Patent Application
20180112513
In an oilfield, a borehole is drilled for the production of hydrocarbons. Sensors may be placed along a tubular, such as a casing, placed in the borehole to measure parameters, such as temperature and pressure, along the borehole. The sensors may be coupled to a cable to carry signals between the sensors and processing equipment. Attaching sensors to such a cable without severing the cable is a challenge.
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice these embodiments without undue experimentation. It should be understood, however, that the embodiments and examples described herein are given by way of illustration only, and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions, and rearrangements may be made that remain potential applications of the disclosed techniques. Therefore, the description that follows is not to be taken as limiting on the scope of the appended claims. In particular, an element associated with a particular embodiment should not be limited to association with that particular embodiment but should be assumed to be capable of association with any embodiment discussed herein.
Further, while this disclosure describes a land-based production system, it will be understood that the equipment and techniques described herein are applicable in sea-based systems, multi-lateral wells, all types of production systems, all types of rigs, measurement while drilling (“MWD”)/logging while drilling (“LWD”) environments, wired drillpipe environments, coiled tubing (wired and unwired) environments, wireline environments, and similar environments.
The disclosed equipment is best understood in the context of the larger systems in which it operates.
Before the production tubing 115 is assembled (i.e., by connecting the tubular sections end to end) and placed in the oil well 105 (to begin the extraction of oil and gas), one or more sensor modules 120 are coupled to a cable 125. The cable 125 with the attached sensor modules 120 are then coupled to the production tubing 115 using one or more holders 130, which may be clamps, straps or another similar fasteners. Instead of being coupled to the production tubing 115, the cable 125 and sensor modules 120 may be coupled to the casing 110 or to a screen (e.g. a sand control screen, not shown).
The production tubing 115 with the sensor modules 120 and cables 125 attached is then placed in the oil well 105. The process of coupling the sensor modules 120, cable 125 and holders 130 to the production tubing 115 is repeated until the production tubing 115 reaches a predetermined desired depth within the oil well 105.
The cable 125 is a medium useful to transmit data and/or power as needed for a desired well application. The cable 125 may be used to carry signals to and/or from a variety of devices and/or locations in the oil well 105 or on the surface.
The sensor modules 120 measure, monitor, gather and report a variety of parameters, such as temperature and pressure, within the oil well 105. Data from the sensor modules 120 can be used by a processor (not shown) in the oil well 105 or on the surface to provide data regarding the oil well 105. In addition, the sensor modules 120 may receive power from the cable 125.
The sensor module 120 has a first section 205 and a second section 210, which together make up a housing. The sensor module 120 is divided into sections 205 and 210 to allow the sensor module 120 to be assembled around and securely coupled to the cable 125 (as will be discussed below in connection with
The first section 205 may be coupled to the second section 210 forming a channel to allow passage of the cable 125 (as discussed below in connection with
The first section 205 and the second section 210 are sealable to the cable 125, where “sealable” is defined to mean coupled to prevent the incursion of fluids (such as water, oxygen, or any other fluid that might cause corrosion or harm to the sensor module 120) into a volume formed between the first section 205, second section 210, and cable 125 (discussed below in connection with
The first section 205 and second section 210 may be welded together using, for example, laser welding or arc welding, or they may be coupled together using any other suitable technique including the use of adhesives, such as glue or epoxies, or the use of mechanical couplings such as bolts, bands, or clips made from metal, plastic, or any other suitable material.
A transducer 215 is coupled to the first section 205 or the second section 210 using an adhesive or another coupling technique. The transducer 215 may convert one form of energy to another form of energy. For example, the transducer 215 may convert electrical, mechanical, electromagnetic, chemical, acoustic and/or thermal energy to a signal. The transducer 215 may include a receiver (i.e. antenna) or data collection device to receive such energy. The transducer 215 may include a processor (not shown) to process received data and commands or to prepare data for delivery to the surface. The transducer 215 may include an electronic storage device (not shown), such as a memory, for storage of data used or generated by the processor.
The transducer 215 includes a signal port 220 by which the signal produced by the transducer 215 can be accessed. The signal port 220 is coupled to a signal conductor 225, such as a wire, which, in turn, is coupled to a terminal 230. The terminal 230 is the point by which the data from the transducer 215 is transferred to the cable 125 (as discussed below in connection with
The cable 125 may have an outer jacket 305. The outer jacket 305 may be a corrosion-resistant metallic conduit. The cable 125 may have an insulator layer 310, such as a non-metallic sheath, that encloses and protects the insulator layer 310. The cable 125 may have a conduit 315 that is enclosed and protected by the insulator layer 310 and the outer jacket 305. The conduit 315 may be a metallic.
