Wellbore apparatus with sliding shields

1. A wellbore apparatus, comprising:

an elongated tubular adapted for disposal within said wellbore;

the tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface;

each at least one recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular;

wherein each at least one recess is adapted to accept and house a component therein;

at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide to a selected position along said recess; and

retainer means disposed on the at least one recess to retain said at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess,

wherein the retainer means is adapted with fastener means to mount said retainer means onto said tubular.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said retainer means consists of a shield adapted to fit within said at least one recess.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess is formed on said tubular such tat one end of the recess retains said at least one shield from sliding out of said recess.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within said wellbore on cable means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within the wellbore during the drilling of said wellbore.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , the tubular comprising a plurality of elongated recesses formed on its exterior surface, each recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular and adapted to accept and house a component therein and to accept and hold at least one shield therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said recesses are azimuthally spaced about the circumference of said tubular.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a component disposed within the at least one recess, said component having substantially flat surfaces adapted to fit with matching surfaces formed in said at least one recess and covered by the at least one shield disposed within said recess.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the component is an acoustic transducer comprising a frame with an acoustic transducer element and an electronics module disposed thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , the transducer comprising a plurality of individual frames linked to one another, said frames having electronics modules and acoustic transducer elements disposed thereon.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a central surface area of said at least one shield is sealed such that fluids cannot pass through said area.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said at least one shield comprises at least one aperture formed thereon to permit fluid passage therethrough.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said at least one shield is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, plastics, synthetic compounds, and composites.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of individual shields disposed within the at least one recess and covering the acoustic transducer disposed therein, each shield adapted to slide to a selected position along said at least one recess.

15. A wellbore apparatus, comprising:

an elongated tubular adapted for disposal within said wellbore;

the tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface;

each at least one recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular;

wherein each at least one recess is adapted to accept and house a component at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide to a selected position along said recess;

retainer means disposed on the at least one recess to retain said at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess; and

a plurality of individual shields disposed within the at least one recess, each shield adapted to slide to a selected position along said at least one recess.

16. A wellbore apparatus, comprising:

an elongated tubular adapted for disposal within said wellbore;

the tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface;

each at least one recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular;

wherein each at least one recess is adapted to accept and house a component therein;

at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide to a selected position along said recess; and

retainer means disposed on the at least one recess to retain said at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess,

wherein the at least one recess is formed in a stepped fashion on the exterior surface of said tubular.

17. A wellbore apparatus, comprising:

an elongated tubular adapted for disposal within said wellbore;

the tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface along the longitudinal axis of said tubular;

wherein each at least one recess is adapted to accept and house a component therein;

at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide to a selected position along said recess;

said at least one recess formed on said tubular such that an end of the recess retains said at least one shield from sliding out of said recess; and

a retainer to retain said at least one shield within said at least one recess.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said retainer consists of a shield adapted to fit within said at least one recess.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , comprising a plurality of individual shields disposed within the at least one recess, each shield adapted to slide to a selected position along said at least one recess.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , the tubular comprising a plurality of elongated recesses formed on its exterior surface, each recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular and adapted to accept and house a component therein and to accept at least one shield therein.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein said recesses are azimuthally spaced about the circumference of said tubular.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a component disposed within the at least one recess, said component having substantially flat surfaces adapted to fit with matching surfaces formed in said at least one recess and covered by the at least one shield disposed within said recess.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the component is an acoustic transducer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein a central surface area of said at least one shield is sealed such that fluids cannot pass through said area.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said at least one shield comprises at least one aperture formed thereon to permit fluid passage therethrough.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said at least one shield is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, plastics, synthetic compounds, and composites.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of individual shields disposed within the at least one recess and covering the acoustic transducer disposed therein, each shield adapted to slide to a selected position along said at least one recess.

28. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within said wellbore on cable means.

29. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within the wellbore during the drilling of said wellbore.

30. A Wellbore apparatus, comprising:

an elongated tubular adapted for disposal within said wellbore;

the tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface along the longitudinal axis of said tubular;

at least one acoustic transducer disposed within said at least one recess;

each at least one acoustic transducer having substantially flat surfaces adapted to fit with matching surfaces formed in said at least one recess;

at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide over said at least one acoustic transducer to a selected position along said recess; and

a retainer disposed on the tubular to retain said at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said retainer consists of a shield adapted to fit within said at least one recess.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 , the tubular comprising a plurality of elongated recesses formed on its exterior surface, each recess formed along the longitudinal axis of said tubular and adapted to accept at least one acoustic transducer therein.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein said recesses are azimuthally spaced about the circumference of said tubular.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein a central surface area of said at least one shield is sealed such that fluids cannot pass through said area.

35. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said at least one shield comprises at least one aperture formed thereon to permit fluid passage therethrough.

36. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein said at least one shield is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, plastics, synthetic compounds, and composites.

37. The apparatus of claim 30 , comprising a plurality of individual shields disposed within the at least one recess, each shield adapted to slide to a selected position along said at least one recess.

38. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess is retained therein by a wall of said recess on one end of said shield and by said retainer on the opposite end of said shield.

39. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within said wellbore on cable means.

40. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the tubular is adapted for disposal within the wellbore during the drilling of said wellbore.

41. A method of deploying an acoustic transducer in a wellbore, comprising disposing an elongated tubular within said wellbore, said tubular having at least one elongated recess formed on its exterior surface along its longitudinal axis, with at least one acoustic transducer disposed within said at least one recess, each at least one acoustic transducer having substantially flat surfaces adapted to fit with matching surfaces formed in said at least one recess, at least one shield disposed within the at least one recess and adapted to slide over said at least one acoustic transducer to a selected position along said recess, and a retainer disposed on the tubular to retain said at least one shield disposed within said at least one recess.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the tubular is deployed within said wellbore on cable means.

43. The method of claim 41 , wherein the tubular is deployed within the wellbore during the drilling of said wellbore.