ATTACHMENT OF CONTROL LINES TO OUTSIDE OF TUBULAR
Disclosed is a downhole apparatus including a tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. Further disclosed is a downhole tubular system including at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including at least one tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. The system further includes at least one coupling clamp located at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus.
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In the drilling and completion arts, lengths of tubing known as a string is installed for various purposes such as drilling, injection, production, etc. The art in more recent years has become increasingly interested in monitoring and control of devices in the downhole environment. To accommodate this interest, lines such as fiber optic lines, electric lines, hydraulic lines, etc are installed adjacent the string. The lines may be installed in a number of positions relative to the string such as at the inside dimension of the string, somewhere within various concentric layers of the string or outside of the string, for example, on a surface thereof or spaced therefrom. Depending upon where the lines are run, they may or may not be subject to mechanically inflicted damage during running of the string in the hole. While various methods are known to protect lines at the outside dimension of the string such as channels, grooves, etc. the art is still interested in alternative means for protecting the lines that provides good protection at rapid speed and with minimal complexity of installation.
SUMMARYA downhole apparatus includes a tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface.
A downhole tubular system includes at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including at least one tubular and at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular. At least one cover is secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface. The system further includes at least one coupling clamp located at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus. The at least one coupling clamp includes at least two collars. At least one collar of the at least two collars is located at each side of the coupling. Each collar includes a coupling body extending around a circumference of the outer surface defining a coupling protected space between the coupling body and the outer surface. A coupling sleeve extends between the at least two collars.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:
Shown in
To monitor and/or control one or more devices downhole, one or more monitoring or control lines 16 extend along the outer surface 14 of the string 10. The lines may be, for example, electrical lines, hydraulic lines, and/or fiber optic lines, or the like. Further, while four lines 16 are shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the cover 18 is secured to the supports 20 without a hinge 24, and has screws 30, retaining hooks 34 or other mechanisms to secure the cover 18 to the supports 20. For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, it is desirable to have lines 16 installed along the length of the string 10, across couplings of adjacent joints of the string 10. Referring to
Referring again to
While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
Claims
1. A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a tubular;
- at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular; and
- at least one cover secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface.
2. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to a first support of the at least one support via at least one hinge.
3. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one support includes at least one detent to secure the at least one cover.
4. The downhole apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one detent via at least one retaining hook.
5. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one support via at least one of a threaded fastener.
6. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is secured to the at least one support via at least one clip.
7. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 comprising a plurality of centralizers extending outwardly from the outer surface.
8. The downhole apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least one cover is disposed circumferentially between two adjacent centralizers of the plurality of centralizers.
9. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cover is at least two covers disposed axially along a length of the tubular.
10. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of lines are disposed in the protected space.
11. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a screen segment.
12. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular is a flow through tubular with one or more lines attached thereto.
13. A downhole tubular system comprising:
- at least two tubular apparatus, each tubular apparatus including; at least one tubular; at least one support extending radially outwardly of an outer surface of a radially outward most member of the tubular; and at least one cover secured to the at least one support defining a protected space between the at least one cover and the outer surface;
- at least one coupling clamp disposed at a coupling of the at least two tubular apparatus including: at least two collars, at least one collar of the at least two collars disposed at each side of the coupling, each collar including a coupling body extending around a circumference of the outer surface defining a coupling protected space between the coupling body and the outer surface; and a coupling sleeve extending between the at least two collars.
14. The downhole system of claim 13 comprising at least one line disposed in the coupling protected space.
15. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the at least one line is at least one control line.
16. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the at least one line is at least one fiber optic line.
17. The downhole system of claim 14 wherein the coupling protected space is configured to allow for helical arrangement of the at least one line.
18. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the coupling collar comprises at least one coupling hinge.
19. The downhole system of claim 18 including at least two coupling arms extending from the at least one coupling hinge circumferentially around the outer surface.
20. The downhole system of claim 13 including at least one coupling spacer disposed between the coupling body and the outer surface to define the coupling protected space therebetween.
21. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the coupling protected space extends substantially around the entire circumference of the outer surface.
22. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the at least one tubular is at least one screen segment.
23. The downhole system of claim 13 wherein the at least one tubular is at least one flow through tubular with one or more lines attached thereto.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 17, 2009
Publication Date: Feb 17, 2011
Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Denise M. Earles (Houston, TX), John O. Pickett (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 12/542,293
International Classification: E21B 17/00 (20060101); E21B 43/08 (20060101); E21B 17/04 (20060101);