progress and hate to lose any of my fitness level by inactivity, but what can I do. I will still be able to go on walks and will just have to get back into my runs when I can and start again from whatever level I am at.


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FIR against VHP leader Pravin Togadia for 'hate speech', EC seeks report
An FIR was filed against VHP president Pravin Togadia on Monday after he allegedly said that Muslims should be stopped from buying property in Hindu-majority areas, drawing sharp attacks from various political parties. BJP asks leaders to maintain restraintindia Updated: Apr 22, 2014 07:12 IST
An FIR was filed against VHP president Pravin Togadia on Monday after he allegedly said that Muslims should be stopped from buying property in Hindu-majority areas, drawing sharp attacks from various political parties. While the VHP leader denied making any anti-Muslim remark, the election commission sought a tape of his speech.
The BJP defended Togadia earlier in the day. "I talked to Togadiaji. He said he did not make such a statement," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told news persons in New Delhi.
Togadia sent a legal notice as most television chanels began flashing the news report. "That the report about a misinformed incident in Gujarat as appeared in an English newspaper... which per our information, has appeared in the said newspaper's almost all India editions under varied headlines, is false, malafide and mischievous," the notice said.
The election commission has sought the alleged recording of speech made by Togadia. According to news reports, the VHP leader, at a Saturday rally in Bhavnagar of Gujarat, said Muslims should be stopped from buying properties in Hindu areas.
Read: EC seeks tape of Togadia's speech
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Ram Madhav echoed similar sentiments.
"Pravinbhai had not said anything that was attributed to him. It was fabricated news. No Swayamsevak thinks on those lines," Madhav tweeted. "No RSS member would ever force such views... We are one nation," he said.
Watch video: Modi must take action against Togadia: Congress
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), meanwhile, demanded action against Togadia for "vitiating the peaceful atmosphere" during elections.
"This is an extremely shocking and a shameful act and goes against the constitution of India which provides equality and freedom for every citizen.
Read: Furore after VHP leader Togadia warns Muslims against buying properties in 'Hindu areas'
"The AAP also demands that the Election Commission of India should direct immediate registration of an FIR against Togadia and the commission should take strict action against him, so that he is not allowed to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere during elections," a statement by the AAP read.
The Congress also came down heavily on Togadia for "spreading venom". It said the VHP leader should be "hospitalised" for treatment.
"He always spreads venom, you know that. And he belongs to that category of people in this country who do not believe in the unity and the integrity of India. What can you say about people like this?" Congress leader and Union minister Kapil Sibal said.
Slamming the alleged statement, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said, "Togadia seems to be influenced by Taliban mentality... No action has been taken against him due to a weak government".
Fatehpuri mosque's Mufti Mukkaram said the VHP leader should be arrested immediately.
The CPI(M) also lashed out at the VHP leader for his "hate speech" and sought his immediate arrest, saying that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who also holds the home portfolio, should take this action.
"As the home Minister of Gujarat, Modi should himself act (against Togadia) for his hate speech. If he doesn't, then it is clear that Togadia said all this with his blessings," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said.
According to news reports, Togadia, at a Saturday rally in Bhavnagar of Gujarat, said Muslims should be stopped from buying properties in Hindu areas.
Togadia joined a group of VHP and Bajrang Dal members on Saturday night in a street protest outside a house purchased by a Muslim businessman near Meghani Circle in Bhavnagar.
In Togadia's remark, BJP sees a ploy by hardliners to derail Modi, Lok Sabha bid
While saffron groups have been regularly organising "Ram Dhun" and "Ram Darbar" programmes to thwart such deals, Togadia reportedly went a step further and asked the protestors to take complete control of the house and put a "Bajrang Dal" board on it.
The report said he gave the Muslim occupants 48 hours to vacate the house.
HT Edit:
BJP's Hindutva proponents are embarassing the party
"If he does not relent, go with stones, tyres and tomatoes to his office. There is nothing wrong in it. Killers of Rajiv Gandhi have not been hanged ... there is nothing to fear and the case will go on," Togadia was quoted in the report as saying.


