Composite cable rope socket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12331597-B2
Application number	US-202218560613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2022
Priority date	May 14, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for coupling a rope socket with an armored cable. The armored cable includes a conductor core having one or more cables for transmitting electrical and/or optical signals and at least one layer of armor wires wound around the conductor core. The rope socket includes a housing having an uphole end through which the armored cable extends into the housing and a downhole end through which the conductor core extends from the housing to a component of downhole equipment suspended in a wellbore by the armored cable. The armor wires are arranged inside of the housing so that they are spaced apart at least locally from the conductor core. A plastic material disposed within the housing fills interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, one or more of the armor wires, and the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a rope socket coupled with an armored cable, wherein the armored cable comprises a conductor core comprising one or more cables for transmitting electrical and/or optical signals and at least one layer comprising a plurality of armor wires wound around the conductor core, and wherein the rope socket comprises:
a housing having:
an uphole end through which the armored cable extends into the housing;
a downhole end through which the conductor core extends from the housing, wherein the armor wires are arranged inside of the housing so that they are spaced apart at least locally from the conductor core; and
at least one spacer radially interposing the conductor core and the plurality of armor wires within the housing, wherein the at least one spacer comprises a first spacer and a second spacer, and wherein the first spacer is axially offset from the second spacer such that no portion of the second spacer radially overlaps any portion of the first spacer; and

a plastic material disposed within the housing and filling interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, one or more of the armor wires, and the housing, wherein the plastic material disposed within the housing fills interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, the at least one spacer, one or more of the armor wires, and the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one layer comprises:
an inner layer comprising a plurality of inner armor wires wound around the conductor core; and
an outer layer comprising a plurality of outer armor wires wound around the plurality of inner armor wires;

the first spacer radially interposes the conductor core and the plurality of inner armor wires within the housing;
the second spacer radially interposes the plurality of inner armor wires and the plurality of outer armor wires within the housing; and
the plastic material fills interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, the first spacer, one or more of the inner armor wires, the second spacer, one or more of the outer armor wires, and the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plastic material is one of a thermoset material, comprising at least one of polyurethane and epoxy, and a thermoplastic material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plastic material is a polymer matrix embedded with fibrous, particulate, or spherical glass, carbon, aramid, or basalt reinforcement members.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the uphole end of the housing is defined by a conical surface that narrows to an opening through which the armored cable extends.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the second spacer is longitudinally disposed in a volume defined by the conical surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical member and an upper cap coupled with the cylindrical member, and wherein the upper cap comprises the conical surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a lower cap coupled with a cylindrical member, and wherein the lower cap forms the downhole end and comprises an opening through which the conductor core extends from the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a fill port for installing the plastic material within the housing.

10. A system comprising:
an armored cable comprising:
a conductor core comprising one or more conductors for transmitting electrical and/or optical signals between:
surface equipment at a wellsite surface; and
downhole equipment suspended by the armored cable in a wellbore that extends between the wellsite surface and a subterranean formation; and

at least one layer comprising a plurality of armor wires wound around the conductor core, wherein each armor wire comprises a reinforcement element including a bundle of reinforcement fibers comprising at least one fiber and a plastic matrix impregnating the bundle of reinforcement fibers; and

an armored cable rope socket comprising:
a housing having first and second ends, wherein the armored cable extends into the housing through the first end, wherein the conductor core extends from the housing through the second end to a component of the downhole equipment, and wherein the armor wires are arranged inside of the housing so that they are spaced apart at least locally from the conductor core; and
a plastic material disposed within the housing and filling interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, one or more of the armor wires, and the housing, wherein the plastic material filling the housing is selected to bond with the plastic matrix of the reinforcement element.

11. A method comprising:
passing an end of an armored cable through an uphole end of a housing, wherein the armored cable comprises:
a conductor core comprising one or more cables for transmitting electrical and/or optical signals; and
at least one layer comprising a plurality of armor wires collectively extending around the conductor core;

then, unwrapping portions of each armor wire of the at least one layer to expose the conductor core;
then, rewrapping the unwrapped portions of the armor wires around the exposed conductor core so that the armor wires are at least locally spaced apart from the conductor core;

then, positioning the housing so that the rewrapped portions of the armor wires are located inside the housing; and
then, injecting a plastic material into the housing to fill interstices each defined by one or more surfaces of one or more of the conductor core, one or more of the rewrapped portions of the armor wires, and the housing.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
after unwrapping portions of each armor wire, positioning at least one spacer to radially interpose the conductor core and the unwrapped portions of the armor wires, such that the rewrapping of the unwrapped portions of the armor wires includes wrapping the unwrapped portions of the armor wires around the at least one spacer, and such that the repositioning of the housing positions the at least one spacer within the housing; and
affixing a lower cap to the housing after the positioning of the housing and before the injection of the plastic material.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Chevillard Francois

Classifications

• F16G11/042 Primary

  using solidifying liquid material forming a wedge · CPC title

• E21B17/028 Primary

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title