Coiled tubing electrical power splice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544632-B2
Application number	US-201715726593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 6, 2017
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

A splice connects segments of coiled tubing and power cable together. The splice has a base and a head, each having an interior conical surface and a collet with fingers that deflect inward in gripping engagement with one of the segments in response to axial movement of the head collet and the base collet. A compression sleeve extends between the base collet and the head collet and exerts forces on the collets while the base and head are being secured together. An insulator tube slides over each of the power conductors. A retainer ring for each insulator tube grips one of the power conductors and abuts a shoulder in the insulator tube to prevent movement of the insulator tube along the power conductor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power cable and load supporting assembly for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a lower coiled tubing and power cable segment for supplying power to the downhole well equipment, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated lower power conductors, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed upper end, the lower power conductors protruding upward from the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
an upper coiled tubing and power cable segment for support by a wellhead, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated upper power conductors, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed lower end, the upper power conductors protruding downward from the severed lower end;
a splice connecting the lower and upper coiled tubing and power cable segments, comprising:
a base having a lower opening into which the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a base wedge member within the base in gripping engagement with the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a head having an upper opening into which the severed lower end of the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a head wedge member within the head in gripping engagement with the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
the base having an upper end that secures to a lower end of the head, defining a load path from the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment through the base and the head to the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a plurality of electrical connectors, each joining one of the lower power conductors to one of upper power conductors; and
wherein each of the base and the head wedge members comprises a collet having inwardly deflecting fingers.

2. A power cable and load supporting assembly for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a lower coiled tubing and power cable segment for supplying power to the downhole well equipment, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated lower power conductors, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed upper end, the lower power conductors protruding upward from the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
an upper coiled tubing and power cable segment for support by a wellhead, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated upper power conductors, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed lower end, the upper power conductors protruding downward from the severed lower end;
a splice connecting the lower and upper coiled tubing and power cable segments, comprising:
a base having a lower opening into which the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a base wedge member within the base in gripping engagement with the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a head having an upper opening into which the severed lower end of the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a head wedge member within the head in gripping engagement with the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
the base having an upper end that secures to a lower end of the head, defining a load path from the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment through the base and the head to the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a plurality of electrical connectors, each joining one of the lower power conductors to one of upper power conductors; wherein:
the base wedge member moves into gripping engagement with the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment in response to downward movement of the base wedge member within the base;
the head wedge member moves into gripping engagement with the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment in response to upward movement of the head wedge member within the head; and the assembly further comprises:
a compression sleeve extending between the base wedge member and the head wedge member, the compression sleeve exerting a downward force on the base wedge member and an upward force on the head wedge member in response to securing the base and the head together.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein:
the upper end of the base has a set of threads and the lower end of the head has a set of threads, such that rotation of the base and the head relative to each other secure the threads of the base to the threads of the head; and
the rotation of the base and the head relative to each other acts on the compression sleeve to exert the upward and downward forces.

4. The assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a lower compression ring between a lower end of the compression sleeve and the base wedge member;
an upper compression ring between an upper end of the compression sleeve and the head wedge member; and wherein
each of the upper and lower compression rings comprises two partly cylindrical halves.

5. A power cable and load supporting assembly for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a lower coiled tubing and power cable segment for supplying power to the downhole well equipment, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated lower power conductors, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed upper end, the lower power conductors protruding upward from the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
an upper coiled tubing and power cable segment for support by a wellhead, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated upper power conductors, the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed lower end, the upper power conductors protruding downward from the severed lower end;
a splice connecting the lower and upper coiled tubing and power cable segments, comprising:
a base having a lower opening into which the severed upper end of the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a base wedge member within the base in gripping engagement with the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a head having an upper opening into which the severed lower end of the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment is inserted;
a head wedge member within the head in gripping engagement with the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
the base having an upper end that secures to a lower end of the head, defining a load path from the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment through the base and the head to the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment;
a plurality of electrical connectors, each joining one of the lower power conductors to one of upper power conductors; wherein:
the base has a base conical surface having a decreasing diameter in a downward direction;
the base wedge member comprises a base collet with fingers that deflect inward into gripping engagement with the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment as the base wedge member is moved downward relative to the base conical surface;
the head has a head conical surface having a decreasing diameter in an upward direction; and
the head wedge member comprises a head collet with fingers that deflect inward into gripping engagement with the upper coiled tubing and power cable segment as the head wedge member is moved upward relative to the head conical surface.

6. A power cable and load supporting assembly for downhole well equipment, comprising:
a lower coiled tubing and power cable segment for supplying power to the downhole well equipment, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having three insulated lower power conductors, the lower coiled tubing and power cable segment having a severed upper end, the lower power conductors protruding upward from t

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• O'Grady Kenneth
• Roy David R
• Strattan Scott C
• Mack John
• Thompson Joseph Scott

Classifications

• H02G3/06

  Joints for connecting lengths of protective tubing {or channels}, to each other or to casings, e.g. to distribution boxes; Ensuring electrical continuity in the joint · CPC title

• E21B17/023

  Arrangements for connecting cables or wirelines to downhole devices · CPC title

• E21B17/206 Primary

  with conductors, e.g. electrical, optical · CPC title

• H02G9/06

  in underground tubes or conduits; Tubes or conduits therefor · CPC title

• H02G15/117

  for multiconductor cables · CPC title