Mud telemetry with rotating control device

Abstract

An example rotating control device may include a bearing assembly with at least one rotating seal and a pressure modulator coupled to the bearing assembly. A controller may be communicably coupled to the pressure modulator. The pressure modulator may be at least one of a mud pulser, a mud siren, and a pressure transducer. The pressure transducer may be a piezoelectric transducer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotating control device, comprising:
 a bearing assembly with at least one rotating seal;   a pressure modulator coupled to the bearing assembly; and   a controller communicably coupled to the pressure modulator.   
     
     
         2 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure modulator comprises at least one of a mud pulser, a mud siren, and a pressure transducer. 
     
     
         3 . The rotating control device of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure transducer comprise a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         4 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid flow path through the bearing assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The rotating control device of  claim 4 , wherein the pressure modulator comprises a mud pulser positioned at an end of the fluid flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The rotating control device of  claim 5 , further comprising a seal on an exterior surface of the bearing assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing assembly further comprises at least one of a pressure, temperature, and position sensor communicably coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , further comprising a selectively extendable latch on an exterior surface of the bearing assembly, wherein the selectively extendable latch is communicably coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         9 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory device communicably coupled to the processor, and the memory device contains a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to
 receive a measurement from at least one of a pressure, temperature, and position sensor communicably coupled to the controller;   transmit to the pressure modulator a control signal associated with a communication containing the received measurement.   
     
     
         10 . The rotating control device of  claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to
 receive a communication from a remote drilling rig; and   perform an action in response to the received communication.   
     
     
         11 . A method for downhole communications, comprising:
 pumping drilling fluid into a drill string extending through a rotating control device;   receiving the drilling fluid from an annulus formed, in part, by the drill string and a tubular in which the drill string is positioned; and   generating a modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating the modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device comprises generating the modulated pressure signal with at least one of a mud pulser, a mud siren, and a pressure transducer coupled to the rotating control device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the modulated pressure signal with the pressure transducer comprises generating the modulated pressure signal with a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the modulated pressure signal with the mud pulser comprises selectively opening and closing valves to allow fluid communication through a bearing assembly of the rotating control device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein selectively opening and closing valves to allow fluid communication through the bearing assembly of the rotating control device comprises selectively opening and closing valves to allow fluid communication through a fluid flow path through the bearing assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving at least one measurement from at least one of a pressure, temperature, and position sensor coupled to the rotating control device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein generating the modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device comprises generating the modulated pressure signal containing the received measurement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selectively disengaging a bearing assembly of the rotating control device from a rotating control device body of the rotating control device is response to the modulated pressure signal received at the rotating control device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein generating the modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device comprises generating the modulated pressure signal at the rotating control device in response to the modulated pressure signal received at the rotating control device.