WELLHEAD PENETROR FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

MX434981BActive Publication Date: 2026-06-12INNOVEX DOWNHOLE SOLUTIONS INC

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office: MX · MX
Patent Type: Patents
Current Assignee / Owner: INNOVEX DOWNHOLE SOLUTIONS INC
Filing Date: 2023-04-04
Publication Date: 2026-06-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The challenge of extending power cables across wellheads is exacerbated by harsh environments and potential leakage and failure points, particularly in wellheads with electric submersible pumps (ESP), necessitating improved sealing and gripping mechanisms.

Method used

A wellhead penetrator with a mandrel, locknut, cable locking assembly, and sealing element that securely grips and seals power cables, using a conical container and gripping members to prevent misalignment and leakage, while maintaining electrical conductivity.

Benefits of technology

The solution effectively seals and grips power cables within wellheads, preventing fluid leakage and ensuring reliable electrical connectivity to ESPs, even in high-pressure environments.

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Abstract

A wellhead penetrator includes a mandrel having first and second ends, a locknut that connects adjustably to the second end of the mandrel, a tapered bowl positioned within the locknut, the mandrel, or both, and a cable-locking assembly at least partially received in the mandrel and locknut. Moving the locknut axially with respect to the mandrel causes the cable-locking assembly to grip a cable received through it. The penetrator also includes a sealing element positioned at least partially within the mandrel and separate from the tapered bowl, and a backup member positioned adjacent to the sealing element and at least partially within the mandrel. The backup member presses against the sealing element to prevent misalignment of the sealing element, and the mandrel, locknut, sealing element, and backup member receive the cable through them.

