Patent ID: 7769251

Claim:
A hydrocarbon monitoring cable for positioning in a downhole environment, the hydrocarbon monitoring cable comprising: a fiber optic assembly comprising a fiber optic core; a carbon layer about said fiber optic core to provide shielding from exposure to a fiber optic defect causing agent of the downhole environment, said carbon layer having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; an outer polymer layer about said carbon layer and of a second coefficient of thermal expansion; and an intermediate polymer layer disposed between said carbon layer and said outer polymer layer, said intermediate polymer layer having a third coefficient of thermal expansion selected based on the first and second coefficients of thermal expansion, said intermediate polymer layer and said outer polymer layer including a polymer of the same type; a polymer-based absorbing layer disposed about said fiber optic assembly for absorbing a fiber optic defect causing agent of the downhole environment, the absorbing layer including an absorbing agent disposed therein; and an outer polymer jacket about said fiber assembly and said absorbing polymer layer.