Patent Publication Number: US-9905334-B2

Title: Cable having polymer with additive for increased linear pullout resistance

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 14/075,259, filed Nov. 8, 2013 entitled “Cable having Polymer with Additive for Increased Linear Pullout Resistance” which this application claims benefit from and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure is generally related to cables and more particularly is related to cables having a polymer with an additive for increased linear pullout resistance. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Elongated cables are found in use in many industries including those that conduct deep drilling, such as within the oil drilling industry. These cables may be used to transmit information and data from a drilling region having the drilling equipment to a control center located remote to the drilling region. Many oil drilling regions are located deep within the Earth&#39;s crust, such as those seen with onshore and offshore drilling. The drilling region may be 5,000 feet or more from a control center located on the Earth&#39;s surface or a control center located on water at sea level. A cable of 5,000 feet or more may have a high weight that, when located vertically down a drilling hole distorts the structure of the cable itself. This may result in a failure of the cable or a deformity of the cable that renders it more inefficient than a non-deformed cable. 
     It is common for cables used in industries today to be subjected to high-temperature applications, as well as potential damaging situations. For example, cables may be subject to high temperatures from oil drilling operations, equipment, or other devices that may create heat. A metal casing is often used around the cable to help prevent transfer of the heat into the inner components of the cable. This metal casing, for example, may seal off any gassing of the inner materials of the cable, as well as prevent rocks, sharp objects, or other potentially damaging items from causing harm to the cable. When subjected to heat, many materials will deform or give off volatiles that will lower the insulation resistance of the insulating materials, especially when temperatures exceed 250° C. Materials such as perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) may be used up to temperatures of approximately 250° C., but may be unsuccessful in higher temperature. 
     Sensor cables may be used with polymers in, under, and over a metal tube. The polymer inside the tube is an electrical insulator, but also must hold to the tube with sufficient force to transfer forces from the conductor to the tube so the conductor does not break under its own weight. When thermoplastic polymers are used under tube and a jacket is placed over the tube it was found that the pullout strength of the core decreased. This was not initially noted under non-operational conditions, but when the cable, with or without a jacket, was subjected to high temperatures or other operational conditions, the decreased pullout strength of the core was apparent. 
     Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure provides a method of using a down-hole cable apparatus. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: placing the down-hole cable apparatus in an operational position, wherein the down-hole cable apparatus comprises a metal tube, at least one conductor positioned within the metal tube, an armor shell positioned exterior of the metal tube and the at least one conductor, and a polymer material abutting the metal tube, wherein the polymer material includes therein at least one additive, wherein the polymer material with the at least one additive remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process; and subjecting the down-hole cable apparatus to an operational catalyst, wherein while the down-hole cable apparatus is subjected to the operational catalyst, the polymer material having the at least one additive remains substantially inert, thereby preventing linear separation of at least one of the at least one conductor and the armor shell from the metal. 
     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus, in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus, in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus, in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of using a down-hole cable apparatus, in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a cable apparatus having an increased linear pull-out resistance, in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus  10 , in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The cable apparatus  10 , which may be referred to herein as ‘apparatus  10 ’ includes a metal tube  20 . At least one conductor  30  is positioned within the metal tube  20 . An armor shell  40  is positioned exterior of the metal tube  20  and the at least one conductor  30 . A polymer material  50  is abutting the metal tube  20 , wherein the polymer material  50  includes therein at least one additive  60 , wherein the polymer material  50  with the at least one additive  60  remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process. 