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Description

WELLHEAD PENETROR FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority over the United States Provisional Patent Application serial number 63 / 088,714, which was filed on October 7, 2020, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wellheads are connected to the top of a well and act as a surface completion for the well. In addition, wellheads typically accommodate a production tubing hanger. The production tubing extends down from the hanger into the well. The produced fluid is received through the production tubing and the wellhead, for example, through valves, rams, seals, and / or other surface equipment. In many cases, a pump is installed along with the production tubing. The pump facilitates the extraction of produced fluids (e.g., hydrocarbons) from the well through the production tubing. The pump is usually electrically powered and is therefore often called an electric submersible pump or ESP. A power cable typically runs from a surface power source (e.g., a generator or the electrical grid), along the production tubing, and up to the ESP. While this reliably and efficiently powers the ESP, running the cable through the wellhead can present challenges. In particular, the environment inside the wellhead can be harsh and potentially high-pressure. Fluid leakage from the wellhead, such as through a hole drilled for an ESP cable, is generally undesirable. Furthermore, spliced connections through the wellhead can represent points of failure for the ESP's electrical conductivity. Consequently, wellhead penetrators have been developed to mitigate the potential for such leakage. SUMMARY The modalities of the description include a wellhead penetrator comprising a mandrel having first and second ends, a locknut that connects adjustably to the second end of the mandrel, a tapered bowl positioned within the locknut, the mandrel, and a cable-locking assembly received at least partially in the mandrel and locknut. Moving the locknut in an axial direction with respect to the mandrel causes the cable-locking assembly to grip a cable received through the mandrel. The penetrator also includes a sealing element positioned at least partially within the mandrel and separate from the tapered bowl, and a backup member positioned adjacent to the sealing element and at least partially within the mandrel.A lower end of the backup member presses against the sealing element to prevent misalignment of the sealing element with respect to the mandrel, and the mandrel, lock nut, sealing element, and backup member are configured to receive the cable through them. The modalities of the description also include a method that includes receiving a locknut on a cable, receiving a sealing element on the cable, axially separated from the locknut, receiving a backup member in coupling with the sealing element, sliding a mandrel over the backup member and the sealing element, such that the sealing element forms a seal within the mandrel and prevents the backup member from sliding through the mandrel and connecting the mandrel to the locknut.The connection includes rotating the lock nut relative to the mandrel, the lock nut and mandrel, each of which includes threads that engage and advance when the lock nut is rotated relative to the mandrel, and driving one or more gripping members of a cable lock assembly into a tapered receptacle of the cable lock assembly, such that the one or more gripping members apply a radial gripping force on the cable, to prevent dislocation of the cable relative to the mandrel and lock nut. The described modalities also include a wellhead penetrator comprising a mandrel with a threaded lower end and a locknut with a threaded upper end mating with the lower end of the mandrel. A cable, having both an armored and an unarmored section, is received through the mandrel and locknut. The penetrator also includes a cable-locking assembly positioned on the locknut. The cable-locking assembly is configured to grip the armored section of the cable in response to rotation of the locknut relative to the mandrel. The penetrator further includes a sealing element positioned at least partially within the mandrel and separate from the sealing element. The sealing element receives individual wires from the unarmored section of the cable through it.The penetrator also includes a backup member adjacent to the sealing element and at least partially within the mandrel, configured to receive the individual wires of the unshielded section of the cable through it. A lower end 2 of the backup member presses against the sealing element to prevent misalignment of the sealing element with respect to the mandrel, and wherein the backup member is retained by a projection formed in the mandrel and is configured to prevent misalignment of the sealing element with respect to the mandrel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The present description can be better understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings used to illustrate some of the features. In the drawings: Figure 1A illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of a wellhead penetrator, according to one modality. Figure IB illustrates an enlarged side section view of a portion of the wellhead penetrator, according to one modality. Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a sealing element, according to one embodiment. Figure 3 illustrates a side section view of a wellhead assembly, according to one embodiment. Figures 4A and 4B illustrate a flowchart of a method for assembling a wellhead penetrator and installing the wellhead penetrator in a wellhead, according to a modality. Figures 5-12 illustrate the wellhead penetrator being assembled in different stages of the method in Figures 4A and 4B, according to a modality. Figure 13 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of another wellhead penetrator, according to one modality. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description outlines several ways to implement different elements, structures, or functions of the invention. The component embodiments, arrangements, and configurations are described below for the sake of simplicity; however, these embodiments are provided merely as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, this description may repeat reference characters (e.g., numbers) and / or letters in the various embodiments and in the Figures provided herein. