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US 7,548,681 B2Granted
Prevention of optical fiber darkening
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsScott Rubinstein, Ramaswamy Meyyappan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique enables the reduction or prevention of galvanic action by electrically insulating components of a system. Fiber optic systems can be protected with the technique by preventing the formation of hydrogen ions through galvanic action that otherwise contribute to hydrogen darkening of optical fibers.
Claims24
A method of protecting components in a downhole environment, comprising:
- forming a fiber optic system with a fiber optic cable having a metal jacket surrounding a plurality of communication lines comprising at least one optical fiber communication line;
- positioning the fiber optic cable adjacent a metal feature of a downhole component;
- and
- preventing metal-to-metal contact by providing a spacer between the metal jacket and the metal feature, the spacer being of sufficient size to block the generation of hydrogen ions resulting from a galvanic circuit.
1 more element
A method of preventing galvanic action in a wellbore, comprising:
- deploying a fiber optic system in the wellbore, the fiber-optic system having at least one optical component with a metallic feature;
- providing a spacer between the metallic feature and a metallic object in the wellbore;
- and
- forming the spacer of sufficient size to prevent formation of a galvanic circuit between the metallic feature and the metallic object.
1 more element
A system for use in a well, comprising:
- a fiber optic system having an optical component with a conductive feature;
- and
- a spacer positioned adjacent the conductive feature at a location that otherwise would incur contact between the conductive feature and another conductive well component in the well, the spacer comprising a material that prevents generation of hydrogen ions resulting from a circuit between the conductive feature and the conductive component.
A method, comprising:
- assembling a fiber optic system;
- deploying the fiber optic system along a well assembly in a wellbore;
- blocking generation of hydrogen ions resulting from a galvanic circuit by placing a spacer between a conductive feature of the fiber optic system and a conductive component of the well assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.