Artificial lift equipment power cables

• US 9,336,929 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Holzmueller, Jason, Ma, Patrick Zhiyuan, Manke, Gregory H., Metzger, Mark A., Ver Meer, Melissa, Datta, Sayak
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): EGOAVIL, GUILLERMO J
• Application Number:
  US13/893,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20130306348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 174102-108, 174/110, 174/113, 174/120, 174/121, 524/423, 524430-433, 524/447, 524/504, 524/570, 524/571, 524/586
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/128 Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/046 attached to objects sunk in bore holes, e.g. well drilling means, well pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/02 with screens or conductive layers, e.g. for avoiding large potential gradients

Abstract

A power cable for artificial lift equipment can include one or more conductor assemblies, each including a copper conductor, a conductor shield with resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the conductor, insulation, an insulation shield having a resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the insulation, a metallic shield surrounding the insulation shield, and a polymer barrier surrounding the metallic shield. Such a cable may include a jacket molded about the one or more conductor assemblies and optionally armor surrounding the jacket. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A power cable for artificial lift equipment, the power cable comprising:

one or more conductor assemblies, wherein each conductor assembly comprises

a copper conductor, wherein the copper conductor comprises a compacted stranded copper conductor;

a conductor shield with resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the conductor, wherein the conductor shield comprises an extruded conductor shield that penetrates spaces in the compacted stranded copper conductor;

insulation; and

an insulation shield having a resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the insulation, the insulation shield being formed of the same material as the conductor shield.

2. The power cable of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more conductor assemblies comprises EPDM.

3. The power cable of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more conductor assemblies comprises PEEK.

4. The power cable of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more conductor assemblies comprises lead (Pb).

5. The power cable of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more conductor assemblies comprises PTFE.

6. The power cable of claim 1 additionally comprising:

a jacket disposed about the one or more conductor assemblies and armor surrounding the jacket; and

wherein at least one conductor assembly additionally comprises;

a metallic shield surrounding the insulation shield and a polymer barrier surrounding the metallic shield.

7. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the armor comprises at least one member selected from a group consisting of metals and metal alloys.

8. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the armor comprises multiple layers of armor.

9. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the armor comprises helically spun armor.

10. The power cable of claim 1 wherein the conductor shield and the insulation comprise co-extruded or tandem extruded materials.

11. The power cable of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more conductor assemblies comprises nanoscale fillers.

12. The power cable of claim 1 wherein the insulation comprises PEEK or EPDM.

13. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the metallic shield comprises lead (Pb).

14. The power cable of claim 1 wherein the polymer barrier comprises PTFE tape helically taped for surrounding the metallic shield.

15. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the armor comprises a circular cross-section or a polygonal cross-section.

19. The power cable of claim 6 wherein the jacket comprises at least one member selected from a group consisting of EPDM, nitriles, HNBR, fluoropolymers, and chloroprene.

16. A power cable for downhole equipment, the power cable comprising:

a copper conductor, wherein the copper conductor comprises a compacted stranded copper conductor;

a conductor shield with resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the conductor, wherein the conductor shield comprises an extruded conductor shield that penetrates spaces in the compacted stranded copper conductor;

insulation;

an insulation shield having a resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the insulation, the insulation shield being formed of the same material as the conductor shield;

a metallic shield surrounding the insulation shield;

a polymer barrier surrounding the metallic shield;

a braided layer surrounding the metallic shield; and

armor surrounding the braided layer.

17. The power cable of claim 16 wherein the insulation comprises EPDM.

18. The power cable of claim 16 wherein the insulation comprises PEEK.

20. An artificial lift system comprising:

an electric submersible pump;

a power cable connected to the electric submersible pump, the power cable comprising;

one or more conductor assemblies, wherein each conductor assembly comprises;

a copper conductor, wherein the copper conductor comprises a compacted stranded copper conductor;

a conductor shield with resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the conductor, wherein the conductor shield comprises an extruded conductor shield that penetrates spaces in the compacted stranded copper conductor;

insulation extruded with the conductor shield while at least one of the conductor shield and the insulation comprises a nanoscale filler to adjust a material property; and

an insulation shield having a resistivity less than about 5000 ohm-m surrounding the insulation, the insulation shield being formed of the same material as the conductor shield.