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and is not intended to dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed in the 3 Figures. Furthermore, the formation of a first element on or within a second element in the description that follows may include modalities in which the first and second elements are formed in direct contact, and may also include modalities in which additional elements may be formed by interposing the first and second elements, such that the first and second elements may not be in direct contact. Finally, the modalities presented below may be combined in any combination of ways; for example, any element of one illustrative modality may be used in any other illustrative modality, without departing from the scope of the description. Additionally, certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, various entities may refer to the same component by different names, and as such, the naming convention for the elements described herein is not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless specifically defined otherwise herein. Furthermore, the naming convention used herein is not intended to distinguish between components that differ in name but not in function. Additionally, in the following discussion and in the claims, the terms "includes" and "comprises" are used broadly and should therefore be construed to mean "includes, but is not limited to."All numerical values in this description may be exact or approximate unless specifically stated otherwise. Accordingly, various modalities of the description may deviate from the numbers, values, and ranges described herein without departing from the intended scope. Furthermore, unless otherwise provided, in this description, statements of “or” are intended to be non-exclusive; for example, the statement “A or B” should be understood to mean “A, B, or both A and B.” Figure 1A illustrates a perspective view of a 100 wellhead penetrator configured to extend into a wellhead, providing a sealed path for electrically conductive cables, wires, conductors, etc., through the wellhead, according to one modality. The 100 wellhead penetrator can be configured to provide electrical conductivity through the wellhead from a surface power source to a pump or other electronic device within the well. In one embodiment, the wellhead penetrator 100 may include an outside mandrel 102 and a locknut 104, with the outside mandrel 102 threaded into coupling with the locknut 104. For example, the mandrel 102 may have an end 106 that is externally threaded (male), while the locknut 104 may have an end 108 that is internally threaded (female). Consequently, rotating the mandrel 102 and the locknut 104 relative to each other (rotating one or both about a stationary reference frame) can advance the locknut 104 on the mandrel 102. In other embodiments, the locknut 104 can instead be received on the mandrel 102. The mandrel 102 and the locknut 104 can both be cylindrical, or at least partially cylindrical, and generally define collinear central longitudinal axes through them.As the term is used in the present description, axial means in a direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical mandrel 102 and / or locknut 104, whereas radial refers to a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (i.e., perpendicular to the central longitudinal axes). The mandrel 102 and locknut 104 may be hollow, and therefore their combinations (when connected to each other) may accommodate several components. For example, a backing member 110 and a sealing element 112 may be housed within the mandrel 102 and may be axially adjacent to each other, for example, axially coupled and / or connected. The sealing element 112 may be made of an elastic material suitable for forming a seal within the mandrel 102, such as rubber or another elastomeric or polymeric material. The backing member 110 may be made of any suitable material (for example, metal, plastic, ceramic, etc.). An encapsulant collar 114 may be housed at least partially within the mandrel 102 and at least partially within the locknut 104.The encapsulant collar 114 may also be metallic (or another suitable material) and may contain encapsulant therein, as will be described in more detail below. Furthermore, the encapsulant collar 114 may be axially separated from the sealing element 112 by a space 116, which may be filled with encapsulant, in one embodiment, and defined between the encapsulant collar 114 and the sealing element 112. On the opposite axial side of the backup member 110, the mandrel 102 may extend to an upper end 118. A projection 119 may retain the backup member 110 in place within the mandrel 102, and an unsealed section of the mandrel 102 may extend from the projection 119 to the upper end 118. A retaining member 120 may be connected to the outside of the mandrel 102 in alignment with this unsealed section of the mandrel 102. The retaining member 120 may be configured to maintain a position of the wellhead penetrator 100 within the wellhead, as described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the retaining member 120 may be or include a snap ring, which may be received in a recess 5. 122 formed on the outside of the mandrel 102, but in other forms, other structures, devices, mandrel geometries 102, etc., it may be used instead of or in addition to such a spring ring to provide the retaining member 120. The wellhead penetrator 100 may also include a cable lock assembly 123. For example, the cable lock assembly 123 may include one or more gripping members (two are shown: 124, 125) and a tapered bowl 126 in which one or more gripping members 124, 125 are at least partially received. A flange 128 formed on a lower end 129 of the locknut 104 may engage with the one or more gripping members 124, 125, and thus, by advancing the locknut 104 toward the mandrel 102, the gripping members 124, 125 may be driven further into the tapered bowl 126, thereby pressing the gripping members 124, 125 radially inward, as will be described in more detail below. A cable 130 can extend through the wellhead penetrator 100. For example, the cable 130 can include an armored section 132 and an unarmored section 134. In addition, the cable 130 can include two or more (for example, three) electrically conductive wires 136A, 136B, and 136C. In the armored section 132, the wires 136A–C can extend within an outer protective shield 138, and in the unarmored section 134, the wires 136A–C can extend outside the protective shield 138. In one embodiment, the armored section 132 of the cable 130 can extend from below the wellhead penetrator 100 to a lower end 129 of the locknut 104, which can provide an opening, slot, etc. configured to allow the passage of the shielded section 132 of cable 130 through it.The unshielded section 134 can extend within the locknut 104 and mandrel 102, so that the separate wires 136A-C can extend through separate holes formed in the sealing element 112 and the backup member 110, for example, one for each wire 