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US-12618294-B2 - Wet connect method which includes stabbing the innermost layer of a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus containing conductive material

US12618294B2US 12618294 B2US12618294 B2US 12618294B2US-12618294-B2

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus and a system to make a downhole connection between an electric power supply, a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus, and a downhole system requiring power. The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus may include an innermost layer with one or more electrically conductive materials, a number of middle layers, and a protective outermost layer.

Inventors

  • Pranay Asthana
  • Euan Murdoch
  • Rae Younger

Assignees

  • SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230526

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus, comprising: one or more layers, further comprising; at least an innermost layer, wherein the innermost layer contains one or more electrically conductive materials; N middle layers, wherein N is an integer from 0 to 10; and an outermost layer, wherein the one or more layers comprises one or more of the following: a self-healing material, a degradable material, or a dissolvable material.
  2. 2 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is selected from the following: metals, metal alloys, or native or engineered non-metallics or composites.
  3. 3 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is in the form of a liquid.
  4. 4 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is in the form of a solid.
  5. 5 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the innermost layer further comprises the one or more electrically conductive materials enclosed in a soft pliable matrix or a gel.
  6. 6 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the innermost layer further comprises; a porous matrix; and a plurality of connected channels, wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is pre-infused into the plurality of connected channels.
  7. 7 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the innermost layer further comprises a pocket, bowl, cavity, or recess configured to contain the one or more electrically conductive materials vertically by gravity.
  8. 8 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is magnetic.
  9. 9 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrically conductive materials is non-magnetic.
  10. 10 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outermost layer is insoluble in both water and oil.
  11. 11 . The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an acid is encapsulated between two of the N middle layers.
  12. 12 . A system to create a downhole electrical connection, comprising: an electric power supply; the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 ; a downhole system requiring power; and a connection mechanism comprising at least two connectors, including at least a first connector and a second connector, wherein the first connector is configured to make electrical contact with the electric power supply and the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus, and wherein the second connector is configured to make electrical contact with the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus and the downhole system requiring power.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first connector or the second connector is pre-installed in the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus.
  14. 14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the connection mechanism is protected by a mechanical barrier or a chemical barrier.
  15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the mechanical barrier is a retractable sleeve.
  16. 16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the chemical barrier is a self-passivating lead material.
  17. 17 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising: upper completion tubing; and lower completion tubing, wherein the first connector is disposed on the upper completion tubing and the second connector is disposed on the lower completion tubing.
  18. 18 . A method to create a downhole electrical connection, comprising: stabbing, with a stabbing tool, the outermost layer of the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of claim 1 ; and stabbing the N middle layers of the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus until the stabbing tool contacts the one or more electrically conductive materials of the innermost layer.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the outermost layer of the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus is dissolved or degraded once the downhole electrical connection is established.

Description

BACKGROUND In hydrocarbon well operations, a variety of systems that are operated in the downhole environment may require an electrical connection to be established from the surface of the well. For example, monitoring systems and sensors located downhole can be used to measure wellbore properties when connected to a power source. Establishing a strong electrical connection between the wellhead and such systems may be challenging, for example, due to navigating complicated well geometries and corrosive wellbore fluids which can lead to electrical losses. Accordingly, there exists a need for a wet connect method which minimizes electrical losses in complicated hydrocarbon well environments, such as deep wells, multi-lateral wells, and high hydrogen sulfide (H2S) environments, among others. SUMMARY Embodiments herein are directed toward a conformal multilayer soft shell matrix apparatus that may be used establish a high voltage electrical connection in such challenging environments. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus. The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus includes at least an innermost layer which includes an electrically conductive material or materials. The conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus may include a number of middle layers and an outermost layer. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to a system to create a downhole electrical connection between an electric power supply, a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus, and a downhole system requiring power. Other aspects and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a system to create a downhole electrical connection with a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of one or more embodiments. FIG. 2 shows an example system of how a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus may be installed in a wellbore according to embodiments herein. FIGS. 3A-3E show different iterations of a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus according to embodiments herein. FIGS. 4A-4G show an example of how the conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus of one or more embodiments may be contacted according to embodiments herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Specific embodiments of the disclosed technology will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements may be arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as drawn are not necessarily intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements and have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the drawing. Throughout the application, ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third, etc.) may be used as an adjective for an element (i.e., any noun in the application). The use of ordinal numbers is not to imply or create any particular ordering of the elements nor to limit any element to being only a single element unless expressly disclosed, such as using the terms “before”, “after”, “single”, and other such terminology. Rather, the use of ordinal numbers is to distinguish between the elements. By way of an example, a first element is distinct from a second element, and the first element may encompass more than one element and succeed (or precede) the second element in an ordering of elements. In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus. Specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system and method to create a downhole electrical connection using a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus. FIG. 1 shows a system to create a downhole electrical connection 100 in an oil or gas well. A downhole system requiring power 101 may be deployed inside casing 102 inside a wellbore 103. In one configuration, lower completion tubing 112 may house a female connector 104 pre-installed on the downhole system requiring power 101 and may also be pre-connected to a conformal multilayer soft shell apparatus 105. To create an electrical connection with the downhole system requiring power, upper completion tubing 106 with a mating connector 107 located at its bottom joint may be run in the wellbore 103 from the wellhead 108. The centerline 113 of the upper