Fiber support arrangement and method

• US 8,662,165 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Earles, Denise M., Stoesz, Carl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Yong-Suk (Philip)
• Application Number:
  US12/830,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20120006566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 166/241.1, 166/242.1, 166/250.01, 166/227, 166/378, 385/100, 385/102
• US Class Current: 166/241.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1035 for plural rods, pipes or lines, e.g. for control lines
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/135 using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves

Abstract

A fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool includes at least one tubular and at least one bracket positioning the at least one tubular spaced radially from a downhole tool and lacking contact therewith. At least two fibers are supported at the at least one tubular with at least two of the at least two fibers having a different helical angle from one another relative to an axis of the downhole tool.

Claims

1. A fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool comprising:

at least one tubular;

at least one bracket positioning the at least one tubular spaced radially from a downhole tool and lacking contact therewith; and

at least two fibers supported at the at least one tubular with at least two of the at least two fibers having a different helical angle from one another relative to an axis of the downhole tool, wherein a first fiber among the at least two fibers is positioned radially inwardly of an inner periphery of the at least one tubular and a second fiber among the at least two fibers is positioned radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the at least one tubular.

2. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least two fibers are strain transmissively mounted at the at least one tubular.

3. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one tubular further includes a conduit strain transmissively mounted thereto and enveloping at least one of the at least two fibers.

4. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 3, wherein the conduit contains between an inside dimension thereof and an outside dimension of the at least one of the at least two fibers a strain transmissive potting material.

5. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 4, wherein the strain transmissive potting material is epoxy.

6. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 3, wherein the conduit is mounted to the at least one tubular by at least one of welding, mechanical attachment and adhesive.

7. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket is two brackets.

8. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket includes a pass through for at least one of the at least two fibers.

9. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 8, wherein the pass through is sized to pass a conduit and at least one of the at least two fibers.

10. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the at least two fibers is an optic fiber.

11. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one tubular includes a first tubular and a second tubular.

12. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the first tubular is positioned radially inwardly of the second tubular.

13. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the first fiber is mounted at an inside surface of the first tubular and the second fiber is mounted at an inside surface of the second tubular and positioned radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the first tubular.

14. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the first fiber is mounted at an outside surface of the first tubular and positioned radially inwardly of an inner periphery of the second tubular and the second fiber is mounted at an outside surface of the second tubular.

15. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the first fiber is housed within a cleft created within the first tubular and positioned radially inwardly of an inner periphery of the second tubular and the second fiber is housed within a cleft created within the second tubular and positioned radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the first tubular.

16. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one tubular is one tubular, and the first fiber is mounted radially inwardly of the one tubular and the second fiber is mounted radially outwardly of the one tubular.

17. The fiber support arrangement for a downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one tubular houses at least one of the at least two fibers within a cleft created therein, the cleft being closed after insertion of the at least one of the at least two fibers.

18. A method for supporting fibers at a downhole tool comprising:

disposing a support at a downhole tool, the support being radially outwardly positioned of the downhole tool;

supporting the support with at least two brackets axially spaced from each end of the downhole tool such that the downhole tool is lacking contact with the support; and

mounting at least two fibers at the support such that the at least two fibers lack contact with the downhole tool and have different helical angles relative to an axis of the downhole tool, wherein mounting at least two fibers at the support further includes mounting a first fiber among the at least two fibers at a position radially inwardly of an inner periphery of the support and mounting a second fiber among the at least two fibers at a position radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the support.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the downhole tool is a screen.