136A-C. The cable 130 can have a flat or round outer shape in the shielded section 132. Figure IB illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the wellhead penetrator 100, specifically the lower portion of the mandrel 102 and the locknut 104, and the components housed therein, according to one embodiment. As stated above, the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112 can be housed within the mandrel 102. Wires 136A-C (wire 136B is not visible in this cross-section) extend through separate holes formed in the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112. As shown, the interior of the backing member 110 can define a cavity 200. The cavity 200 can be filled with encapsulant (e.g., epoxy or any other type of sealing or bonding material). Furthermore, a lower annular end 202 of the backing member 110 can press against the outer edge of an upper surface 204 of the sealing element 112.Furthermore, the sealing element 112 may include two skirts 206, 208, which are axially separated from each other. The skirts 206, 208 can engage with the inner diameter surface of the mandrel 102 to prevent fluid from escaping beyond the sealing element 112. Additionally, the annular end 202 of the backing member 110, which engages with the upper surface 204 of the sealing element 112, prevents misalignment of the sealing element 112 within the mandrel 102; for example, it maintains a coaxial orientation of the sealing element 112 with respect to the mandrel 102. This ensures that the skirts 206, 208 engage uniformly with the mandrel 102, thereby promoting the formation of an effective seal between the sealing element 112 and the inner diameter surface of the mandrel 102.The encapsulant in cavity 200 can serve to prevent leakage of any fluid along the wires 136A-C that extend through the sealing element 112. Continuing downwards from the sealing element 112, the encapsulating collar 114 is shown to be located partially within the mandrel 102 and partially within the locknut 104. In particular, the encapsulating collar 114 may include two sections 210, 212, with section 212 being radially larger than section 210. A protrusion 214 is therefore formed between the two sections 210, 212. The protrusion 214 can engage with the lower end 106 of the mandrel 102, to locate the encapsulating collar 114 relative to the mandrel 102. Furthermore, as stated above, the encapsulating collar 114 may be at least partially (e.g., substantially or completely) filled with encapsulant.The encapsulant can serve to prevent well fluid leakage below the wellhead penetrator 100 along the wires 136AC, and also to protect the wires 136A-C from swelling due to contact with any well fluid that may reach the inside of the penetrator 100. Therefore, encapsulant will be observed on both axial sides of the sealing element 112, thus preventing fluid from passing through the sealing element 112 and maintaining the position and shape of the sealing element 112. In some embodiments, the cable 130 may include a lead layer 215, which may extend within the outer shield 138 and within the unshielded section 134. The lead layer 215 is configured to prevent well fluid from damaging the wires 136A-C in the well. The container 126 can abut an upper end 216 of the encapsulant collar 114, thereby containing the encapsulant within the encapsulant collar 114. As shown, the inside of the container 126 can have a tapered (conical) surface 217, which can be tapered 7 in the opposite orientation to a tapered outer surface 218 of the generally wedge-shaped gripping members 124, 125. The container 126 can also have a bottom surface oriented towards the axis 219. As the locknut 104 advances toward the mandrel 102 (for example, by rotating the locknut 104 relative to the mandrel 102), the flange 128 can press the gripping members 124, 125 into the container 126, toward the lower surface 219, and the tapered coupling between surfaces 217, 218 can press the gripping members 124, 125 radially inward, in coupling with the shielding 138 of the cable 130. The gripping members 124, 125 can include an anti-crushing element 220 thereon, which can limit the extent to which the gripping members 124, 125 can move within the container 126. As such, the anti-crushing element 220 can prevent the gripping members 124, 125 from advancing axially within the container 126 as much as the gripping member 124, 125 press radially on cable 130 with enough force to damage cable 130.However, the anti-crushing element 220 allows the gripping members 124, 125 to engage firmly with the cable 130 and prevents the cable 130 from being withdrawn from the wellhead penetrator 100 under normal operating conditions. In one embodiment, the anti-crushing element 220 can be a chamfered end of the gripping members 124, 125 themselves, or it can be another type of extension or a separate piece configured to make contact with an axially oriented bottom portion of the vessel 126, thereby preventing further axial advance of the gripping members 124, 125. Furthermore, axially pressing the gripping members 124, 125 while advancing the locknut 104 can also apply axial force to the encapsulant within the encapsulant collar 114 and space 116. This can cause the encapsulant to fill any voids or gaps, thereby promoting an effective seal. Additionally, this pressure can be transmitted through the encapsulant to the sealing element 112, which in turn presses the encapsulant into cavity 200, again causing the encapsulant to fill spaces and thus further promoting the formation of an effective seal. With additional reference to Figure 2, a perspective view of the sealing element 112 is shown. As shown, the sealing element 112 may include sleeves or "nozzles" 250, 252, 254 extending from a chamfered lower surface 256 thereof. The 136A-C wires may extend through individual nozzles 250, 252, 254, such that the nozzles 250-254 extend along the insulation of the 136A-C wires to promote seal formation. Furthermore, the sealing element 112 is self-energized, 8 because at least its skirts 206, 208 have a slightly larger diameter than the inside of the mandrel 102, while the openings in the nozzles 250-254 are slightly smaller than the 136A-C wires. Figure 3 illustrates a side section view of a wellhead assembly 300, according to one embodiment. As shown, the wellhead assembly 300 typically includes a wellhead 302, into which a pipe hanger 304 is received. A wellhead adapter 306 may be received on top of the wellhead 302 and connected to it to seal the wellhead 302. The pipe hanger 304 may include a first hole 308 configured to connect to and support a production tubing string extending into the well below. The pipe hanger 304 may also include a second hole 310 through which the