# US 2019/0376347 A1 · A downhole automatic connection device and method for oil pipe internal communication cable used for intelligent layered water injection

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0376347 A1
- Document ID: US20190376347A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/066,060
- Filed: 2017-09-01
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-27
- Assignees: Southwest Petroleum University
- Applicants: Southwest Petroleum University
- Inventors: Yang TANG; Qingyou LIU; Guorong WANG; Wang LI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376347A1

## CPC

- E21B 17/023: {Arrangements for connecting cables or wirelines to downhole devices}
- E21B 17/028: {Electrical or electro-magnetic connections}
- H01R 13/6205: {Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet}
- H01R 13/631: for engagement only
- H01R 43/26: for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629)
- E21B 43/20: Displacing by water
- H01R 13/6315: {allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence)}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

The present invention discloses a downhole automatic connection device for an oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection. The connection device comprises a water injection pipe string in which a cable lowering mechanism is arranged. The cable lowering mechanism comprises a cable, a cable female connector, a motor and load-bearing blades. The cable female connector comprises a female connector shell, a jack insulating plate and an electromagnet. A cable male connector is also fixedly arranged in the water injection pipe string. The cable male connector comprises a male connector shell, a pin insulating plate and an NdFeB magnet. A pin wire welding point is electrically connected with a sensor on an intelligent water distributor. A lead arranged in the pin insulating plate is connected between a pin and the pin wire welding point. The present invention also discloses a connection method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A downhole automatic connection device for an oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection, comprising a water injection pipe string, and a hydraulic anchor, a cable-through packer, an intelligent water distributor, a hydraulic support anchor and a plug, the hydraulic anchor, the cable-through packer, the intelligent water distributor, the hydraulic support anchor and the plug are sequentially connected to a lower end of the water injection pipe string, wherein a cable lowering mechanism is arranged in the water injection pipe string; the cable lowering mechanism comprises a cable, a cable female connector, a motor and a plurality of load-bearing blades; a tail end of the cable is sleeved with a housing; the plurality of load-bearing blades are uniformly hinged on a cylindrical surface of the housing in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface; a roller is rotatably mounted at an end of each of the plurality of load-bearing blades; each roller is tangential to an inner wall of the water injection pipe string; a through groove which is positioned above each of the plurality of load-bearing blades is arranged on each of two sides of the housing; the housing is sleeved with a left semicircular member and a right semicircular member, the left semicircular member and the right semicircular member are fixedly connected; a first connecting rod is hinged on the left semicircular member and the right semicircular member; an end of the first connecting rod is hinged on each of the plurality of load-bearing blades; two second connecting rods penetrating through the corresponding through groove are respectively fixedly arranged on the left semicircular member and the right semicircular member respectively; a nut is fixed between the two second connecting rods; the motor is fixedly arranged in the housing;
a screw rod is connected to an output shaft of the motor and is in a threaded connection with the nut; the cable female connector comprises a female connector shell a jack insulating plate and an electromagnet; the female connector shell is fixedly arranged at a bottom of the housing and communicated with the housing; the electromagnet is arranged at a bottom of the jack insulating plate; the jack insulating plate is fixedly arranged on the female connector shell; an annular groove is arranged between the jack insulating plate and an inner wall of the female connector a bottom surface of the female connector shell is a guide surface inclined to left; a right cylindrical surface of the female connector shell is provided with a guide groove; the jack insulating plate is internally provided with a jack that is arranged vertically; a jack wire welding point is fixedly arranged on a top of the jack; a conductive sleeve is arranged in the jack and is fixedly connected with a first end of the jack wire welding point; a second end of the jack wire welding point is connected with the cable; a cable male connector is fixedly arranged in the water injection pipe string; the cable male connector comprises a male connector shell a pin insulating plate and an NdFeB magnet; the pin insulating plate is fixedly arranged in the male connector shell; the NdFeB magnet is arranged on a top of the pin insulating plate; a tapered surface matched with the guide surface is arranged in a middle of the male connector shell a right cylindrical surface of the pin insulating plate is provided with a guide bolt matched with the guide groove; a pin and a pin wire welding point are arranged on a top and a bottom of the pin insulating plate respectively; the pin wire welding point is electrically connected with a sensor on the intelligent water distributor; a lead which is positioned in the pin insulating plate is connected between the pin (35) and the pin wire welding point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein a first sealing ring is arranged on a top of the male connector shell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein a snap spring is fixedly arranged in the male connector shell.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein the pin insulating plate is fixedly arranged on a snap spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein a cylindrical surface of the jack insulating plate (21) is provided with a second sealing ring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein a communication cable, a control cable and a power cable are arranged in the cable.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The downhole automatic connection device for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 1, wherein the NdFeB magnet is a permanent magnet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A downhole automatic connection method of operation for an oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection by using the device according to claim 1, comprising following steps:
S1, lowering the water injection pipe string into an oil and gas well; lowering the cable of the cable lowering mechanism into the water injection pipe string, such that all the rollers are in contact with the inner wall of the water injection pipe string respectively; then, injecting water to the water injection pipe string, wherein water flow provides power for downward movement of the cable lowering mechanism, that is, after the load-bearing blades are impacted by water, the rollers move downwards along the water injection pipe string;
S2, when the cable is lowered to a predetermined depth, i.e., the cable female connector is about to touch the cable male connector, electrifying the electromagnet wherein the cable male connector and the cable male connector attract with each other, an upper end of the male connector shell is plugged into the annular groove of the female connector shell, and the guide surface on the bottom surface of the female connector shell and the tapered surface in the middle of the male connector shell then gradually match to ensure a connection directionality; after the guide surface completely matches the tapered surface, the guide bolt is exactly plugged into the guide groove, and the pin is plugged into the conductive sleeve, such that a docking between the cable female connector and the cable male connector is realized;
S3, at the end of the step S2, controlling the motor to rotate forward, wherein the motor drives the screw rod to rotate, and the nut moves upwards along the screw rod, such that a lantern ring moves upwards; the first connecting rod drives the load-bearing blades to rotate around a hinge point between the load-bearing blades and the housing to converge the load-bearing blades; and
S4, detecting a water injection flow rate, a water injection pressure and a temperature by a flow sensor, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor on the intelligent water distributor respectively, and converting these parameters into electric signals, wherein the electric signals are finally transmitted to ground monitoring or control equipment via the pin wire welding point, the lead, the pin, the conductive sleeve, the jack wire welding point and the cable in sequence.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein a first sealing ring is arranged on a top of the male connector shell.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein a snap spring is fixedly arranged in the male connector shell.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein the pin insulating plate is fixedly arranged on a snap spring.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein a cylindrical surface of the jack insulating plate is provided with a second sealing ring.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein a communication cable, a control cable and a power cable are arranged in the cable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The downhole automatic connection method of operation for the oil pipe internal communication cable for intelligent layered water injection according to claim 8, wherein the NdFeB magnet is a permanent magnet.