Composite spoolable tube

• US 7,647,948 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fiberspar Corp. (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fiberspar Corp. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Quigley, Peter A., Williams, Jerry G., Nolet, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brinson; Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US10/997,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20050121094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 138/125, 138/127, 138/133, 138/132, 138/144, 138137-141, 138/DIG.1, 428/36.91
• US Class Current: 138/125
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/06 Braid or lace serving particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/20 Flexible or articulated drilling pipes , e.g. flexible or articulated rods, pipes or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/203 with plural fluid passages
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/206 with conductors, e.g. electrical, optical
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/085 comprising one or more braided layers in combination with layers of a helically wound core or wire F16L11/088
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/127 electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/14 made of rigid material, e.g. metal or hard plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 9/12 of plastics with or without reinforcement F16L9/16 - F16L9/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 9/125 electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 9/147 comprising only layers of metal and plastics with or without reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 9/19 Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article

Abstract

A spoolable composite tube capable of being spooled onto a reel for storage and for use in oil field applications. The spoolable tube exhibits unique anistropic characteristics that provide improved burst and collapse pressures, increased tensile strength, compression strength, and load carrying capacity, while still remaining sufficiently bendable to be spooled onto a reel in an open bore configuration. The spoolable composite tube can include an inner liner, an interface layer, fiber composite layers, a pressure barrier layer, and an outer protective layer. The fiber composite layers can have a unique triaxial braid structure.

Claims

1. A spoolable tube comprising:

a liner;

inner layers comprising, high strength glass fibers helically wound about said liner, and a polymeric film; and

a seamless outer protective layer holding said inner layers and liner together;

wherein said spoolable tube has an open bore configuration when spooled on reel.

2. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said outer protective layer is seamless.

3. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said inner layers further include a matrix.

4. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said fibers have a distinct interface between said fibers.

5. The spoolable tube of claim 3, wherein said matrix comprises a resin.

6. The spoolable tube of claim 3, wherein said matrix comprises a glue.

7. The spoolable tube of claim 3, wherein said matrix comprises a polymer.

8. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said liner comprises a thermoplastic.

9. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said liner has a melt temperature of at least 250°

F.

10. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said liner has an axial modulus of elasticity less than 500,000 psi.

11. The spoolable tube of claim 8, wherein said liner comprises at least one of:

polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and a polyester.

12. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said outer protective layer further includes a coupling device.

13. The spoolable tube of claim 1, further including a coupling device.

14. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said fibers are helically wound about said inner liner at about +30°

to +70°

relative to the longitudinal axis of said tube.

15. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said fibers include clockwise and counter-clockwise helically oriented fibers.

16. The spoolable tube of claim 13, wherein said fibers include clockwise and counter-clockwise helically oriented fibers.

17. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said outer protective layer comprises a polymer.

18. The spoolable tube of claim 17, wherein said outer protective layer comprises fillers.

19. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said polymeric film is helically wrapped around said high strength glass fibers.

20. The spoolable tube of claim 1, wherein said polymeric film comprises at least one of:

polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, polyamide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and a polyester.

21. The spoolable tube of claim 19, wherein said inner layers further comprise a second layer of high strength glass fibers helically wound about said polymeric film.