Abstract:
A spoolable signal conduction and connection line for a downhole environment including a length of signal conduction and connection line suitable for the downhole environment; and one or more connectors depending from the line along a length of the line, the connectors capable of making a signal bearing connection for the downhole environment.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In the drilling and completion industry it is known to employ spoolable control and or monitoring lines whether they be hydraulic lines, electric lines, fiber optic lines, combinations of these, etc. Such lines are delivered as long continuous lines that are then spliced at any location along the tubing string where such a splice is necessary. Generally, splices are needed anywhere a facilitation of the control or monitoring action of the line is needed. 
         [0002]    Splicing is a very reliable technology but is time consuming and labor intensive. For each splice, which occurs twice for every connection except for a last one along a line, the line must be cut, stripped connected and pressure tested. Such connections slow down progression of tubing strings being run into the borehole and hence detract from productivity and efficiency. The art is insatiably interested in any advance that improves either of these metrics. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A spoolable signal conduction and connection line for a downhole environment including a length of signal conduction and connection line suitable for the downhole environment; and one or more connectors depending from the line along a length of the line, the connectors capable of making a signal bearing connection for the downhole environment. 
         [0004]    A spoolable signal conduction and connection connector for a line including a housing; one or more line stubs extending from the housing, the one or more line stubs being configured to pressure tightly attach to a line such that the connector when attached to the line is part of that line; a volume defined by the housing; a contact assembly disposed within the housing; and a pressure seal at the housing and pressure tightly receptive of a receptor. 
         [0005]    A method for signal connecting a line to a tubing string including spooling out the line of a length of signal conduction and connection line suitable for the downhole environment; and one or more connectors depending from the line along a length of the line, the connectors capable of making a signal bearing connection for the downhole environment; and joining the one or more connectors with one or more complementary receptors disposed in components of the tubing string. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a spool of conductor and connector line disclosed herein; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of one of one or more connectors along the line of  FIG. 1  illustrated in an enlarged format; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a further enlarged view of a connector exploded away from a complementary connection point for the connector; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a portion of the line and one connector in position along a string and connected to a component of the string; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of one of the connectors exploded away from a cross section view of a connection point; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of one of the connectors mated to the connection point; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of a pressure-testable connector mated to a connection point; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of a packer having a spoolable line connected thereto, and a broken line indicator of a pass through line therein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , one of skill in the art will recognize the schematic representation of a spool  10  containing a length of spooled line  12 . Further illustrated are three connectors  14  each covered in a protective sleeves  16 . Although only three of the connectors are illustrated it is to be understood that more or fewer may be included as desired or as needed for a particular application. It is further to be understood that one or more of the lines may conduct different types of signals and that one or more of the lines may comprise a different type of conductor. “Signal” as used herein is intended to mean any kind of signal for communication and/or power delivery including electrical, optic, acoustic, etc. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an enlarged view of one of the connectors  14  with sleeve  16  is presented. The connector is illustrated on a line, which is illustrated as ¼ inch capillary line. Such lines are well known to those of skill in the art for use as hydraulic control lines, Tubing Encapsulated Conductor (TEC) lines, and as jackets for other lines such as fiber optic lines. Other kinds of lines can be substituted as needed. 
         [0017]    The protective sleeve illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  comprises a material having sufficient mechanical characteristics to provide some protection to the connector  14  during spooling, unspooling and handling. The protective sleeve  16  is intended to reduce contamination infiltration and to reduce edge damage from minor bumping or scraping of the connector. The sleeve may comprise tape such as silicone tape, shrink-wrap material or similar material. 
         [0018]    Moving to  FIG. 3 , some features of construction of the connectors  14  are illustrated. Each connector  14  includes at least one (end of line  12 ) line stub  18  and is thereby integrally mounted to the line  12  and thereby has access to one or more conductors  20  within the line  12 . In one embodiment, the conductors will number three to promote the use of the spoolable line with multiple flow control configurations along a tubing string. In this view, it is plain to see that each of the connectors is joined at a manufacturing facility to the line  12  of choice. This occurs in one embodiment using an orbital weld  22 . It should be appreciated that in one embodiment an attachment flange  24  is provided to facilitate securement to a component of the string (shown in  FIG. 4 ). Although not required it is noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the flange  24  is swiveled relative an axial direction of the line  12  to facilitate easy access to the one or more fasteners  26 . Receptor  28  is illustrated directly below the connector  14  to show interengagement of the same. This will be further understood with reference to  FIG. 4  wherein a component  30  of the string (not fully shown) is illustrated with the line  12  and connector  14  interengaged with a receptor  28 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cross sectional view of the connector  14  exploded away from the receptor  28  is illustrated. This view provides a more complete view of how the connector concept functions and achieves the goal of a signal propagation and pressure tight connection without the need for stripping, connecting, and pressure testing common in prior art systems. 