     The cable apparatus  10  may be any wire, transmission line or similar structure, including those used in deep drilling operations, such as with onshore or offshore oil drilling. The at least one conductor  30  may include any material, which is capable of facilitating movement of electric charges, light or any other communication medium. The conductor  30  may include conductor materials such as copper, aluminum, alloys, fiber electric hybrid materials, fiber optical material or any other material known within the industry. The conductor  30  may be capable of facilitating movement of energy capable of powering a device or facilitating a communication or control signal between devices. The conductor  30  may be located at substantially the center of the cable apparatus  10 , but may also be located off-center or in another position as well. It is noted that the cable apparatus  10 , as well as the cables described relative to the other embodiments of this disclosure, may include a plurality (not shown) of conductors  30 , such as two or more solid conductor materials, or many conductors  30  formed from varying conducting materials. The plurality of the conductors  30  may facilitate the transmission of electrical energy through the cable apparatus  10 , or may facilitate communication of control signals through the cable apparatus  10 . Any number conductors  30  may be included with the cable apparatus  10 , configured in any orientation or fashion, such as conductors  30  bound together or woven together. 
     The metal tube  20  may be constructed from a variety of metals and metal compounds and be sized to receive the conductor  30 . The metal tube  20  may include a rigid or non-rigid metal tubing structure, such as one constructed from woven metal filaments. The armor shell  40  is a sheath or exterior coating or layer that protects the inner components of the cable  10 . Any material, substance or layer located on the exterior of the cable  10  and capable of protecting the cable  10  may be considered an armor shell  40 . The armor shell  40  may be substantially concentric to the at least one conductor  20  and constructed from a strong material, such as a stainless steel or Incoloy. The armor shell  40  may protect the cable  10  from foreign objects penetrating the cable  10 , such as debris from a drilling process. The armor shell  40  may also include any woven, solid, particulate-based and layered protecting materials. 
     The polymer material  50  is abutting the metal tube  20 , interior of the metal tube  20  and proximate to the conductor  30 , exterior to the metal tube  20 , or on both the exterior and the interior surfaces of the metal tube  20 . For example, as is shown in  FIG. 1 , the polymer material  50  may be positioned exterior of the metal tube  20  and in contact with the armor shell  40 , such that the polymer material  50  contacts both the metal tube  20  and the armor shell  40 . Other layers of the cable apparatus  10 , such as insulation layers, strength materials, sacrificial materials, or protection materials, while not shown in  FIG. 1 , may also be included with the cable apparatus  10 . The polymer material  50  may be positioned abutting or surrounding any of these materials or structures. The polymer material  50  may act as an insulating layer or electrical insulator but may also act as a structural member within the cable apparatus  10 . 
     The polymer material  50  includes therein at least one additive  60 , wherein the polymer material  50  with the at least one additive  60  remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process. The additive  60  may be at one or any combination of fillers such as talc, glass beads, nano clay, barium sulphate, calcium carbonate, and silicate. Other fillers may include ATH, magnesium oxide, clays, titanium dioxide, antimony oxide, mica, and/or carbon black. The additive  60  may be combined with the polymer material  50  in various quantities, including where the additive  60  is approximately 4% to 80% of the polymer material  50 , or ideally where the additive  60  is approximately 10% to 30% of the polymer material  50 . The additive  60  may be a non-expandable additive such that it does not increase in size after being combined with the polymer material  50  and/or after being positioned within the cable apparatus  10 . Some other additives  60  not specifically mentioned herein may also be used, so long as the additive  60  is inert, mixes and disperses in the polymer material  50  (polymer matrix), and does not otherwise negatively affect physical properties of the polymer material  50 . It is also desired for the additive  60  to not decompose or otherwise react under the physical stresses manufacturing and using the cable apparatus  10 . 
     The combination of the polymer material  50  with the additive  60  may prevent linear pullout malfunctions of the components of the cable apparatus  10 , since the polymer material  50  and additive  60  may increase the pullout resistance between the components in the cable apparatus  10 . The failure of conventional cables is particularly prone when the conventional cable is subjected to high temperatures, high pressures, or other operational catalysts. The polymer material  50  with the additive  60  allow the cable apparatus  10  to resist pullout forces even when the cable apparatus  10  is objected to operational catalysts. The additive  60  combined with the polymer material  50  may remain unchanged or inert during processing and subsequent downstream operations where the cable apparatus  10  subjected to operational catalysts, in that the additive  60  helps prevent the polymer material  50  from decomposing or react under processing heats and pressures, especially when the cable apparatus  10  is subjected to cycles of temperature changes or pressure changes. 
