Systems and methods for using wireless tags with downhole equipment

1. A system, comprising:

a tag, comprising:

a set of accelerometers configured to detect acceleration of the tag along multiple axes;

a processor to process acceleration measurements provided by the set of accelerometers, wherein processing by the processor comprises: sorting the acceleration measurements according to direction and degree of acceleration detected by the set of accelerometers, setting a use start time based on the acceleration detected exceeding a predetermined threshold after initialization of the tag; and setting a use end time based on the acceleration detected exceeding the predetermined threshold and the use start time being set;

a memory to store results of the processing of the processor; and

a transceiver configured for wireless communication; wherein the tag is configured for attachment to an exterior surface of a drill string;

wherein the use start time specifies a time at which a downhole component to which the tag is attached is put into a service, and the use end time specifies a time at which the downhole component to which the tag is attached is no longer in the service;

wherein the transceiver is configured to transfer the acceleration measurements via a communication link including long wavelength inductive transmission to a facility that analyzes operation of the downhole component.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a drill string component configured for attachment of the tag to an exterior surface of the drill string component.

3. The downhole system of claim 2 , further comprising a thread protector cap threadedly coupleable to the drill string component, the tag positionable in the thread protector cap.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tag further comprises an alignment feature that indicates an operational orientation of the tag on a drill string component.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to compare the acceleration measurements to a plurality of threshold values at predetermined intervals, and to sort the acceleration measurements in accordance with the plurality of threshold values.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is to increment a stored acceleration value representing an acceleration range between two threshold values of the plurality of threshold values based on a comparison by the processor identifying one of the acceleration measurements between the two threshold values.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is configured for bidirectional operation in a long wavelength band.

8. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole component is a downhole drilling tubular.

9. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to set the use end time based on the detected acceleration not exceeding a continuing use threshold.

10. A method, comprising:

detecting acceleration of a tag comprising an accelerometer affixed to an exterior surface of a drill string component;

determining degree and direction of the detected acceleration of the tag;

determining which acceleration range of a plurality of predetermined acceleration ranges the detected acceleration falls within;

updating an indication of acceleration measurements detected within the determined acceleration range of the plurality of predetermined acceleration ranges; and

determining a duration of use by identifying a time at which the drill string component is placed into service as being a time at which the detected acceleration exceeded a predetermined start time threshold and identifying a time at which the drill string component is removed from the service as being a time at which the detected acceleration last exceeded a predetermined end time threshold;

transferring the indication of acceleration measurements via a communication link including long wavelength inductive transmission to a facility that analyzes operation of the drill string component.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising updating an indication of the acceleration measurements detected within the determined acceleration range for each direction of the acceleration measurements.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising periodically comparing the detected acceleration to a continuing use threshold.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining cumulative fatigue based at least in part on the acceleration measurements from the tag.