penetrator 100 extends.The pipe hanger 304 can be secured in place by interaction with one or more protrusions formed in the wellhead 302 and / or one or more set screws (two shown: 311, 312) that extend through the wellhead 302 and engage the pipe hanger 304. The 300 wellhead assembly may also include a 320 power connection. The 320 power connection can be configured to connect to the 130 cable to provide power to an electronic submersible pump (ESP) located inside the well, below the 302 wellhead. The 320 power connection may be mounted on the 306 wellhead adapter, generally to prevent communication between the ambient environment and the interior of the 306 wellhead adapter and the 100 penetrator within it. As can be seen, penetrator 100 includes the various components discussed above, which can provide electrical conductivity through wellhead 302 while preventing leakage of well fluids from within the well. Additionally, the retaining member 120 can be received in a raised section 322 formed on top of the pipe hanger 304 to position and support penetrator 100 relative to the pipe hanger 304. Furthermore, the mandrel 102 can extend along most or all of the second hole 310 formed vertically in the pipe hanger 304, as well as into and partially through a hole 324 formed in the wellhead adapter 306. Consequently, the geometry for the second hole 310 can be a relatively simple, straight geometry with the raised section 322 on top.Such simple geometry can, for example, allow the adaptation of existing 304 pipe hangers for use with the present penetrator 100 simply by milling the second hole 308 into a straight profile, with a chamfered protrusion on top to receive the retainer 120. Figures 4A and 4B illustrate a flowchart of a Method 400 for assembling a wellhead penetrator onto a cable and securing the wellhead penetrator to a wellhead assembly, according to one embodiment. Execution of Method 400 may result in the wellhead penetrator 100, mentioned above, being secured to cable 130, which can then be positioned on a wellhead assembly 300 as shown and described above with reference to Figure 3. Accordingly, Method 400 will be discussed with further reference to Figures 5-12, which provide views of the various stages of the wellhead penetrator 100 being connected to cable 130. However, in at least some embodiments, Method 400 can be employed to form other types of structures, and thus Method 400 should not be limited to any particular structure unless otherwise stated herein.Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the various steps of method 400 can be combined, separated, performed in parallel and / or performed in a different order than that represented in the present description without departing from the scope of the present description. Method 400 can begin by receiving the locknut 104, for example, with the clamping assembly 123 on it, on the cable 130, as in 402. The cable 130 can be partially stripped to expose the wires 136A-C that extend from the outer shield 138, forming the unshielded section 134 and the shielded section 132, as explained above. The lock nut 104 can slide over the shielded section 132. This is shown in Figure 5. The lock nut 104 can be held in place with a gripping tool, such as in 404, like jaws 501, which are configured to grip the shielded section 132 of the cable 130. Therefore, the lock nut 104 can slide against the jaws 501, which prevent the lock nut 104 from sliding further along the cable 130. As also shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments, Method 400 may include applying an encapsulant 502 (for example, a primer) to the termination of the shielded section 132 and the termination of the unshielded section 132, as in 406. As such, the encapsulant 502 is applied to both the shielded section 132 and the separated wires 136A-C of the unshielded section 134. The encapsulant 502 is illustrated with a precise shape having three cylindrical sections; however, the encapsulant 502 can generally be formed as an amorphous droplet to begin with, and is pressed to fit the internal profile of the penetrator 100 by interaction with the other components, as the other components are installed as described in this description and press the encapsulant 502 into a desired shape. In other configurations, the torque plate can be omitted, as will be described in more detail later. Method 400 can then proceed by coupling the encapsulant 502 with the receptacle 126, as in 408. This is illustrated in Figure 6. The receptacle 126 can initially be placed on the cable 130 together with the lock nut 104 and can therefore be slid out of the lock nut 104 and pressed against the encapsulant 502. A second pair of clamps 600, or any other clamping / locating tool for holding the receptacle 126 in place, can engage the cable 130 in the shielded section 132, thereby holding the encapsulant 502 in place, as in 410. As also illustrated in Figure 6, Method 400 can then include sliding the encapsulant collar 114 over the cable 130, for example, over the unshielded section 134 and into the shielded section 132 and into the encapsulant 502, as in 412. Method 400 can then proceed by sliding the encapsulant collar 114 over the encapsulant 502, while holding the container 126 in place, as in 414. This is illustrated in Figure 7. As shown, the encapsulant 502 can extend beyond the upper (left) end of the collar 114. Next, the sealing element 112 can slide over the wires 136A-C and mate with the encapsulant 502, as in 416. This is illustrated in Figure 8. The portion of the encapsulant 502 that extends beyond the end of the encapsulant collar 114 can remain in place and can be configured to fill the space 116 between the encapsulant collar 114 and the sealing element 112, as mentioned earlier with regard to Figures 1A-1B and 2. Furthermore, as in 418 and as shown in Figure 9, another section of encapsulant (second encapsulant) 900 can be formed at the upper end of the sealing element 112, and again it can begin as an amorphous blob. The first and second encapsulants 502 and 900 can be formed from the same material or from different materials. The backing member 110 can then be received around the cable 130, for example, with a separate passage for each of the wires 136A-C individually, and slid into mating with the sealing element 112, as in 420. As illustrated in Figure 10, the backing member 110 can be received around the encapsulant 900, which can reside in the cavity 200 (Figure 1B) formed therein. Any excess encapsulant 900 can be squeezed between the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112 during the installation of the backing member 110. / uιλι The outer mandrel 102 (shown in the middle of the section) can then be received on the