Electrically conductive fiber optic slickline for coiled tubing operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018073310-A1
Application number	US-201515546207-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 26, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2015
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A slickline that includes both electrically conductive and fiber optic capacity. The slickline includes a fiber optic thread or bundle of threads disposed in a support tube and surrounded by an electrically conductive member such as tightly wound copper threads. In certain embodiments, the electrically conductive member may be provided in direct contact with the support tube without the requirement of an insulating layer. Alternatively, the tube itself may be foregone with a channel for the fiber optic thread or bundle defined by insulating material about the electrically conductive member. Either way, the overall profile of the slickline may advantageously be kept to a minimum.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An electrically conductive fiber optic slickline for use with coiled tubing accommodating a downhole tool for an application in a well at an oilfield, the slickline comprising:
a fiber optic thread disposed through a conduit of the slickline to support telemetry between surface equipment at the oilfield and the tool; an electrically conductive member to support powering of the tool from the surface equipment, the member located exteriorly adjacent the conduit in an un-insulated manner relative thereto, the fiber optic slickline disposed within a flow path of the coiled tubing.

2 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive member is configured to provide telemetry between the surface equipment and the tool.

3 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 wherein the fiber optic thread is configured to directly provide a distributed measurement to the surface equipment, the measurement selected from a category consisting of temperature sensing, pressure sensing, vibration sensing, strain sensing, and fluid velocity sensing.

4 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 wherein the fiber optic thread provides the distributed measurement to the surface equipment.

5 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a plurality of one of helically wound coaxial conductors and half shell configurations of electrically conductive members provided circumferentially about the conduit accommodating the fiber optic thread.

6 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 5 further comprising a metallic tube defining the conduit and accommodating the electrically conductive members thereover.

7 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 further comprising:
an insulating polymer layer over the electrically conductive member; and
a first metal based cladding layer about the insulating polymer.

8 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 5 wherein the conduit is of a tubeless configuration defined by the half-shell electrically conductive members.

9 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 8 wherein the half-shell electrically conductive members are jacketed by a polymer to shield from exposure to the conduit.

10 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 5 wherein the electrically conductive members are a first layer of electrically conductive members about the conduit, the slickline further comprising:
an insulating polymer about the first layer of members; and
a second layer of electrically conductive members about the insulating polymer.

11 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 10 wherein the second layer of electrically conductive members is configured to serve one of power to another tool accommodated by the coiled tubing and as a grounding return.

12 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 1 further comprising:
an insulating polymer layer over the electrically conductive member;
a first protective polymer layer about the insulating polymer;
a first metal based cladding layer about the insulating polymer;
a second protective polymer layer about the first metal based cladding layer; and
a second metal based cladding layer about the second protective polymer layer.

13 . The electrically conductive fiber optic slickline of claim 12 wherein the protective layers are of a material selected from a group consisting of a reinforced carbon fiber, a fluoropolymer, and a foamed polymer.

14 . A coiled tubing assembly for use in an application at a location in a well at an oilfield with surface equipment positioned thereat, the assembly comprising:
coiled tubing; an electrically conductive fiber optic slickline run through the flow path of the coiled tubing; and a downhole tool coupled to the coiled tubing for advancement to the location in the well, the tool telemetrically coupling to a fiber optic thread run through a conduit of the slickline, the telemetric coupling for communications with the surface equipment and electrically coupling to a conductive member of the slickline, the conductive member located exteriorly adjacent the conduit in an un-insulated manner relative thereto, the electrical coupling to obtain power from the surface equipment for the application.

15 . The coiled tubing assembly of claim 14 wherein the downhole tool is a logging tool.

16 . The coiled tubing assembly of claim 14 wherein the slickline is less than about 0.15 inches in diameter.

17 . The coiled tubing assembly of claim 14 wherein the slickline is in excess of about 30,000 feet in length and the power available to the tool from the surface equipment via the slickline is in excess of about 100 Watts.

18 . A method of performing a coiled tubing application at a location in a well at an oilfield, the method comprising:
pumping a slickline through a flow path of a coiled tubing; physically coupling a downhole tool to the coiled tubing; communicatively coupling a fiber optic thread at a conduit of the slickline to the tool to support communications between the tool and surface equipment at the oilfield; powerably coupling an electrically conductive member adjacent the conduit of the slickline to the tool to provide power thereto, the member un-insulated relative the conduit; advancing the tool to the location with the coiled tubing; and performing the application at the location.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising utilizing the surface equipment to transmit commands to and receive information from the tool.

20 . The method of claim 18 further comprising utilizing the surface equipment to obtain data detected directly by the fiber optic thread.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Varkey Joseph
• Kim David Geehyun
• Grisanti Maria Auxiliadora

Classifications

• E21B47/135

  using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves · CPC title

• E21B17/206 Primary

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

• G02B6/4427

  Pressure resistant cables, e.g. undersea cables · CPC title

• E21B47/123

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• G02B6/4416

  Heterogeneous cables · CPC title