Hydrocarbon resource recovery apparatus including RF transmission line and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963958-B2
Application number	US-201514733431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for hydrocarbon resource recovery from a subterranean formation includes a radio frequency (RF) source, an RF antenna to be positioned within the subterranean formation to deliver RF power to the hydrocarbon resource within the subterranean formation, and an RF transmission line extending between the RF source and the RF antenna. The RF transmission line may include RF transmission line sections coupled together in end-to-end relation. Each section may include an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and an outer load-carrying tubular member surrounding the outer conductor. A respective coupling assembly joins ends of adjacent sections together. Each coupling assembly may include an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being slidably connected to opposing second ends of adjacent inner and outer conductors, and a mechanical coupler connecting ends of adjacent load-bearing tubular members together.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for hydrocarbon resource recovery from a subterranean formation comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) source;
an RF antenna to be positioned within the subterranean formation to deliver RF power to the hydrocarbon resource within the subterranean formation;
an RF transmission line extending between said RF source and said RF antenna;
said RF transmission line comprising a plurality of RF transmission line sections coupled together in end-to-end relation;
each RF transmission line section comprising an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding said inner conductor, and an outer load-bearing tubular member surrounding said outer conductor;
a respective coupling assembly joining opposing ends of adjacent RF transmission line sections together, each coupling assembly comprising
an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being slidably connected to opposing second ends of adjacent inner and outer conductors, and
a mechanical coupler connecting opposing ends of adjacent outer load-bearing tubular members together,

said electrical coupler comprising
an outer sleeve having a first end fixedly connected to the first end of the corresponding outer conductor and a second end slidably connected to the opposing second end of the adjacent outer conductor,
an inner contact having a first end fixedly connected to the first end of the corresponding inner conductor and a second end slidably connected to the opposing second end of the adjacent inner conductor,
a dielectric inner spacer received within said outer sleeve and supporting said inner contact, and
a contact ring within the second end of said outer sleeve.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each inner conductor has an open interior defining a fluid passageway; and further comprising a cooling fluid source connected to the fluid passageway of each inner conductor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising at least one outer spacer carried by an interior of each outer load-bearing tubular member and supporting each outer conductor; and wherein said at least one outer spacer has a plurality of passageways therethrough connected to said cooling fluid source.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contact ring comprises a watchband conductive spring contact and an expansion spring carried thereby.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a fluid seal within the second end of each outer sleeve.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each mechanical coupler captures a corresponding electrical coupler at a first end of the corresponding load-bearing tubular member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said respective coupling assembly further comprises an outer spacer flange received within said outer load-carrying tubular member and carrying said electrical coupler.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each outer load-bearing tubular member comprises steel; and wherein said inner and outer conductors each comprises copper.

9. A radio frequency (RF) transmission line to be coupled between an RF source and an RF antenna within a subterranean formation to deliver RF power to a hydrocarbon resource within the subterranean formation, the RF transmission line comprising:
a plurality of RF transmission line sections coupled together in end-to-end relation within the subterranean formation;
each RF transmission line section comprising an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding said inner conductor, and an outer load-bearing tubular member surrounding said outer conductor;
a respective coupling assembly joining opposing ends of adjacent RF transmission line sections together, each coupling assembly comprising
an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being slidably connected to opposing second ends of adjacent inner and outer conductors, and
a mechanical coupler connecting opposing ends of adjacent load-bearing tubular members together, said mechanical coupler capturing a corresponding electrical coupler at a first end of the corresponding load-bearing tubular member.

10. The RF transmission line according to claim 9 wherein each outer load-bearing tubular member comprises steel; and wherein said inner and outer conductors each comprises copper.

11. A radio frequency (RF) transmission line to be coupled between an RF source and an RF antenna, the RF transmission line comprising:
a plurality of RF transmission line sections coupled together in end-to-end relation;
each RF transmission line section comprising an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding said inner conductor, and an outer load-bearing tubular member surrounding said outer conductor;
a respective coupling assembly joining opposing ends of adjacent RF transmission line sections together, each coupling assembly comprising
an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being slidably connected to opposing second ends of adjacent inner and outer conductors, and
a mechanical coupler connecting opposing ends of adjacent outer load-bearing tubular members together,

said electrical coupler comprising
an outer sleeve having a first end fixedly connected to the first end of the corresponding outer conductor and a second end slidably connected to the opposing second end of the adjacent outer conductor,
an inner contact having a first end fixedly connected to the first end of the corresponding inner conductor and a second end slidably connected to the opposing second end of the adjacent inner conductor,
a dielectric inner spacer received within said outer sleeve and supporting said inner contact, and
a contact ring within the second end of said outer sleeve.

12. The RF transmission line according to claim 11 wherein said contact ring comprises a watchband conductive spring contact and an expansion spring carried thereby.

13. The RF transmission line according to claim 11 further comprising a fluid seal within the second end of each outer sleeve.

14. The RF transmission line according to claim 11 wherein each mechanical coupler captures a corresponding electrical coupler at a first end of the corresponding load-bearing tubular member.

15. The RF transmission line according to claim 11 wherein said respective coupling assembly further comprises an outer spacer flange received within said outer load-bearing tubular member and carrying said electrical coupler.

16. The RF transmission line according to claim 11 wherein each outer load-bearing tubular member comprises steel; and wherein said inner and outer conductors each comprises copper.

17. A method for making a radio frequency (RF) transmission line to be coupled between an RF source and an RF antenna within a subterranean formation to deliver RF power to a hydrocarbon resource within the subterranean formation, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of RF transmission line sections to be coupled together in end-to-end relation with each RF transmission line section comprising an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and an outer load-carrying tubular member surrounding the outer conductor;
using a respective coupling assembly to join opposing ends of adjacent RF transmission line sections together, each coupling assembly comprising
an electrical coupler being fixedly connected to first ends of corresponding inner and outer conductors and being

Assignees

• Harris Corp

Inventors

• Whitney Ryan M
• Nugent Keith
• Jackson Jr Ronald E
• Harless Richard I
• Kolvek Stephen J
• White Arthur H

Classifications

• H01P1/045

  Coaxial joints · CPC title

• H01P5/02

  with invariable factor of coupling (H01P5/12 takes precedence {choke joints H01P1/04, H01P1/06}) · CPC title

• E21B43/2401 Primary

  by means of electricity · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title