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Health Insurance Industry Wants Insurance Mandate
If a new healthcare policy will require insurance companies to accept everyone, regardless of preexisting conditions, these companies want the government to require every American to buy coverage, or suffer a tax penalty. The board of the America's Health Insurance Plans endorsed such an arrangement this week, offering support to an impending change from the current system. The president of the group said:
We're going to provide all the technical background that we have assembled, all the experience we've assembled at the state level, and we're going to work very hard with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. We want to make sure that whatever reforms are advanced, no one falls through the cracks.
Perhaps bolstered by the support from the industry that the Clintons lacked in the 90s, Barack Obama's chief-of-staff in waiting Rahm Emanuel told business leaders last night that the Obama administration will not accept incremental reform — they're looking for truly universal healthcare. He said that the Obama administration will "throw long and deep" on other major issues as well.
With the insurance companies putting down their arms, and even offering assistance, it looks like real healthcare reform could happen in the near future. Throw in the possibility of a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority, and the possibilities for change seem endless. Do you think Congress will ditch its tendency for inaction? Do you want it to?


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Add architectural interest to a blank wall with this Crown Moulding Shelf. It creates the perfect display ledge to showcase your favorite photos and collectibles. Features a beautiful cream white finish. Use several to create a home gallery.
- Dimensions: 24 in. L x 5.5 in. D
- White lacquered finish
- An elegant way to display collectibles, framed photos or other cherished objects
- Choose from a variety of colors and styles


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Dr. Sam Marathe of Medical Specialists of St. Augustine defended himself Monday against claims that he mismanaged a St. Augustine primary care clinic back in 2003.
Marathe is set to appear before the St. Johns County Commission this morning to seek a contract for $1.8 million a year to run a new primary care clinic in St. Augustine.
The clinic building, at State Road 207 and Osceola Road, is already being built.
The county money he seeks also will support operations at the clinic Marathe operates in Hastings, where for the past six years Medical Specialist physicians have treated indigent and paying patients.
This is the second time Marathe has sought to run a clinic in West Augustine.
In 2002, he operated St. Johns Health Services Inc., which was formed by then Health Department chief Dr. James Walker and operated out of the Health & Human Services Building on U.S. 1 South. That clinic closed in 2003.
Marathe is unhappy over comments by Commissioner Jim Bryant, who said Marathe abruptly quit the clinic after nine months because the commission declined to give him more than the $600,000 he was already getting.
Bryant had also said Marathe landed a $1.2 million Federally Qualified Health Care grant, but that federal grant managers grew upset and said Marathe had co-mingled grant money with his own.
Marathe defended his fiscal management abilities.
"I have successfully managed hundreds of thousands of dollars in county funds received for health care services to the indigent for six years in a row without any criticism," he said.
Two county audits showed that his fiscal management was in full compliance with the law, he said.
When the County Commission dismissed Marathe as project director in 2003, they paid him $70,000 to disassociate himself from the clinic, Bryant said.
Marathe said that part of a newspaper article about him "relied solely on the allegations of one county commissioner in the absence of a full, independent and extensive investigation involving all parties and relevant documents which would show these allegations to be incorrect and defamatory."
Bryant said Monday that another grant bought computers so the primary care center could be paperless. That grant went to Marathe, so the computers he bought with it therefore belonged to Marathe.
"He had every right to take them when he left," Bryant said.
Marathe said Bryant's opposition to the county partnering with community providers is well known.
"His opinion is that only government can deliver these services," Marathe said. "He is certainly entitled to his opinion, but the facts demonstrate otherwise."
Today, Marathe will also propose a "series of new reforms" to enhance oversight of all clinics who partner with the county.
"Our package of accountability reforms would go way above and beyond what the county currently requires," Marathe wrote.
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