Armored power cable installed in coiled tubing while forming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725997-B2
Application number	US-201514826422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2015
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An electrical submersible well pump assembly includes a pump driven by an electrical motor. A string of tubing connects to the well pump assembly and extends to an upper end of a well. A power cable installed in the tubing has three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket. A metal strip has turns wrapped helically around the jacket. The metal strip is compressed between the jacket and the tubing to cause the power cable to frictionally grip the tubing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical submersible well pump assembly, comprising:
a pump driven by an electrical motor;
a string of tubing connected to the well pump assembly and adapted to extend to an upper end of a well;
a power cable installed in the tubing, the power cable comprising:
three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket;
a metal strip having turns wrapped helically around the jacket;
the metal strip being compressed between the jacket and the tubing to cause the power cable to frictionally grip the tubing; and wherein:
when viewed in a transverse cross section, each of the turns of the metal strip defines an outward facing curved valley and an inward facing curved valley, relative to a centerline of the power cable, the outward facing curved valley joining the inward facing curved valley at a curved transition area, each of the outward facing and inward facing curved valleys having an edge at a margin of the metal strip;
the edge of the inward facing curved valley being in contact with an outer surface of the outward facing curved valley; and
the edge of the outward facing curved valley being in contact with an inner surface of the inward facing curved valley.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the metal strip is elastically deformed between the jacket and the tubing.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein prior to installation of the power cable in the tubing and after the metal strip is wrapped around the jacket, the metal strip has a radial dimension between an inner side and an outer side that is greater than the radial dimension of the metal strip after installation of the power cable in the tubing.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one tube embedded within the jacket alongside the conductors and extending along a length of the power cable.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one tube extending alongside and exterior of the jacket along a length of the power cable; and
wherein each turn of the metal strip extends around the tube and the jacket.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a metal armor strip wrapped helically around and in physical contact with the jacket;
at least one tube extending alongside and in contact with the metal armor strip along a length of the power cable; and wherein
each turn of the metal strip extends around the tube and the metal armor strip and is in physical contact with the tube, the metal armor strip and the tubing.

7. An electrical submersible well pump assembly, comprising:
a pump driven by an electrical motor;
a string of metal coiled tubing connected to the well pump assembly and adapted to extend to an upper end of a well;
a power cable installed in the coiled tubing, the power cable comprising:
three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket, the conductors being spaced 120 degrees apart from each other relative to a centerline of the power cable, the jacket having a cylindrical exterior;
a metal strip having turns wrapped helically around the jacket, the turns of the metal strip having an inner diameter surface in contact with an outer surface of the jacket and an outer diameter surface in contact with an inner surface of the coiled tubing; and wherein
the turns of the metal strip are radially deformed relative to the centerline of the power cable between the inner diameter surface and the outer diameter surface such that the metal strip exerts a radial inward force from the inner diameter surface against the outer surface of the jacket and an outward radial force from the outer diameter surface against the inner surface of the coiled tubing to cause the power cable to frictionally grip the coiled tubing.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 , wherein:
when viewed in a transverse cross section the metal strip has a generally S-shaped configuration, defining an outward facing curved valley and an inward facing curved valley, relative to the centerline of the power cable; and
the inward facing curved valley of each turn of the metal strip overlaps the outward facing curved valley of an adjacent one of the turns.

9. The assembly according to claim 7 , wherein:
when viewed in a transverse cross section, each of the turns of the metal strip defines an outward facing curved valley and an inward facing curved valley, relative to the centerline of the power cable, the outward facing curved valley joining the inward facing curved valley at a curved transition area, each of the outward facing and inward facing curved valleys having an edge at a margin of the metal strip;
the edge of the inward facing curved valley being in contact with an outer surface of the outward facing curved valley; and
the edge of the outward facing curved valley being in contact with an inner surface of the inward facing curved valley.

10. The assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the radial deformation of the metal strip is elastic.

11. The assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising three tubes symmetrically spaced and embedded within the jacket alongside the conductors and extending along a length of the power cable.

12. An electrical submersible well pump assembly, comprising:
a pump driven by an electrical motor;
a string of metal coiled tubing connected to the pump assembly and adapted to extend to a wellhead;
a power cable electrically connected to the motor and extending through the coiled tubing for supplying power to the motor, comprising:
three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket;
a metal strip having turns wrapped helically around the jacket, overlapping with each other, and the turns of the metal strip having an inner diameter surface in contact with an outer surface of the jacket and an outer diameter surface in contact with an inner surface of the coiled tubing;
the turns of the metal strip having an initial radial thickness, relative to a centerline of the power cable, and measured from the inner diameter surface to the outer diameter surface prior to installation of the power cable in the coiled tubing; and
the turns of the metal strip having a final radial thickness measured from the inner diameter surface to the outer diameter surface after installation of the power cable in the coiled tubing that is less than the initial radial thickness, so as to create a bias force from the inner diameter surface of the turns of the metal strip against the outer surface of the jacket and from the outer diameter surface of the turns of the metal strip against the inner surface of the coiled tubing.

13. The assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the metal strip is elastically deformed against the outer surface of the jacket and against the inner surface of the coiled tubing.

14. The assembly according to claim 12 , wherein:
when viewed in a transverse cross section, each of the turns of the metal strip defines an outward facing curved valley and an inward facing curved valley, relative to the centerline of the power cable, the outward facing curved valley joining the inward facing curved valley at a curved transition area, each of the outward facing and inward facing curved valleys having an edge at a margin of the metal strip;
the edge of the inward facing curved valley being in contact with an outer surface of the outward facing curved valley; and
the edge of the outward facing curved valley being in contact with an inner surface of the inward facing curved valley.

15. The assembly according to claim 12 , wherein a difference between t

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Pinkston Tim W
• Cox Don C

Classifications

• E21B43/128 Primary

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title

• E21B17/206

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