Hybrid fiber optic and graphene cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001614-B2
Application number	US-201415127597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2014
Priority date	May 5, 2014
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

An optical cable can include one or more graphenic elements disposed about one or more optically transmissive fibers. A graphenic element can be a coating of graphene or amorphous graphite, a ribbon of graphene or amorphous graphite, or fibers of graphene or amorphous graphite. The graphenic element provides a path for electrical conduction while the optically transmissive fiber provides a path for optical transmission. An optical cable as disclosed herein can include a plurality of electrical and optical paths with a much smaller diameter and weight than traditional cables.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid optical cable, comprising:
an optically transmissive fiber that is coupleable to a downhole tool for providing a communication path between the downhole tool and a device at a surface of a wellbore;
an electrically conductive graphenic element wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber, wherein the electrically conductive graphenic element includes at least one of a graphenic ribbon or a graphenic strand; and
an end connector electrically coupled to the graphenic element and electrically coupleable to the downhole tool for providing an electrical signal to the downhole tool.

2. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the graphenic element is the graphenic ribbon and the graphenic ribbon is wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber in a helix-like configuration.

3. The cable of claim 2 , further comprising a second electrically conductive graphenic ribbon wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber and electrically insulated from the graphenic ribbon.

4. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the graphenic element is the graphenic ribbon and the graphenic ribbon is longitudinally wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber.

5. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive graphenic element is approximately 40 nm to approximately 50 nm thick.

6. The cable of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer layer between the optically transmissive fiber and the graphenic element, wherein the graphenic element is the graphenic ribbon and the graphenic ribbon is wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber.

7. The cable of claim 1 , further comprising an electrically insulating jacket surrounding the graphenic element.

8. A method, comprising:
providing an optically transmissive fiber that is coupleable to a downhole tool for providing a communication path between the downhole tool and a device at a surface of a wellbore;
applying an electrically conductive graphenic element to the optically transmissive fiber, wherein applying the electrically conductive graphenic element includes at least one of:
wrapping a graphenic ribbon around the optically transmissive fiber;
synthesizing or sooting a graphenic layer on a radial surface of the optically transmissive fiber; or
disposing a strand of graphene radially adjacent to the optically transmissive fiber;

enclosing the optically transmissive fiber and the electrically conductive graphenic element in an electrically insulating jacket; and
electrically coupling an end connector to the graphenic element, the end connector being electrically coupleable to the downhole tool for providing an electrical signal to the downhole tool.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein applying the electrically conductive graphenic element includes wrapping the graphenic ribbon around the optically transmissive fiber in a helix-like configuration.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising wrapping a second electrically conductive graphenic ribbon around the optically transmissive fiber in a second helix-like configuration, wherein the second graphenic ribbon is electrically insulated from the graphenic ribbon.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein applying the electrically conductive graphenic element includes longitudinally wrapping the graphenic ribbon around the optically transmissive fiber.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein applying the electrically conductive graphenic element includes synthesizing or sooting the graphenic layer and the graphenic layer is approximately 40 nm to approximately 50 nm thick.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein applying the electrically conductive graphenic element includes wrapping the graphenic ribbon around a buffer layer of the optically transmissive fiber.

14. An optical cable, comprising:
an optically transmissive fiber that is coupleable to a downhole tool for providing a communication path between the downhole tool and a device at a surface of a wellbore;
an electrically conductive ribbon of graphene wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber;
an electrically insulating jacket surrounding the graphenic element; and
an end connector electrically coupled to the conductive ribbon of graphene and electrically coupleable to the downhole tool for providing an electrical signal to the downhole tool.

15. The cable of claim 14 , wherein the ribbon of graphene is wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber in a helix-like configuration.

16. The cable of claim 15 , further comprising a second electrically conductive ribbon of graphene wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber and electrically insulated from the ribbon of graphene.

17. The cable of claim 14 , wherein the ribbon of graphene is longitudinally wrapped around the optically transmissive fiber.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Gao Li
• Maida John L
• Samson Etienne

Classifications

• E21B47/26

  Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier · CPC title

• G02B6/4486

  Protective covering · CPC title

• B82Y20/00

  Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals · CPC title

• E21B17/003

  with electrically conducting or insulating means (E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/02395

  Glass optical fibre with a protective coating, e.g. two layer polymer coating deposited directly on a silica cladding surface during fibre manufacture (G02B6/02052, G02B6/02057, G02B6/024, G02B6/032, G02B6/105, G02B6/14 take precedence; coating on fibre gratings G02B6/02104; multilayer core or cladding G02B6/036; reinforcing splice joints G02B6/2558; optical cables, i.e. comprising protective structures external to the protective coating such as a jacket or plural coated optical fibres G02B6/44; coating of glass to obtain optical fibres C03C25/104) · CPC title