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US-12624598-B2 - Fiber-to-casing bonding

US12624598B2US 12624598 B2US12624598 B2US 12624598B2US-12624598-B2

Abstract

Methods and tools for deploying cables, such as fiber optic cable, downhole in well using adhesive to adhere the cable to an inside surface of a casing.

Inventors

  • Jesse Constantine

Assignees

  • CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20250302

Claims (16)

  1. 1 . A method of installing a cable downhole in a well, comprising: a) deploying a spool of cable down a casing in a well so that said cable unwinds and lies against an interior wall of said casing; b) applying an epoxy resin and a hardener against said cable, wherein said epoxy resin is applied to said cable using an inline resin applicator at a surface during said deploying step a) and said hardener is applied after said cable is fully deployed; and c) hardening said epoxy resin so that said cable is affixed against said interior wall.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cable comprises at least a fiber-optic cable, a wireline, or a combination of one or more wirelines and fiber-optic cables.
  3. 3 . A method of installing a cable downhole in a well, comprising: a) deploying a spool of cable down a casing in a well so that said cable unwinds and lies against an interior wall of said casing; b) applying an epoxy resin and optionally a hardener against said cable; and c) hardening said epoxy resin so that said cable is affixed against said interior wall; wherein said deploying step uses a tool, said tool comprising: i) a housing having a front end and a back end; ii) said housing containing said spool that is configured to unwind said cable from said spool as said tool is deployed; iii) said housing having a cable port for egress of said cable at said back end; iv) two or more pressors attached to said housing and configured for outward bias of said pressors and said egressed cable against said interior wall; v) said housing containing an adhesive tank containing said epoxy resin; vi) said adhesive tank having an outlet fluidly connected to a first feed line; vii) said first feed line depositing said epoxy resin onto said egressed cable at or behind said pressors.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said cable comprises at least a fiber-optic cable, a wireline, or a combination of one or more wirelines and fiber-optic cables.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 3 , said housing further comprising a sensor package for measuring data selected from one or more of temperature data, pressure data, flow data, depth data, strain data and position data.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 5 , said housing comprising a communication package for wireless or optical or electrical communication of said data to a surface processor.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 3 , said hardener is selected from one or more of a UV light source, a temperature, oxygen, a chemical hardener or combinations thereof.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said cable port is off-center so as to place said sensor cable directly against said casing.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said housing remains in said well after said deploying step and dissolves over time.
  10. 10 . A method of installing a cable downhole in a well, comprising: a) deploying a spool of cable down a casing in a well so that said cable unwinds and lies against an interior wall of said casing; b) applying an epoxy resin and a hardener against said cable; and c) hardening said epoxy resin so that said cable is affixed against said interior wall; wherein said deploying step uses a tool, said tool comprising: i) a housing having a front end and a back end; ii) said housing containing said spool, said spool configured to unwind said cable from said spool as said tool is deployed; iii) said housing having a cable port for egress of said cable at said back end; iv) two or more pressors attached to said housing and configured for outward bias of said pressors and said egressed cable against said interior wall; v) said housing containing an adhesive tank containing said epoxy resin and a hardener tank containing said hardener; vi) said adhesive tank having an outlet fluidly connected to a first feed line and said hardener tank having an outlet fluidly connected to said first feed line or a second feed line; vii) said first feed line depositing mixed epoxy resin and hardener onto said egressed sensor cable at or behind said pressors, or said first feed line and said second feed line depositing separate epoxy resin and hardener onto said egressed sensor cable at or behind said pressors.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said cable comprises at least a fiber-optic cable, a wireline, or a combination of one or more wirelines and fiber-optic cables.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , said housing further comprising a sensor package for measuring data selected from one or more of temperature data, pressure data, flow data, depth data, strain data and position data.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , said housing comprising a communication package for wireless or optical or electrical communication of said data to a surface processor.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said hardener is a chemical hardener.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said cable port is off-center so as to place said cable directly against said casing.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said housing remains in said well after said deploying step and dissolves over time.

Description

PRIOR RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 63/561,085, filed on Mar. 4, 2024, and incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH STATEMENT Not applicable. REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX Not applicable. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to methods of installing cable, such as fiber-optic cable, downhole in a well. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Fiber-optic sensing technology has been in use a long time, but only recently has been successful in the oil and gas industry. Initial attempts in downhole applications were often unsatisfactory or even wholly failed, usually due to cable degradation in the harsh environment. However, once sufficiently hardened cables were developed to cope with high pressures, temperatures, movement of fluids, and corrosive chemicals, the application of this technology has become practical, and it is now being robustly developed for various applications. Compared with electronic based sensing tools, fiber-optic sensing has many advantages. First, all the sensing instruments are at the surface, so there is no power supply, moving parts, or electronics required in the borehole. Also, fiber-optic sensing can provide measurements along the entire fiber length (as long as 10 miles) with a spatial resolution in terms of feet. Thus, it can cover the entire well bore simultaneously without having to move the tools. Finally, the diameter of the sensing fibers is usually in the range of millimeters, which can be easily integrated into the existing wireline, coil tubing, or carbon-rod cables, and they can be protected to endure harsh downhole environments. However, installation of fiber-optic and similar cables continues to be difficult. Installing the sensing cables on production casing traditionally requires manual installation using clamps to secure the cables on the casing, clamps to detect the orientation of the cable, blast protectors and flatpacks to protect the cable, all of which contributes to difficulty, time, and expense. U.S. Pat. No. 11,525,310 by Halliburton Energy Services describes a more automated method of installing cable, however. In this method, the cable is placed on the outer surface of casing, while running the casing downhole. The optical fiber cable is positioned on the outer surface of the pipe and affixed using a pressure sensitive adhesive tape. In some embodiments, the tape is run linearly along the cable, and in others the tape is wound around the casing in a helix. Wrapping devices to apply the tape are also provided, and their speed must reflect the speed of running the pipe downhole. While a significant improvement over the prior art, this method could be further improved. One of the disadvantages, is the need to maintain cable integrity while the completed pipe is fed downhole and while introducing the next piece of pipe. Since each new pipe is moved into place and screwed into the last piece, the potential for cable damage is increased at these times. Furthermore, this method places the cable outside of the casing, and many methods preferably employ an internal cable, rather than an external cable where signals from the oil or rock may be attenuated or even lost. Further, the cable may be damaged in cementing the casing as well as during other completion processes. Thus, what is needed in the art are better methods, devices, and systems for installing cables downhole in a well. The ideal method will be fully automated, protect the cable throughout, and provide an internal cable for optimal sensitivity. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The systems, tools and methods described herein automate sensor cable installation. The inventive method installs the cable after the casing is deployed and cased. Since there is no casing movement at this point, the installation is safer with reduced risk of damage. Also, the cable is installed inside the casing, not on the exterior surface. This allows detection of minute changes in the hydrocarbon being produced, as the sensor cable is in the hydrocarbon. A third difference is the use of a liquid glue, rather than an adhesive tape, to adhere the cable to the casing. One of the embodiments for deploying a cable is to coat the cable with adhesive at the surface while it is being deployed. A weight at the downhole end of the cable will fall, dragging the cable with it, and if needed a device can be sent downhole to bias the cable against the casing wall. The adhesive will then cure in any suitable manner. Curing may be done with heat and time, a UV lamp may be sent downhole, a chemical hardener added to the fluid in the well, or a device can be sent downhole deploying a hardener and providing a biasing effect. As another option, an existing tool may be reconfigured for use, or a new specialty tool can be developed. For our proof-of-concept work, we chose to repurpose an existing tool. The “Wellsense FiberLine Intervention” tool or “FLIT”