Wellhead Side-Port Sensing Cable Deployment Without Workover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deploying sensing cables into vertical wells is time-consuming and expensive, often requiring well intervention and workovers that disrupt production and incur significant costs.
Innovation Solution
A sensing cable deployment system that inserts the cable through a side port of the wellhead into the annulus between the production tubing and casing, avoiding the need to pull the production tubing, using an alignment collar, cable guide, and cable injection system for precise deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensing cable is deployed through traditional well intervention methods, then the well can be monitored, but production is disrupted and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a side port as an intermediary access point to the annulus, allowing sensing cable deployment without direct intervention into the production tubing. The side port serves as a mediator that enables monitoring installation while maintaining production continuity, as the cable is injected through the side port into the annulus space between production tubing and casing.
Solution Approach 2:
The wellhead is segmented with a separate side port that provides independent access to the annulus. This segmentation allows the sensing cable deployment to be separated from the main production flow path, enabling monitoring installation without shutting down production. The side port creates a distinct access route that does not interfere with production tubing operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If production tubing is extracted from wellhead for cable deployment, then cable can be installed, but labor costs and equipment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary component (sensing cable) through the side port into the annulus, rather than extracting the entire production tubing assembly. The cable injection system delivers the cable through the side port directly into the annulus space, minimizing the scope of intervention and avoiding the need to remove production tubing from the wellhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The side port acts as an intermediary access point that simplifies cable installation by providing a dedicated entry route to the annulus. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for complex well intervention procedures involving production tubing extraction, as the cable can be independently injected through the side port without affecting the main production flow path.
3Reliability
If well intervention is performed for sensing cable deployment, then monitoring is achieved, but time is lost and production is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuity of production while enabling monitoring installation through the side port. The side port provides a continuous access route that allows cable deployment without interrupting the production flow through the main wellbore. Production continues uninterrupted while the sensing cable is injected into the annulus through the side port, eliminating downtime associated with traditional well intervention methods.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods of monitoring a well that includes a production tubing installed in the well and supported by a wellhead with an annulus between the production tubing and a well casing. While the production tubing remains installed in the well, a valve of the wellhead is opened to provide access to the annulus through a side port of the wellhead. A cable guide is inserted through the valve, the cable guide including a conduit for inserting a sensing cable through the cable guide. A sensing cable is inserted through the conduit of the cable guide and into the annulus through the side port. One or more parameters of the well are measured using the sensing cable and signals representative of the parameters are transmitted along the sensing cable. The signals from the sensing cable are obtained and processed using a computing system to determine the parameters.