Wireline Cable Radial Support Composite Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wirelines and slicklines used in well drilling and hydrocarbon recovery operations are susceptible to crack propagation, excessive mechanical wear, and pullout, particularly at points where they couple with wellbore tools, due to inadequate radial support.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a cable system with a composite carbon fiber reinforced polymer core support member and a mesh layer around it, providing enhanced radial strength and resistance to compression and bending stresses, along with an outer polymeric coating for protection, which includes a central fiber optic bundle or electrical conductors for communication and power transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wirelines and slicklines are used to lower and retrieve wellbore tools, then operational capability is enabled, but the cables are susceptible to crack propagation, excessive mechanical wear, and pullout due to inadequate radial support
Solution Approach 1:
The cable system employs a composite construction with a carbon fiber reinforced polymer core support member providing tensile strength, surrounded by a mesh layer of metal or strong fiber members that provide radial support and resistance to compression and bending stresses. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties to simultaneously achieve both reliability and radial strength.
2Weight of moving object
If the cable diameter is reduced to make the cable lighter and smaller, then ease of operation and deployment is improved, but the cable becomes more susceptible to mechanical wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The high strength-to-weight ratio of carbon fiber reinforced polymer allows the cable to be made lighter and smaller while maintaining or improving resistance to mechanical wear and damage. The composite structure with the mesh layer provides enhanced durability despite the reduced diameter.
3Reliability
If a mesh layer is added around the core support member to provide radial support, then resistance to crack propagation and pullout is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh layer is integrated with the core support member and outer polymeric coating to form a unified composite structure. This integration approach provides the necessary radial support and crack propagation resistance while minimizing the increase in device complexity through a streamlined multi-layer construction.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a cable system for conveying well servicing equipment into a wellbore includes a core support structure extending longitudinally along an axis of the cable system. The core support structure comprises polymer reinforced with fibers, and the fibers are oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the cable system. The cable system also includes a mesh layer disposed around and bonded to the core support structure. The mesh layer includes metal wrapped around the core support structure. The cable system also includes a polymeric coating disposed around and bonded to the mesh layer. The mesh layer enables increased structural support of the cable system, particularly against forces in the radial direction relative to the axis of the cable system. In some applications, the mesh layer acts as a return conductive path for conductors embedded in the core support structure.