cable 130 and slid over the backing member 110, the sealing element 112, the space-filling encapsulant 502 116, and the first section 210 of the encapsulant collar 114, as in 422. The mandrel 102 can be slid until it stops upon engaging with the shoulder 214 of the encapsulant collar 114. This step is illustrated in Figure 11. The gripping tools 501, 506 can then be released so that the lock nut 104 can slide into engagement with the mandrel 103, as in 424. The lock nut 104 can then be screwed (or otherwise moved axially relative to) into the mandrel 102, as in 426. This can be accomplished by holding the lock nut 104 stationary and rotating the mandrel 102, or by holding the mandrel 102 stationary and rotating the lock nut 104, or by rotating both (e.g., in opposite directions). As described above, by screwing the locknut 104 onto the mandrel 102, the locknut 104 presses the gripping members 124, 125 axially into the container 126 and thus radially inwards into coupling with the cable 130, thereby holding the penetrator 100 in its position relative to the cable 130.The lock nut 104 can be screwed onto the mandrel 102 until it is fully screwed in or until, for example, the encapsulant 504 prevents further advance of the lock nut 104. As shown in Figures 1 A-IB, the retaining member 120 can be coupled with the mandrel 102, as in 428. As shown in Figure 3, the penetrator 100 can then be received in the second hole 310 of the pipe hanger 304 and at least partially through the wellhead adapter 306, as in 430. The power connector 320 can then be connected to the wires 136A-C, thereby forming an electrical connection with a submersible pump or other electrical device below the wellhead 302. Finally, the power connector 320 can be mounted on the wellhead adapter 306, as in 432. In some embodiments, the encapsulant (e.g., epoxy) may be omitted. Figure 13 illustrates one such embodiment of a 1300 wellhead penetrator. The 1300 wellhead penetrator may be generally similar to the 100 wellhead penetrator, as described above, and therefore, similar components are given similar part numbers for ease of understanding and to avoid duplicate descriptions. For example, the 1300 wellhead penetrator may be configured to extend into a wellhead, providing a sealed path for electrically conductive cables, wires, conductors, etc., through the wellhead, according to one embodiment. The 1300 wellhead penetrator may be configured to provide electrical conductivity through the wellhead from a power source at the surface to a pump or other electronic device downhole.In one embodiment, the 1300 wellhead penetrator may include the outer mandrel 102 and the lock nut 104, with the outer mandrel 102 threaded into coupling with the lock nut 104. For example, the mandrel 102 may have end 106 that is externally threaded (male), while the lock nut 104 may have end 108 that is internally threaded (female). Consequently, rotating the mandrel 102 and the locknut 104 relative to each other (rotating one or both about a stationary reference frame) can advance the locknut 104 on the mandrel 102. In other embodiments, the locknut 104 can instead be received on the mandrel 102. The mandrel 102 and the locknut 104 can both be cylindrical, or at least partially cylindrical, and generally define collinear central longitudinal axes through them.As the term is used in the present description, axial means in a direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical mandrel 102 and / or locknut 104, whereas radial refers to a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (i.e., perpendicular to the central longitudinal axes). The mandrel 102 and locknut 104 can be hollow, and therefore their combinations (when connected to each other) can accommodate several components. For example, the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112 can be housed within the mandrel 102 and can be axially adjacent to each other, for example, axially coupled and / or connected. The sealing element 112 can be made of an elastic material suitable for forming a seal within the mandrel 102, such as rubber or another elastomeric or polymeric material. The backing member 110 can be made of any suitable material (for example, metal, plastic, ceramic, etc.). On the opposite axial side of the backup member 110, the mandrel 102 may extend a distance to the upper end. The shoulder 119 may retain the backup member 110 in place within the mandrel 102, and an unsealed section of the mandrel 102 may extend from the shoulder 119 to the upper end 118. A retaining member may be attached to the outside of the mandrel 102 in alignment with this unsealed section of the mandrel 102. The retaining member may be configured to maintain a position of the wellhead penetrator 100 within the wellhead. In some embodiments, the retaining member may be or include a snap ring, which may be received in a recess formed on the outside of the mandrel 102, but in other embodiments, other structures, devices, mandrel geometries, etc., may be employed instead of or in addition to such a snap ring to provide the retaining member. The wellhead penetrator 100 may also include a cable locking assembly, as shown. For example, the cable locking assembly may include gripping members 124, 125 and the tapered bowl 126 in which gripping members 124, 125 are at least partially received. The flange 128 formed at a lower end of the locknut 104 may engage with gripping members 124, 125, and thus, by advancing locknut 104 toward the mandrel 102, gripping members 124, 125 may be driven further into the tapered bowl 126, thereby pressing gripping members 124, 125 radially inward, as will be described in more detail below. Cable 130 can extend through wellhead penetrator 100. For example, cable 130 can include an armored section and an unarmored section. Furthermore, cable 130 can include two or more (for example, three) electrically conductive wires (two of which are visible: 136A, 136C). In the armored section, wires 136A-B can extend within an outer protective shield 138, and in the unarmored section, wires 136A-C can extend outside the protective shield 138. In one embodiment, the armored section of cable 130 can extend from below wellhead penetrator 100 to the lower end of locknut 104, which can provide an opening, slot, etc., configured to allow the armored section of cable 130 to pass through it.The unshielded section can extend within the locknut 104 and mandrel 102, so that the separate wires 136A-C can extend through separate holes formed in the sealing element 112 and the backup member 110, for example, one for each wire 136A-C. The cable 130 can have a flat or round outer shape in the shielded section 132. As previously stated, the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112 