     The polymer material  50  with the additive  60  may exhibits much lower dimensional variation as compared to conventional polymers used in conventional cables. For example, the combined polymer material  50  with the at least one additive  60  may have an operational dimension, which can be measured or otherwise determined. For instance, the operational dimension may be a measurement of the polymer material  50  with the additive  60  from its exterior surface to its interior surface. This operational dimension may be constant or substantially constant while the cable apparatus  10  is not subjected to operational catalysts. 
     When the cable apparatus  10  is subjected to an operational catalyst, the additive  60  may keep the operational dimension of the polymer material  50  substantially equivalent to the operational dimension when not subjected to the operational catalysts. Thus, the dimensional variation of the polymer material  50  with the additive  60  is substantially lower than dimensional variations of polymer layers within conventional cables that are subjected to heat and pressures. 
     As another means of gauging the effectiveness of the polymer material  50  and the additive  60 , a pullout resistance factor may be determined for the polymer material  50  with at least one additive  60 . The pullout resistance factor may be an indication of the quantity of force applied on a component of the cable apparatus  10 , e.g., the metal tube  20 , such that it will not move linearly relative to other components of the cable apparatus  10 , e.g., the armor shell  40 . 
     The pullout resistance factor of the cable apparatus  10  may remain substantially unchanged when the polymer material  50  with at least one additive  60  is subjected to an operational catalyst. While this disclosure uses operational catalysts of temperature increases and pressure increases as examples, it is noted that other operational catalysts are considered within the scope of this disclosure. 
     In operation, the cable apparatus  10  may be placed vertically, wherein one end of the cable apparatus  10  is substantially above the other end of the cable apparatus  10 . This may include a cable apparatus  10  with any length, such as 100 feet, 300 feet, 500 feet or greater or any other length. For example, the cable apparatus  10  may be suspended within a hole drilled within the Earth&#39;s crust, wherein one end of the cable  10  is located above the Earth&#39;s crust and the other end is located 500 feet or more below the Earth&#39;s crust. The cable apparatus  10  may be held in this position for any period of time. The cable apparatus  10  may be used is locations proximate to high temperatures and/or high pressures, or other operational catalysts. For example, friction from a drilling operation may create a substantial amount of heat that may be transferred through the environment, e.g., water or air, to the cable apparatus  10 . While being subjected to the operational catalysts and after the operational catalysts have ceased, the polymer material  50  with additive  60  may substantially prevent linear pullout malfunctions of the cable apparatus  10 . As one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize, many variations, configuration and designs may be included with the cable  10 , or any component thereof, all of which are considered within the scope of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus  110 , in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The cable apparatus  110 , which may be referred to simply as ‘apparatus  110 ,’ is substantially similar to the cables described in the other embodiments of this disclosure, and may include any of the features discussed relative to those embodiments. The apparatus  110  includes a metal tube  120 . At least one conductor  130  is positioned within the metal tube  120 . An armor shell  140  is positioned exterior of the metal tube  120  and the at least one conductor  130 . A polymer material  150  is abutting the metal tube  120 , wherein the polymer material  150  includes therein at least one additive  160 , wherein the polymer material  150  with the at least one additive  160  remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process. 
     As is shown in  FIG. 1 , the polymer material  50  with additive  60  is positioned exterior of the metal tube  20  and in contact with the armor shell  40 , such that the polymer material  50  contacts both the metal tube  20  and the armor shell  40 . In  FIG. 2 , the polymer material  150  with additive  160  is positioned interior of the metal tube  120  such that it contacts the interior surface of the metal tube  120  and the conductor  130 . The polymer material  150  with additive  160  positioned interior of the metal tube  120  may function as described relative to  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional illustration of a cable apparatus  210 , in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The cable apparatus  210 , which may be referred to simply as ‘apparatus  210 ,’ is substantially similar to the cables described in the other embodiments of this disclosure, and may include any of the features discussed relative to those embodiments. The apparatus  210  includes a metal tube  220 . At least one conductor  230  is positioned within the metal tube  220 . An armor shell  240  is positioned exterior of the metal tube  220  and the at least one conductor  230 . A polymer material  250  is abutting the metal tube  220 , wherein the polymer material  250  includes therein at least one additive  260 , wherein the polymer material  250  with the at least one additive  260  remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process. 
