# US 10,864,550 B2 · Subsea umbilical > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,550 B2 - Document ID: US10864550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/722,743 - Filed: 2015-05-27 - Published: 2016-05-12 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-28 - Assignees: Nexans - Applicants: Nexans - Inventors: Carl Fredrik Eggertsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864550B2 ## CPC - B05D 7/20: to wires (for insulating electric cables H01B13/16) - E21B 17/003: {with electrically conducting or insulating means (E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence)} - E21B 17/01: Risers - H01B 7/045: {attached to marine objects, e.g. buoys, diving equipment, aquatic probes, marine towline} - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) ## Abstract An umbilical for subsea applications has at least one longitudinal internal element and a sheath, the sheath is formed by extrusion. The internal element is suitable for communicating fluids, electrical power or signals, or for carrying loads. The sheath is made of a polymer composite having a high density filler, the polymer composite having a density in the range 3 to 11 g/cm3. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An umbilical power cable for subsea applications comprising: at least one longitudinal internal element; and a sheath, the sheath is formed by extrusion, wherein said internal element is suitable for communicating fluids, electrical power or signals, or for carrying loads, said internal element being selected from optical fibers and electrical quads, and wherein the sheath is made of a polymer composite having a high density filler, the polymer composite having a density in the range 6 to 11 g/cm3, and wherein said sheath is the outermost layer of the cable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the amount of high density filler is in the range of 20 to 90 w/w % based on the total weight of the polymer composite. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the high density filler is metal based, the metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, copper, copper oxide, steel, iron, iron oxide, barium sulfate, tungsten, molybdenum and mixtures thereof, and having a density of more than 4 g/cm3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the polymer in the polymer composite has at least one of high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing an umbilical power cable according to claim 1, said umbilical having a minimum submerged weight to length (kg/m), said method comprising the step of: providing at least one longitudinal element suitable for communicating fluids, electrical power or signals, or for carrying loads, said internal element being selected from optical fibers and electrical quads; determining the density and thickness of a sheath required to obtain the minimum submerged weight to length (kg/m); and extruding a sheath around the longitudinal element, the sheath made of a polymer composite comprising a high density filler and having a density in the range of 6 to 11 g/cm3 such that the minimum submerged weight to length (kg/m) is obtained. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the amount of high density filler is in the range of 20 to 90 w/w % based on the total weight of the polymer composite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the high density filler is metal based, the metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, nickel, copper, copper oxide, steel, iron, iron oxide, barium sulfate, tungsten, molybdenum and mixture thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the polymer in the polymer composite has at least one of HDPE (high density polyethylene), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PU (polyurethane), PA (polyamide) and PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composite comprises polyamide (PA) and/or polyurethane (PU) as the polymer(s), and tungsten as the high density filler in an amount of 10-60 wt % based on the total weight of the polymer composite. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the specific gravity SG of the umbilical is 1.5-3.0. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composite comprises polyamide (PA) as the polymer, and 10-30 wt % of chromium, and/or 10-30 wt % of nickel, and/or 1-5 wt % of molybdenum as the high density filler(s). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the polymer composite comprises polyamide (PA) and/or polypropylene (PP) as the polymer(s), and barium sulfate as the high density filler in an amount of 60 wt % or more, based on the total weight of the polymer composite. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The umbilical power cable according to claim 1, wherein the umbilical power cable has several longitudinal internal elements, and said longitudinal internal elements are multiple hydraulic lines comprising a steel tube, multiple electrical quads and multiple optical fibers.