Combined optic fibre/electrical well logging cables

• Main Authors: SAEED RAFIE, STEPHEN T HA, JAMES C HUNZIKER, JOSEPHINE LOPEZ, ARNOLD M WALKOW
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.02.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CABLES; CONDUCTORS; ELECTRICITY; INSULATORS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING ORDIELECTRIC PROPERTIES

A combination fiber optic/electrical well logging cable 10 comprises at least one insulated electrical conductor 9 and a plurality of armor wires 6 surrounding the electrical conductor 9. The armor wires 6 include at least one tube 4A having an optical fiber disposed inside the tube. The armor wires 6 may be in two concentric layers circumscribing the electrical conductor. One or more of the armor wires 6 in the innermost layer of armor wires may includes the tube 4A having the optical fiber disposed therein. The tube may have an external diameter which is substantially the same as the armor wires in the layer in which the tube is located. The inner diameter of the tube may provide just enough room for the optical fiber to move about freely, but to retain enough crush strength for the tensile and side loads expected to be applied to the cable. The tube may include an inner layer consisting of a thin walled tube, a metal foil layer wrapped around the outside of the inner layer, and an outer layer consisting of another thin walled tube on the outside of the foil layer.