can be housed within the mandrel 102. Wires 136A and C (wire 136B is not visible in this cross-section) extend through separate holes formed in the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112. As shown, the interior of the backing member 110 can omit the cavity discussed earlier with reference to Figure IB. The backing member 110 can also omit the cavity 200 discussed earlier for retaining the encapsulant between the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112. Therefore, the sealing element 112 can be made uncoupled with the encapsulant on either axial side. Rather, the backup member 110 can be directly coupled with the sealing element 112, so that the two 14 interact along all but the conduit areas through which the 136AC cables extend.In some embodiments, a dovetail connection can be formed and bonding material can be interposed and used to adhere the sealing element 112 and the backing member 110 to each other. Furthermore, the sealing element 112 may include two skirts 206, 208, which are axially separated from each other. The skirts 206, 208 can engage with the inner diameter surface of the mandrel 102 to prevent fluid from escaping beyond the sealing element 112. Additionally, the annular end 202 of the backing member 110, which engages with the upper surface 204 of the sealing element 112, prevents misalignment of the sealing element 112 within the mandrel 102; for example, it maintains a coaxial orientation of the sealing element 112 with respect to the mandrel 102. This ensures that the skirts 206, 208 engage uniformly with the mandrel 102, thereby promoting the formation of an effective seal between the sealing element 112 and the inner diameter surface of the mandrel 102. The container 126 can abut an upper end 216 of the encapsulant collar 114, thereby containing the encapsulant within the encapsulant collar 114. As shown, the inside of the container 126 can have a tapered (conical) surface 217, which can be tapered in the opposite orientation to a tapered outer surface 218 of the generally wedge-shaped gripping members 124, 125. The container 126 can also have a lower surface oriented towards the axis 219. As the lock nut 104 advances toward the mandrel 102 (for example, by rotating the lock nut 104 relative to the mandrel 102), the flange 128 can press the gripping members 124, 125 into the container 126, toward the lower surface 219, and the tapered coupling between surfaces 217, 218 can press the gripping members 124, 125 radially inward, in coupling with the shielding 138 of the cable 130. The gripping members 124, 125 can include the anti-crushing element 220 thereon, which can limit the extent to which the gripping members 124, 125 can move within the container 126. As such, the anti-crushing element 220 can prevent the gripping members 124, 125 from advancing axially as much within the container 126 as the member Using grip 124, 125, press radially on cable 130 with enough force to damage cable 130.However, the anti-crushing element 220 allows the gripping members 124, 125 to engage firmly with the cable 130 and prevents the cable 130 from being withdrawn from the wellhead penetrator 100 under normal operating conditions. In one embodiment, the anti-crushing element 220 can be a chamfered end 15 of the gripping members 124, 125 themselves, or it can be another type of extension or a separate piece configured to make contact with an axially oriented bottom portion of the vessel 126, thereby preventing further axial advance of the gripping members 124, 125. Furthermore, axially pressing the gripping members 124, 125 while advancing the locknut 104 can also apply axial force to the encapsulant within the encapsulant collar 114 and space 116. This can cause the encapsulant to fill any voids or gaps, thereby promoting an effective seal. Additionally, this pressure can be transmitted through the encapsulant to the sealing element 112, which in turn presses the encapsulant into cavity 200, again causing the encapsulant to fill spaces and thus further promoting the formation of an effective seal. Consequently, several differences exist that allow for the omission of the encapsulant. For example, the conical receptacle 126 of the locking assembly has an axial sleeve 1302, which can abut the end 106 of the mandrel 102. The sleeve 1302 can be provided in place of the encapsulating collar 114 (e.g., Figures 1A and 1B), and the encapsulating collar 114 can be omitted, while still providing sufficient space to receive and retain the cable 130 within the locknut 104, and allowing the cables 136A-C to extend from the shield 138 and separate for reception through separate conduits in the sealing element 112. The space 116 within the mandrel 102, above the sealing element 112, can be empty. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the backing member 110 and the sealing element 112 can be connected by molding the sealing element (e.g., elastomeric) 112 directly onto the backing member (e.g., metallic) 110. The backing member 110 can be engaged with the shoulder 119, which prevents the backing member 110 from advancing through the mandrel 102 and exiting the open upper end opposite the locknut 104. The backing member 110 can be relatively rigid compared to the sealing element 112 and can have a tight tolerance with the mandrel 102, including the shoulder 119, to prevent the sealing element 112 from protruding in high-pressure environments. Additionally, a debris barrier 1310 can be fitted to the upper end of mandrel 102 and sealed within it. The debris barrier 1310 may not be designed to withstand high pressure differentials, but it can prevent contaminants from entering and coming into contact with components located inside mandrel 102. Consequently, the cable locking assembly provided by the tapered container 126 and the gripping members 124, 125 can grip and retain the cable 130. In addition, any axial force acting on the cable 130 can be transmitted through the mandrel 102 to the upper end of the cable, to resist displacement of the cable 130 with respect to the wellhead penetrator 1300. The foregoing has described elements of several modalities so that those skilled in the art may better understand the present description. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use this description as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures to accomplish the same purposes and / or achieve the same advantages as the modalities introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also understand that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of this description, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations to this description without departing from its spirit and scope.

