US 2022/0178212 A1 · Wet Mate Connector for an Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)

Abstract

A method for making a wet mate electrical connection in an underground borehole with a static downhole conductor pin that is protected from the borehole environment by a non-sealed shuttle and a moveable mating receptacle/conductor which presses on the outer body of the shuttle thus causing it to move along the conductor pin tube. The conductor pin inserts into the receptacle connector and connects to the contacts. Both connectors are filled with a dielectric fluid for isolation and are pressure balanced to counteract volume variation due to temperature changes. The moveable receptacle connector uses a non-conductive pin which is replaced by the conductor pin and provides a surface for wiper seals. As mating occurs, the conductor pin replaces the non-conductive pin, so no volume change occurs, and pressure change is eliminated. A reverse labyrinth isolates the heavy dielectric of the static connector from borehole fluid.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A wet mate connector system that provides a pressure compensated environment for an inline electrical connection contact and that is made of durable materials comprising:

a). a set of at least three inline male connectors mounted on an outside surface of a docking station which has an inside and outside diameter and an inside surface and the outside surface, and wherein each of the male connector is static and remains in a borehole;
and
b). a set of at least three inline female connectors, each connector that is moveable and is mounted on a motor connector that is part of the electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly
wherein the wet mate connector system makes an electrical connection in an underground borehole that provides for the transmission of electric power from a power supply to the motor of an electric submersible pump (ESP) and provides a balance of pressure between the internal dielectric fluid and the external borehole fluid.

1 more element

A wet mate connector system that provides a pressure compensated environment for an inline electrical connection contact and that is made of durable materials comprising:

a). a set of at least three inline male connectors, each connector that is static and remains in a borehole;
b). a set of at least three inline female connectors, each connector that is moveable and is mounted on a motor connector that is part of the electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly;
and
c). Each of the static male connectors further comprises a shuttle body with a profile, a shuttle pin, a return spring, and a conductor conduit, wherein the shuttle body comprises a series of wiper seals separated by seal spacers and a top and bottom cap, wherein the top and bottom caps are sealed to the shuttle body with an O-ring, and wherein the shuttle body profile includes a cylindrical body with a wedge-shaped abutment and which said cylindrical body contains the top and bottom caps, the wiper seals and seal spacers wherein within the wet mate connector system, the shuttle pin is positioned at the center of this cylindrical body, and the cylindrical body of the shuttle is positioned inside the inside diameter of the docking station with its outside diameter and tangential to the inside diameter of the docking station
wherein the wet mate connector system makes an electrical connection in an underground borehole that provides for the transmission of electric power from a power supply to the motor of an electric submersible pump (ESP) and provides a balance of pressure between the internal dielectric fluid and the external borehole fluid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wet Mate Connector for an Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)

Life of this patent

Wet Mate Connector for an Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14