MI Cable Heater Deployment in Horizontal Wells

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The deployment of mineral insulated (MI) cable heaters in horizontal wells is challenging due to the need for expensive and complex methods, such as coiled tubing encapsulation, which is costly and inefficient, especially in harsh environments like the Arctic or permafrost regions, where maintaining temperature inside production tubing is crucial for fluid flow.

Innovation Solution

A method for deploying MI cable heaters without coiled tubing, using a pump-in device with a breakaway connector and flexible armored coating, allowing the cable to be installed and removed efficiently using fluid pressure and a winch, reducing the need for extensive personnel and equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If coiled tubing encapsulation is used to deploy MI cable heaters, then the cable can be deployed in horizontal wells, but the equipment cost and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployability in horizontal wellsVSAvoidequipment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the MI cable heater from the coiled tubing encapsulation system, allowing the cable to be deployed independently through the tubing using a simple pump-in device rather than requiring the entire coiled tubing assembly for deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A pump-in device with breakaway connector serves as an intermediary tool that enables the MI cable heater to be pushed through the tubing using fluid pressure, then automatically releases to leave the cable in place without requiring complex retrieval equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If coiled tubing encapsulation is used to deploy MI cable heaters, then the cable can be installed, but the equipment cost and personnel requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation capabilityVSAvoidequipment requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pump-in device with breakaway connector is designed as a disposable or single-use tool that is pushed into the tubing, deploys the MI cable heater, and then breaks away or is retrieved separately, eliminating the need for expensive coiled tubing equipment and complex deployment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Fluid pressure (pneumatic or hydraulic) is used to push the pump-in device and attached MI cable heater through the tubing, replacing complex mechanical deployment systems with a simple pressure-driven approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Temperature

If heat trace is strapped to the outside of production tubing, then the tubing can be heated, but heat is lost to the surrounding annulus in the wellbore

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetubing temperatureVSAvoidheat loss to annulus

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The MI cable heater is nested inside the production tubing rather than being mounted on the outside, allowing the heat to be generated directly within the fluid stream and minimizing heat loss to the surrounding annulus and wellbore environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the previously harmful heat loss to the annulus into a benefit by placing the heat source inside the tubing, where the heat now directly warms the production fluid rather than being wasted on the surrounding environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS10619466B2Deploying mineral insulated cable down-hole

Publication Date: 2020.04.14 CONOCOPHILLIPS CO

AI summary

Methods, system and devices for deploying an MI cable heater down-hole into a hydrocarbon reservoir are provided, wherein one or more MI cables are housed inside a protective jacket, and connected to a pump-in device. The pump-in device allows the cable to be deployed by pumping fluid down-hole, and the pump-in device catches the fluid and pulls the cable down-hole, even in a horizontal well.