Unitary Cable Guard for ESP Systems Using Flange Bolts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MLE cable guards for ESP systems are cumbersome, difficult to install, and prone to damage in harsh wellbore environments, often requiring customization and drilling holes into the ESP system, which compromises structural integrity and limits their application.
Innovation Solution
A unitary, low-profile cable guard that secures MLE cables to ESP systems using pre-existing flange bolts and annular channels without encircling the system or requiring drilled holes, featuring a U-shaped body with connectors and skids for easy installation and protection, and can be mass-produced without customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional MLE cable guards are used that wrap around the ESP system or tubing string, then the cable is secured and protected, but the device becomes large and cumbersome, getting caught on pipe joints and causing resistance during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guard is divided into multiple components: a clamp assembly that attaches to the tubing string, a cable securing mechanism, and protective elements. This segmentation allows the guard to be installed in sections rather than as one large cumbersome piece, reducing interference with pipe joints while maintaining cable protection capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guard transitions from a wrap-around configuration to a clamp-based configuration that attaches radially to the tubing string. This dimensional change allows the guard to secure cables without extending circumferentially around the pipe, eliminating the problem of getting caught on pipe joints while maintaining effective cable securing
2Reliability
If MLE cable guards are installed during ESP system assembly, then the cable is secured, but the installation process becomes more cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guard is designed to be pre-assembled with the ESP system components during manufacturing, with mounting features that align with pre-drilled holes in the pump housing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for field customization and allows for rapid installation by simply bolting the guard into place, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining secure cable attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guard incorporates universal mounting features that can be attached to various ESP system configurations using standard flange bolts and annular channels. This multi-functionality allows the same guard design to be used across different ESP models without requiring customization, streamlining the installation process and reducing time losses
3Reliability
If holes are drilled into the pump housing to secure cable guards, then the cable guard can be firmly attached, but the structural integrity of the ESP system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guard uses the flange bolts and annular channels of the pump housing as intermediary attachment points rather than drilling new holes into the housing. The guard clamps onto these existing structural elements, providing firm cable attachment while avoiding additional penetrations that would compromise the pump housing structural integrity
4Reliability
If carbon or stainless steel cable guards are used, then the cable is protected, but the guard is subject to corrosion and scaling in harsh wellbore environments
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guard employs composite material construction, combining a corrosion-resistant outer shell made from materials such as stainless steel, titanium, or corrosion-resistant alloys with an inner structural component. This composite approach provides both the mechanical strength needed for cable protection and the corrosion resistance required to withstand harsh wellbore environments including sand, fracturing fluids, and chemical exposure
Data Source
AI summary
An improved cable guard and methods of use are provided for securing an MLE cable to an ESP system in a wellbore casing, the system having flange bolts and an annular channel. The cable guard may be unitary (i.e., one piece), comprising a body having a bridge portion and two side portions forming a cavity for securing the cable to the system, two connectors extending from the side portions, each connector forming at least one aperture for receiving a flange bolt, and skids extending from the side portions for guiding movement of the system within the casing. In some embodiments, methods of using the improved cable guard may comprise providing the cable guard, positioning the cable guard to receive the cable within the cavity and to receive at least one flange bolt within an aperture, and securing the cable guard to the system.