Transmitting electric power into a bore hole

1. A method for transmitting electric power into a bore hole, the method comprising:

transforming an AC power signal into an increased voltage AC power signal on surface;

rectifying the increased voltage AC power signal into an increased voltage DC power signal on the surface;

transmitting the increased voltage DC power signal into the bore hole via an electric transmission line to a receiving station located in the bore hole;

inverting the increased voltage DC power signal to an increased voltage downhole AC power signal using the receiving station, wherein:

the increased voltage downhole AC power signal comprises three subsignals, each of which is 120° phase-shifted with respect to the other two, and

the increased voltage downhole AC power signal has a frequency in a range of between 10 and 100 kHz;

transforming the increased voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal to a reduced voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal using the receiving station;

converting the reduced voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal to a reduced voltage and low frequency downhole three phase AC power signal having a frequency of several Hz or several tens of Hz; and

supplying the reduced voltage and low frequency downhole three phase AC power signal to an electric motor located in the bore hole using the receiving station, wherein:

the motor is part of an electric submersible pump,

the pump and receiving station are located within a bore of a bore hole tube,

the pump produces hydrocarbons to the surface through the bore of the tube, and

the electric transmission line extends from the surface to the receiving station through the bore of the tube.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface AC power signal has a voltage of less than or equal to 1 kV and the increased voltage AC power signal has a voltage greater than or equal to 5 kV.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a data signal along the electric transmission line.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electric transmission line is a coaxial cable.

5. A system for transmitting electric power into a bore hole, the system comprising:

an electric power source for locating at a surface of the bore hole and comprising:

a transformer for transforming an AC power signal into an increased voltage AC power signal; and

a rectifier for rectifying the increased voltage AC power signal into an increased voltage DC power signal;

an electric transmission line for extending from the electric power source to a receiving station for transmitting the increased voltage DC power signal;

the receiving station for locating in the bore hole and comprising:

an inverter for inverting the increased voltage DC power signal to an increased voltage downhole AC power signal comprising three subsignals, each of which is 120° phase-shifted with respect to the other two, the increased voltage downhole AC power signal having a frequency in a range of between 10 and 100 kHz;

a transformer for transforming the increased voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal to a reduced voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal; and

a rectifier for converting the reduced voltage and high frequency downhole three phase AC power signal to a reduced voltage and low frequency downhole three phase AC power signal having a frequency of several Hz or several tens of Hz,

wherein the receiving station is tubular and submersible; and

an electric submersible pump for locating in the bore hole and comprising an AC powered motor for connecting to the receiving station and for receiving the reduced voltage and low frequency downhole three phase AC power signal,

wherein an outer diameter of the receiving station and electric submersible pump is less than 15 cm for:

positioning of the receiving station and electric submersible pump within a bore of a bore hole tube,

producing hydrocarbons to the surface through the bore of the tube, and

extension of the electric transmission line from the surface to the receiving station through the bore of the tube.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electric power source transformer is operable to input the surface AC power signal having a voltage of less than or equal to 1 kV and output the increased voltage AC power signal having a voltage greater than or equal to 5 kV.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a bypass operable to transmit a data signal along the electric transmission line.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electric transmission line is a coaxial cable.

9. A method for transmitting electric power into a bore hole, the method comprising:

transforming an AC power signal into an increased voltage AC power signal on surface;

rectifying the increased voltage AC power signal into an increased voltage DC power signal on the surface;

transmitting the increased voltage DC power signal into the bore hole via an electric transmission line to a receiving station located in the bore hole;

inverting the increased voltage DC power signal to an increased voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal using the receiving station;

transforming the increased voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal to a reduced voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal using a contactless transformer of the receiving station;

converting the reduced voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal to a reduced voltage and low frequency downhole AC power signal; and

supplying the reduced voltage and low frequency downhole AC power signal to an electric motor located in the bore hole using the receiving station, wherein:

the motor is part of an electric submersible pump,

the pump and receiving station are located within a bore of a bore hole tube,

the pump produces hydrocarbons to the surface through the bore of the tube, and

the electric transmission line extends from the surface to the receiving station through the bore of the tube.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high frequency downhole AC power signal has a frequency in a range of between 10 and 100 kHz.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reduced voltage and low frequency downhole AC power signal has a frequency of several Hz or several tens of Hz.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the surface AC power signal has a voltage of less than or equal to 1 kV and the increased voltage AC power signal has a voltage greater than or equal to 5 kV.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the downhole AC power signal comprises three subsignals, each of which is 120° phase-shifted with respect to the other two.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting a data signal along the electric transmission line.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electric transmission line is a coaxial cable.

16. A system for transmitting electric power into a bore hole, the system comprising:

an electric power source for locating at a surface of the bore hole and comprising:

a transformer for transforming an AC power signal into an increased voltage AC power signal; and

a rectifier for rectifying the increased voltage AC power signal into an increased voltage DC power signal;

an electric transmission line for extending from the electric power source to a receiving station for transmitting the increased voltage DC power signal;

the receiving station for locating in the bore hole and comprising:

an inverter for inverting the DC power signal to an increased voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal;

a contactless transformer for transforming the increased voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal to a reduced voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal and comprising inductively coupled primary and secondary coil windings; and

a rectifier for converting the reduced voltage and high frequency downhole AC power signal to a reduced voltage and low frequency downhole AC power signal,

wherein the receiving station is tubular and submersible; and

an electric submersible pump for locating in the bore hole and comprising an electric motor for connecting to the receiving station and for receiving the reduced voltage and low frequency downhole AC power signal,

wherein an outer diameter of the receiving station and electric submersible pump is less than 15 cm for:

positioning of the receiving station and electric submersible pump within a bore of a bore hole tube,

producing hydrocarbons to the surface through the bore of the tube, and

extension of the electric transmission line from the surface to the receiving station through the bore of the tube.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the inverter is operable to output the downhole AC power signal having a frequency in a range of between 10 and 100 kHz.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the receiving station rectifier is operable to output the AC reduced voltage and frequency downhole power signal having a frequency of several Hz or several tens of Hz.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electric power source transformer is operable to input the surface AC power signal having a voltage of less than or equal to 1 kV and output the increased voltage AC power signal having a voltage greater than or equal to 5 kV.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the inverter is operable to output the downhole AC power signal comprising three subsignals, each of which is 120° phase-shifted with respect to the other two.

21. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a bypass operable to transmit a data signal along the electric transmission line.

22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electric transmission line is a coaxial cable.

23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the system is operable to transmit the electric power at a rate greater than or equal to 200 kW.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electric power is transmitted at a rate greater than or equal to 200 kW.

25. The system of claim 5 , wherein the system is operable to transmit the electric power at a rate greater than or equal to 200 kW.

26. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electric power is transmitted at a rate greater than or equal to 200 kW.