Wireline subsea metering head and method of use

A flexible cable subsea deployment control system, comprising:

• a. a subsea metering head, comprising:
• i. a body;
• ii. a position sensor, comprising:
• (1) a position wheel contained at least partially within the body and operatively connected to a winch flexible cable;
• and
• (2) a position feedback sensor operatively in communication with the position wheel and capable of producing a position feedback signal in proportion to a sensed position of the winch flexible cable with respect to a predetermined axis;
• and
• iii. a communications interface, operatively in communication with the position feedback sensor and capable of transmitting the position feedback signal;
• b. a controllable winch operatively connected to the winch flexible cable;
• and
• c. a controller operatively in communication with the controllable winch and the communications interface, the controller capable of controlling the controllable winch in response to a received position feedback sensor signal.

A metering head for use in a subsea wireline operation, comprising:

• a. a body having:
• i. a position wheel contained at least partially within the body, the position wheel operatively connected to a winch flexible cable;
• and
• ii. a load connector contained at least partially within the body, the load connector operatively connected to a load flexible cable;
• b. a position feedback sensor, operatively connected to the position wheel, the position feedback sensor capable of producing a position feedback signal in proportion to a sensed position of the winch flexible cable with respect to a predetermined axis;
• and
• c. a communications interface, operatively in communication with the position feedback sensor and capable of transmitting the position feedback signal to a receiver.

A method of controlling a controllable winch deployed on a vessel for a control system comprising a metering head comprising a body having a position sensor, the position sensor comprising a position wheel contained at least partially within the body and operatively connected to a winch flexible cable, and a position feedback sensor operatively in communication with the position wheel and capable of producing a position feedback signal in proportion to a sensed position of the body with respect to a predetermined axis;

• a load connector contained at least partially within the body and operatively connected to the load flexible cable;
• and a communications interface operatively in communication with the position feedback sensor and capable of transmitting the position feedback signal to a receiver, the method comprising:
• a. attaching a winch flexible cable to a controllable winch located on a vessel;
• b. attaching the metering head to the winch flexible cable using the position wheel;
• c. attaching the metering head to a load using a load flexible cable operatively connected to the load connector;
• d. producing, by the position feedback sensor, a position feedback signal in proportion to a sensed position of the body with respect to the predetermined axis;
• e. transmitting the position feedback signal to the receiver;
• f. receiving the sensed position feedback signal at the receiver;
• and
• g. controlling the controllable winch in a predetermined manner in response to the received sensed position feedback signal.