DOWNHOLE OPTICAL FIBER SPICE HOUSING

• US 20100303426A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Davis, Brad W.
• Application Number:
  US12/474,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100303426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/95
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/135 using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44465 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44775 Cable seals e.g. feed-through cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465

Abstract

An apparatus for protecting a splice between optical fibers disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the apparatus including: a housing configured to be disposed in the borehole and having a first port and a second port, each port being configured to seal the housing to an associated fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber to be spliced; wherein the housing includes a sealed interior volume sufficient to contain a splice of the optical fibers for protection and to enable a functional bend of at least ninety degrees for at least one spliced optical fiber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a splice between optical fibers disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed in the borehole and comprising a first port and a second port, each port being configured to seal the housing to an associated fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber to be spliced;

wherein the housing comprises a sealed interior volume sufficient to contain a splice of the optical fibers for protection and to enable a functional bend of at least ninety degrees for at least one spliced optical fiber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the functional bend is at least 135 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the functional bend is at least 180 degrees.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the functional bend is at least 360 degrees.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first port and the second port are oriented in the uphole direction and the housing further comprises a third port oriented in a downhole direction, the third port being configured to seal the housing to an associated fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber to be spliced.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises a fourth port oriented in the downhole direction, the fourth port being configured to seal the housing to an associated fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber to be spliced.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interior volume is sufficient to store an excess length of each spliced optical fiber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the excess length comprises at least two feet.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the housing further comprises a post configured to have the excess length of each spliced optical fiber wrapped thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a test port configured to pressure test the integrity of seals sealing the interior volume.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a plug configured to seal the test port.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be secured to a casing disposed in the borehole.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a curved shape configured to conform to the casing.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a housing body and a housing lid configured to seal to the housing body to provide the sealed interior volume.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of screws configured to secure the housing lid to the housing body.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an O-ring configured to seal the housing lid to the housing body.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each port is configured to seal the housing to a fiber optic cable using a ferrule surrounding the fiber optic cable

18. A system for communicating a light signal between a remote location and at least two instruments disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed in the borehole and comprising a first port oriented in a downhole direction and a second port and a third port oriented in an uphole direction, each port being configured to seal the housing to a fiber optic cable, wherein the housing comprises a sealed interior volume sufficient to contain a splice between optical fibers for protection and to enable a functional bend of at least 180 degrees for at least one spliced optical fiber;

a first fiber optic cable sealed to the first port and in communication with a first instrument;

a second fiber optic cable sealed to the second port and in communication with a second instrument;

a third fiber optic cable sealed to the third port and comprising a first optical fiber for communicating the light signal between the remote location and the first instrument and a second optical fiber for communicating the light signal between the remote location and the second instrument;

a first splice disposed within the housing and configured to communicate the light signal from the first optical fiber to the first instrument using the first fiber optic cable; and

a second splice disposed within the housing and configured to communicate the light signal from the second optical fiber to the second instrument using the second fiber optic cable.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein one of the optical fibers connected to the second splice is bent at least 180-degrees to enable communication between the third fiber optic cable and the second fiber optic cable.

20. The system as in claim 18, wherein at least one of the first instrument and the second instrument is configured to measure at least one property from a group consisting of pressure, temperature, displacement, acceleration, gravity, force, stress, strain, speed, flow and chemical.

21. A method for protecting a splice between optical fibers disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the method comprising:

selecting a housing configured to be disposed in the borehole and comprising a first port and a second port, each port being configured to seal the housing to an associated fiber optic cable containing an optical fiber to be spliced wherein the housing comprises a sealed interior volume sufficient to contain a splice of the optical fibers for protection and to enable a functional bend of at least ninety degrees for at least one spliced optical fiber;

splicing two optical fibers to produce a splice, wherein each optical fiber is contained in at least one fiber optic cable sealed to the housing;

disposing the splice in the housing; and

disposing the housing in the borehole.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising bending one spliced optical fiber at least ninety degrees to connect a fiber optic cable sealed at the first port with a fiber optic cable sealed at the second port.