In the process of coupling the sensor module 120 to the cable 125, a portion 320 of the outer jacket 305 may be sectioned to expose the insulator layer 310 (illustrated by the arrow on
The terminal 230 is then coupled to the conduit 315 by penetrating the insulator layer 310 exposed in the sectioning to make electrical contact with the conduit 315 or, if the cable has not been sectioned, by penetrating the outer jacket 305 and the insulator layer 310 to make electrical contact with the conduit 315. The terminal 230 is designed to facilitate penetration of the insulator layer 310 and/or the outer jacket 305 and engagement with the conduit 315. The terminal 230 may be manufactured from a hardened conductive metal, such as steel, and may be pointed to facilitate penetration.
In use, illustrated in
In one aspect, method includes sectioning a portion from an outer jacket of a cable to expose an insulator layer within the outer jacket. The cable includes a conduit within the insulator layer. The method include piercing the insulator layer in the sectioned portion with a terminal to contact the conduit. The method includes connecting a transducer to the terminal. The method includes sealing a housing to the cable around the transducer and the terminal.
Implementations may include one or more of the following. The housing may include two sections. Sealing the housing to the cable may include welding the two sections to each other and to the outer jacket of the cable. Sectioning the portion may include removing a section of the outer jacket of the cable, wherein the section is sized to fit within the sensor module. Sealing the housing to the cable may include covering the sectioned portion with the housing. The method may include coupling the housing to a tubing.
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a sensor module having a first section, and a second section couplable with the first section and couplable to a cable and sealable to the cable. A transducer is coupled to the sensor module. The transducer has a signal port. A signal conductor is coupled to the signal port of the transducer. A terminal is coupled to the signal conductor. The terminal is capable of penetrating an insulator layer of the cable after an outer jacket of the cable is sectioned to produce a sectioned portion of the cable.
Implementations may include one or more of the following. The sectioned portion of the cable, the signal conductor, and the signal port may be sealable by the sensor module. The first section and the second section may be weldable together to form the sensor module.
In one aspect, an apparatus includes a cable having an outer jacket, an insulator layer within the outer jacket, and a conduit within the insulator layer. A portion of the cable is sectioned to expose the insulator layer. The apparatus includes a sensor module having a first section and a second section coupled to the first section and coupled and sealed to the outer jacket of the cable over the sectioned portion of the outer jacket. The apparatus includes a transducer mounted within the sensor module. The transducer has a signal port. The apparatus includes a signal conductor coupled to the signal port of the transducer. The apparatus includes a terminal coupled to the signal conductor. The terminal penetrates the insulator layer of the cable in the sectioned portion of the outer jacket.
Implementations may include one or more of the following. The sectioned portion of the cable, the signal conductor, and the signal port may be sealed by the sensor module. The first section and the second section may be welded together to form the sensor module.
In one aspect, a system includes a tubing and a cable coupled to the tubing. The cable has an outer jacket, an insulator layer within the outer jacket, and a conduit within the insulator layer. A portion of the cable is sectioned to expose the insulator layer. The system further includes a sensor module having a first section and a second section coupled to the first section and coupled and sealed to the outer jacket of the cable over the sectioned portion of the outer jacket. The system further includes a transducer mounted within the sensor module. The transducer has a signal port. The system further includes a signal conductor coupled to the signal port of the transducer. The system further includes a terminal coupled to the signal conductor. The terminal penetrates the insulator layer of the cable in the sectioned portion of the outer jacket.
Implementations may include one or more of the following. The tubing may include a production tubing. The tubing may include a casing.
References in the specification to “one or more embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
One or more figures show block diagrams of systems and apparatus for a production system, in accordance with one or more embodiments. The operations of the flow diagrams are described with references to the systems/apparatus shown in the block diagrams. However, it should be understood that the operations of the flow diagrams could be performed by embodiments of systems and apparatus other than those discussed with reference to the block diagrams, and embodiments discussed with reference to the systems/apparatus could perform operations different than those discussed with reference to the flow diagrams.
The word “coupled” herein means a direct connection or an indirect connection.
The text above describes one or more specific embodiments of a broader invention. The invention also is carried out in a variety of alternate embodiments and thus is not limited to those described here. The foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US16/12022 | 1/4/2016 | WO | 00 |
