Fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool and method

• US 8,186,428 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Coronado, Martin P., Crow, Stephen L., Varma, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, KENNETH L
• Application Number:
  US11/732,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 166227-236, 166/250.01, 166/113, 166/66, 738/00, 385/12, 385/13, 250/227.14, 250/227.17
• US Class Current: 166/227
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/01 Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments

Abstract

A fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool includes a tubular; at least one end ring positioning the tubular spaced radially from a downhole tool and lacking contact therewith; and a fiber supported at the tubular and method.

Claims

1. A fiber support arrangement for a downhole sand screen comprising:

a tubular;

at least one end ring positioning the tubular spaced radially from the downhole sand screen the tubular lacking contact with the downhole sand screen; and

a fiber supported at the tubular, the tubular including a fiber conduit strain transmissively mounted to the tubular and enveloping the fiber.

2. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber is strain transmissively mounted at the tubular.

3. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conduit contains between an inside dimension thereof and an outside dimension of the fiber a strain transmissive potting material.

4. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein the potting material is epoxy.

5. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one end ring is two end rings.

6. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one end ring includes a pass through for the fiber.

7. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein the pass through is sized to pass a conduit and fiber.

8. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber is an optic fiber.

9. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one end ring is fixedly attached to a base pipe axially beyond the downhole sand screen.

10. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber conduit is mounted by welding.

11. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber conduit is mounted by mechanical attachment.

12. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber conduit is mounted by adhesive attachment.

13. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber conduit is mounted at an inside surface of the tubular.

14. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber conduit is mounted at an outside surface of the tubular.

15. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubular houses the fiber within a cleft created therein, the cleft being closed after insertion of the fiber.

16. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cleft is an opening in a material of the tubular, the opening extending about half way through a thickness of the material of the tubular.

17. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cleft further contains a strain transmissive potting material.

18. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 17 wherein the potting material is epoxy.

19. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cleft is closed by welding.

20. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cleft is closed by adhesive affixation.

21. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber is disposed within a conduit and the conduit is sandwiched between two layers of the tubular.

22. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 21 wherein the two layers of the tubular are swaged together.

23. A fiber support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fiber is sensitive to at least one of strain, temperature, pressure, chemical composition, seismic and combinations including at least one of the foregoing.