Claims

1. A wellhead penetrator, comprising: a mandrel having first and second ends; a lock nut adjustablely connected to the second end of the mandrel; a conical bowl positioned within the lock nut, the mandrel, or both; a cable locking assembly received at least partially in the mandrel and the lock nut, wherein movement of the lock nut in an axial direction with respect to the mandrel causes the cable locking assembly to grip a cable received therethrough; a sealing element positioned at least partially within the mandrel and separate from the conical bowl;and a backup member positioned adjacent to the sealing element and at least partially within the mandrel, wherein a lower end of the backup member presses against the sealing element to prevent misalignment of the sealing element with respect to the mandrel, and wherein the mandrel, lock nut, sealing element, and backup member are configured to receive the cable through the same.

2. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel defines a protrusion thereon, the backup member has a first side that is pressed against the protrusion and a second side that engages with the sealing element, and wherein the protrusion is configured to prevent the backup member from advancing towards the first end of the mandrel.

3. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, further comprising an encapsulant collar positioned axially between the sealing element and the conical container, wherein the encapsulant collar and a space within the mandrel between the encapsulant collar and the sealing element are at least partially filled with the first encapsulant.

4. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 3, wherein the backing member defines a cavity opening towards the sealing element, the cavity being at least partially filled with a second encapsulant, wherein the opposite axial faces of the sealing element are in contact with the first encapsulant and the second encapsulant, respectively, to prevent leakage of well fluids through the sealing element.

5. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, wherein the locking cable assembly comprises a conical container and a plurality of inverted conical section gripping members received at least partially in the conical container, and wherein the gripping members are axially coupled with the lock nut, such movement of the lock nut moving the gripping members relative to the container.

6. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 5, wherein the locknut is threaded onto the mandrel, and wherein the locknut includes a flange that engages axially with the gripping members, to apply an axial force to the gripping members in response to rotation of the locknut with respect to the mandrel.

7. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 5, wherein the cable locking assembly comprises an anti-crushing feature for restricting the axial and radial movement of one or more gripping members in the vessel.

8. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 5, wherein the conical container comprises an axially extending sleeve that extends away from the gripping members and engages with an axial end of the mandrel, and wherein the sealing element does not engage with an encapsulant.

9. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element comprises a first skirt and a second skirt, the first and second skirts being axially displaced and extending radially outwards in coupling with the mandrel.

10. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, further comprising the cable, wherein the cable comprises a plurality of wires and an outer shield through which the plurality of wires extend, the outer shield extending along an armored section of the cable and not extending along an unarmored section of the cable, wherein the armored section is received through the lock nut, and wherein the plurality of wires extend separately from each other in the unarmored section within the mandrel, through the sealing element and through the backup member.

11. The wellhead penetrator according to claim 1, further comprising a debris barrier received at least partially at the first end of the mandrel.

12. A method comprising: receiving a lock nut on a cable; receiving a sealing element on the cable, axially separated from the lock nut; receiving a backing member in coupling with the sealing element; sliding a mandrel over the backing member and the sealing element, such that the sealing element forms a seal within the mandrel and prevents the backing member from sliding through the mandrel; and connecting the mandrel to the lock nut, wherein the connection comprises: rotating the lock nut with respect to the mandrel, each of the lock nut and the mandrel including threads that engage and advance by rotating the lock nut with respect to the mandrel;and driving one or more gripping members of a cable lock assembly into a tapered receptacle of the cable lock assembly, so that one or more gripping members apply a radial clamping force on the cable, to prevent dislocation of the cable relative to the mandrel and lock nut.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising applying a first encapsulant to the cable and receiving the backing member over the first encapsulant and within a defined cavity within the backing member, wherein the first encapsulant is pressed into coupling with the sealing element.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: sliding an encapsulant collar over the first encapsulant; and applying a second encapsulant to the cable, adjacent to the sealing element, on an opposite side of the sealing element of the first encapsulant, wherein sliding the mandrel comprises sliding the mandrel over the first encapsulant, the second encapsulant and the encapsulant collar.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising securing the conical container in position against the first encapsulant while sliding the encapsulant collar over the first encapsulant, wherein sliding the encapsulant collar over the first encapsulant comprises bringing the encapsulant collar into contact with the container.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein driving one or more gripping members by turning the locknut applies an axial force to the first encapsulant, the second encapsulant, or a combination thereof.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein sliding the mandrel comprises sliding the mandrel until a lower end of the mandrel makes contact with a projection of the encapsulant collar, such that the encapsulant collar is partially inside the mandrel and partially inside the lock nut.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein an annular end of the backup member is coupled with the sealing element, to prevent misalignment of the sealing element in the mandrel.

19. The method according to claim 12, further comprising receiving the mandrel and locknut, including the sealing element and the backup member positioned within the mandrel, locknut, or both, within a hole formed in a wellhead, to provide electrical conductivity through the cable through the wellhead.

20. A wellhead penetrator, comprising: a mandrel having a threaded lower end; a lock nut having an upper end that threads into coupling with the lower end of the mandrel, wherein a cable is received through the mandrel and the lock nut, the cable having an armored section and an unarmored section; a cable locking assembly positioned on the lock nut, wherein the cable locking assembly is configured to grip the armored section of the cable in response to rotation of the lock nut with respect to the mandrel; a sealing element positioned at least partially within the mandrel and separated from the sealing element, wherein the sealing element receives individual wires from the unarmored section of the cable through it;and a backup member adjacent to the sealing element and at least partially within the mandrel and configured to receive the individual wires of the unshielded section of the cable through the same, wherein a lower end of the backup member presses against the sealing element to prevent misalignment of the sealing element with respect to the mandrel, and wherein the backup member is retained by a projection formed in the mandrel and is configured to prevent the sealing element from becoming misaligned with respect to the mandrel.