Continous power/signal conductor and cover for downhole use

• US 6,103,031 A
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Korte, David G., Aeschbacher, William Edward, Dalrymple, Larry V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorin, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/185,460
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 156/48, 156/51, 156/52, 156/53, 156/54, 156/308.4
• US Class Current: 156/54
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/206 with conductors, e.g. electrical, optical
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 7/00 Supporting of pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves, e.g. for enabling pipes or cables to be inserted or withdrawn from under roads or railways without interruption of traffic sleeves for supporting pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points F16L3/01, fixation devices of optical cables in ducts G02B6/508, installation of electric cables H02G1/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 7/02 and sealing the pipes or cables inside the other pipes, cables or sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0072 Electrical cables comprising fluid supply conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/046 attached to objects sunk in bore holes, e.g. well drilling means, well pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/16 Rigid-tube cables

Abstract

Conductors are placed in insulator which acts as a spacer/centralizer for the conductors, which are in turn mounted within tubing. The void spaces between the insulator and the tubing inside wall can be filled with a sealing material. Alternatively, the voids around the substantially centralized conductors can be used as flow channels for the transmission of fluid pressure to a remote location, such as downhole. The conductors are protected because they are kept away from the tubing wall and can be further protected by the addition of the sealing material.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a cable assembly for downhole use comprising:

covering a predetermined length of conductor, which is sufficiently long to reach from the surface of a wellbore to a component downhole, with a continuous spacer having a tubular hub which encases the conductor and at least one radially extending fin from said hub;

forming a continuous cover tube around said spacer by rolling sheet around said spacer into a tubular shape with a single longitudinal joint;

offsetting said fin from said joint; and

sealingly closing said joint without damaging said fin.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying an insulator to said conductor prior to covering said conductor with said spacer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

disposing said insulator over said conductor in such a manner that it will break rather than said conductor breaking when said spacer is exposed at either end of said cover tube and bent to facilitate removal of excess of said spacer and insulator when making a connection with said conductor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extruding said spacer over said conductor.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

co-extruding said insulator and spacer over said conductor.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

wrapping said insulator on said conductor before extruding said spacer over said insulator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a core end on said fin, said fin having a core end at the point of connection to a core portion of said spacer and a cover tube end at the point of contact with said cover tube, said core end configured to preferentially fail under stress loading to facilitate removal of said fin from adjacent said surface or downhole component ends of said cover tube to facilitate connection of said conductor where it is connected.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a filler material between said spacer and said cover tube to act as a liquid and gas block if the integrity of said cover tube is compromised.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

using an incompressible material as said filler to insulate said spacer from shocks to said cover tube.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

welding said seam.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

continuously welding said seam.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

spooling the entire assembly on a reel.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a continuous sheet which forms said cover tube with no joints from one cable end to another except for said seam.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using said conductor to transmit at least one signal or power.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a plurality of fins to centralize said conductor in said cover tube.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the space between said spacer and cover tube to transmit a signal to form a downhole component.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting an optical signal through said conductor.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

producing an assembly length on said spool which is sufficient to extend without transverse joints from the surface to a component located downhole.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting an optical signal through said conductor.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using a continuous conductor which runs the length of said cover tube.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting an optical signal through said conductor.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the space between said spacer and cover to transmit a fluid to or from a downhole component.