Wellbore Optical Fibre Coating for Wall-Adhered Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of optical fibers in wellbores for sensing and communication operations is often costly and unreliable, with permanent installations posing longevity and reliability concerns, and existing methods do not effectively address the challenges of easy installation, reduced time, and uncertainty in deployment.
Innovation Solution
A deployable device with an optical fiber that features a protective coating and an adhesive outer layer, which can be coated with different materials along its length to adapt to varying well conditions, allowing it to adhere to the well wall and maintain uniform viscosity and adhesion, reducing damage and interference with other devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical fibre is permanently installed as an integral component of a completion string, then reliability of installation is improved, but cost and longevity concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fibre deployment is segmented into deployable sections rather than requiring a single permanent installation. The fibre can be deployed in segments as the tool traverses the wellbore, allowing flexible installation that reduces cost while maintaining reliability through modular deployment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static permanent installation to dynamic deployable installation. The optical fibre is deployed on-demand as the tool moves through the wellbore, enabling flexible installation timing and location selection that reduces overall system cost while maintaining installation reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If optical fibre is permanently installed, then installation completeness is improved, but concerns over longevity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fibre is prepared with protective coating and adhesive layers in advance during manufacturing. This preliminary protection is applied before deployment, ensuring the fibre is ready for long-term service in the wellbore environment without requiring permanent installation commitment.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibre is equipped with protective coating and adhesive outer layers before deployment to cushion it against environmental damage such as hydrogen darkening and embrittlement. This beforehand protection addresses longevity concerns by preventing degradation mechanisms before they can affect the fibre.
3Ease of manufacture
If optical fibre is deployed without protective coating, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but susceptibility to environmental damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fibre is constructed as a composite structure with the core fibre, protective coating layer, and adhesive outer layer. This composite construction provides comprehensive protection against environmental damage while remaining manufacturable through established coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective coating and adhesive layers modify the physical and chemical parameters of the optical fibre surface. These parameter changes enable the fibre to resist hydrogen darkening, embrittlement, and other environmental degradation mechanisms without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
4Reliability
If optical fibre is deployed with adhesive outer coating, then adhesion to well wall is improved, but complexity of deployment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive outer coating provides self-adhesion capability to the wellbore wall without requiring additional anchoring mechanisms or complex deployment equipment. The fibre adheres to the wall through its own adhesive properties, simplifying the overall deployment system while ensuring reliable adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive outer coating is applied uniformly along the optical fibre to provide consistent adhesion properties throughout the deployed length. This homogeneous coating ensures reliable adhesion to the wellbore wall without creating variability that would increase deployment complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient, cost-effective deployment of optical fibers with reduced risk of damage and interference, improving installation time and reliability by ensuring the fiber adheres to the well wall, thus enhancing sensing and communication operations.
Implementation Method 1
the deployable member may comprise at least a first length and a second length, the first and second lengths having different mechanical and/or optical properties... the outer coating or layer may comprise a fluidic material, such as a viscous material... The outer coating or layer may comprise a phase change material (PCM), which may absorb heat energy without a substantial increase in its temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
A deployable device comprising a deployable member. The deployable member comprises an optical fibre. The deployable member is stowed at the device in a first wound configuration and arranged to be deployed from the device to a second unwound configuration within a well. In examples, the deployable device is configured such that, when unwound, the deployable member has a propensity to adhere to a wall within the well. In examples, the deployable member comprises at least a first length and second length, the first and second lengths having different mechanical properties.