     The cable apparatus  210  of  FIG. 3  includes polymer material  250  with additive  260  positioned abutting both the interior and exterior surfaces of the metal tube. Thus, the polymer material  250  with additive  260  may be in contact with the armor shell  240 , such that the polymer material  250  contacts both the metal tube  220  and the armor shell  240 . At the same time, the polymer material  250  with additive  260  is positioned interior of the metal tube  220  such that it contacts the interior surface of the metal tube  220  and the conductor  230 . The polymer material  250  with additive  260  in both positions may function as described relative to  FIG. 1 , but may provide increased pullout resistance, due to the additional use of polymer material  250  and additive  260  throughout the cable apparatus  210 , as compared to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart  300  illustrating a method of using a down-hole cable apparatus, in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. It should be noted that any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, portions of code, or steps that include one or more instructions for implementing specific logical functions in the process, and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the present disclosure in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present disclosure. 
     As is shown by block  302 , the down-hole cable apparatus is placed in an operational position, wherein the down-hole cable apparatus comprises a metal tube, at least one conductor positioned within the metal tube, an armor shell positioned exterior of the metal tube and the at least one conductor, and a polymer material abutting the metal tube, wherein the polymer material includes therein at least one additive, wherein the polymer material with the at least one additive remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process. The down-hole cable apparatus is subjected to an operational catalyst, wherein while the down-hole cable apparatus is subjected to the operational catalyst, the polymer material having the at least one additive remains substantially inert, thereby preventing linear separation of at least one of the at least one conductor and the armor shell from the metal (block  304 ). 
     The method may also include any number of additional steps, processes, or functions, including those described relative to  FIGS. 1-3 . The additive may include one or more of talc, glass beads, nano clay, barium sulphate, calcium carbonate, and silicate, and it may be used in a variety of ratios relative to the polymer material. The operational catalyst may include temperature increases, pressure increases, or other environmental conditions. Substantially immediately after the operational catalyst is removed from the down-hole cable apparatus, the polymer material having the at least one additive may remain substantially inert, thereby preventing linear separation of at least one of the at least one conductor and the armor shell from the metal. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart  400  illustrating a method of manufacturing a cable apparatus having an increased linear pull-out resistance, in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. It should be noted that any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, portions of code, or steps that include one or more instructions for implementing specific logical functions in the process, and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the present disclosure in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present disclosure. 
     As is shown by block  402 , at least one conductor is positioned within a metal tube. An armor shell is affixed exterior of the metal tube and the at least one conductor (block  404 ). A polymer material having at least one additive therein is applied interior of the armor shell and in abutment to the metal tube, wherein the polymer material having the at least one additive remains substantially inert during a recrystallization process (block  406 ). 
     The method may also include any number of additional steps, processes, or functions, including those described relative to  FIGS. 1-3 . The additive may include one or more of talc, glass beads, nano clay, barium sulphate, calcium carbonate, and silicate, and it may be used in a variety of ratios relative to the polymer material. Additionally, a first pull-out resistance factor of the polymer material having the at least one additive may be identified during a non-operational state of the cable apparatus. The polymer material having the at least one additive may be subjected to an operational catalyst, wherein the operational catalyst includes at least one of: a temperature increase; and a pressure increase. A second pull-out resistance factor of the polymer material having the at least one additive may be identified when subjected to the operational catalyst, wherein the second pull-out resistance factor is substantially equivalent to the first pull-out resistance factor. 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.