         [0020]    The connector  14  includes a housing  32  defining a volume  34  therewithin wherein certain components described below are housed and a frustoconical metal to metal seal surface  35 . For ease of construction, some embodiments include a cap  36  that is attached after connections internal to the connector  14  are made. The cap  36  may be attached to the housing  32  via welding, threading, adhesive, etc. The volume  34  is shown to be open to the inside of the line  12  and accordingly the conductors  20  within the line  12  pass through the volume  34  leaving them available for interconnection. The conductors  20 , two of them for the illustrated embodiment, are each connected to a tap  38 . Each tap  38  extends to and/or becomes a contact  40 . It is to be appreciated that in one embodiment, each tap  38  extends through a reinforcing plate  42  that may be metal or other material having sufficient rigidity to support the contacts  40 . A seal  43  is disposed between the plate  42  and the contacts  40  at the pass through of the contact and the plate. In the case where the reinforcing plate is a conductive material such as metal, an insulator plate  44  is disposed between the reinforcing plate and the contacts  40 . Finally a resilient insulator  46  is positioned to cover the contacts  40  to prevent the infiltration of contamination. The above noted structures are together termed the contact assembly  48 . The contact assembly is maintained in place within the housing  32  by being positioned between a shoulder  50  and a snap ring  52  that is received in a groove  54  within the housing  32 . Insulator  46  is compressed against connector housing  32  sealing off the interior of the connector at surface  86 . In the condition just described, the contact assembly  48  is protected from contaminants and ready for interconnection with the receptor  28 . 
         [0021]    The receptor  28  itself includes a receptor housing  60  defining a volume  62  therein into which a receptor contact assembly  64  is receivable and bearing metal to metal seal surface  84  configured to interact with the frustoconical surface  35  on the connector  14 . The contact assembly  64  includes a reinforcing plate  66  having seals  68  through which receptor contacts  74  extend and are pressure sealed. An insulator plate  72  is positioned between the reinforcing plate  66  and contacts  74  (two shown to be complementary to the connector  14 ). The contacts  74  are covered in a resilient insulator  76  that protects the contacts  74  from contaminant infiltration. The assembly  64  is maintained in the volume  62  of the receptor housing  60  by a snap ring  78  in a groove  80  or other similar construction. Insulator  76  is compressed against receptor housing  60  sealing off the interior of the connector at surface  87 . It is to be appreciated that the contact assemblies may be constructed as shown in respect of which housing they are disposed or may be easily constructed in the reverse. Either way, upon bringing the connector and the receptor together as shown in  FIG. 6 , the contacts  74 , having a sharp leading end  82  will penetrate the insulator  46  and to some extent penetrate or at least solidly contact the contacts  40  to provide for a reliable electrical connection. Primary pressure sealing of the interface between the connector  14  and the receptor  28  is via metal-to-metal seal at surface  84 . Insulator  46  and insulator  76  are compressed at surface  85  providing a secondary seal around each set of mated contacts. The seal at surface  86  provides a secondary seal protecting the interior of the connector. The seal at surface  87  provides a secondary seal protecting the interior of the receptor. The construction allows for rapid connection of the spoolable line with tubing components during running without the efficiency challenges of the prior art. 
         [0022]    In some cases it is desirable to have the capability to verify the integrity of the primary metal-to-metal pressure seal through pressure testing the mated connector assembly. Referring to  FIG. 7 , an alternate embodiment is illustrated with this capability. This embodiment is similar to that shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , but adds an o-ring  100  disposed between housing receptor  60  and housing  32  at a groove  101  to locate the o-ring  100 . Further, a pressure test port  102  is disposed in the housing  32  leading from outside of the housing  32  to an annular volume  103  between the o-ring  100  and the metal-to-metal interface defined between seal surface  35  and seal surface  84 . A source of controlled pressure connected to the port  102  allows a pressure test to verify function of the metal-to-metal seal at the interface between surface  35  and surface  84  via pressure decay monitoring either remotely or at the site of the connection. The balance of the components of this embodiment, share identical numerals with the foregoing embodiment for clarity. 
         [0023]    While the previous embodiments illustrate contact assemblies where one contact penetrates or solidly contacts the other to make electrical contact, it will be apparent that these contacts may be replaced with pin and socket type electrical contacts, fiber optic contacts, or other types of contacts known to those familiar with the art. 
         [0024]    The spoolable signal conduction and connection line is useful for a large number of various well components and as noted dramatically improves efficiency. 
         [0025]    It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the connectors may be utilized to deliver signal to components of the string along its length but it is also possible to employ the concept disclosed herein to particular tools or components that present issues for lines passing therepast. More specifically reference is made to  FIG. 8  where a packer  90  is illustrated. The packer itself, in this case, does not require signal connection but as will be appreciated to one of skill in the art it does present an issue with respect to the pass through of a line. More specifically, lines if not included during the manufacturing process cause leaks. Additionally, it is very time consuming to pass the line through the component at the time of installation into the well. Therefore in conjunction with the disclosure herein it is beneficial to build a pass through  92  into the packer  90  and provide for receptors  28  on uphole and downhole ends of the packing element  94  to allow both easy access to connection points and to avoid impacting the function of the element  94 . The receptors are in other respects treated as noted hereinbefore. 
         [0026]    It is to be noted that in order to maximize efficiency in use of the spoolable line disclosed herein, the particular line may be planned to include the connectors  14  at intervals along the line that are related to the actual spacing of the components on the string to be created. In this event, the connectors will naturally come off the spool proximate to the location where they need to be joined with receptors on the components of the string. It will of course be appreciated that where line length between connections is excessive for the string spacing, the line may be gathered or wound around the string to take up excess length. And where the line is too short, it is possible to create a “patch cord” using the connector and receptors to lengthen the line. 
         [0027]    While in the above description there is a suggestion that electrical connection is contemplated, it is to be appreciated that any signal and any signal carrying conductor is contemplated for use with the spoolable signal conduction and connection line. 
         [0028]    While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.