US 7,611,339 B2Granted

Tri-line power cable for electrical submersible pump

AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated

InventorsSteven K. Tetzlaff, Larry J. Parmeter, Ed L. Doty, Rob A. Coyle, Thomson H. Wallace, Larry V. Dalrymple, David H. Neuroth

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Abstract

A power line for an electrical submersible pump has three metallic impermeable tubes. A single electrical conductor is located within each of the tubes. Each conductor has at least one elastomeric insulation layer surrounding it. An annular portion of the insulation layer of each of the electrical conductors is in tight contact with the tube to form a seal. The annular portions may be annular crimps formed in the tube at intervals. The annular portion could also be a continuous seal caused by swelling of the insulation layer due to contact with a hydrocarbon.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for pumping well fluid, comprising:

a submersible pump;
a submersible electrical motor operatively connected to the pump, the motor having a housing with a cylindrical head at one end;
three slots formed in a sidewall of the head. the slots being spaced circumferentially apart from each other, defining a web between adjacent ones of the slots;
a passage leading from each of the slots into an interior of the housing;
three metallic impermeable tubes;
a fastener on each of the tubes, each of the fasteners being within one of the slots and securing one of the tubes to the head, the webs separating the fasteners from each other;
a single electrical conductor within each of the tubes, each of the conductors extending through one of the passages into the interior of the housing for supplying power to the motor;
at least one elastomeric insulation layer surrounding each of the conductors;
and
an annular portion of the insulation layer of each of the electrical conductors being in tight contact with the tube over at least a portion of the axial tube in which it is located to form a seal therebetween.

7 more elements

An apparatus for producing well fluid, comprising:

a wellhead member;
a tubing hanger landed in the wellhead member;
a string of tubing supported by the tubing hanger;
an electrical submersible pump and motor suspended on the string of tubing, the motor having a housing with a cylindrical head at an upper end and a longitudinal axis;
three axially extending slots formed in a sidewall of the head, the slots being spaced circumferentially apart from each other, defining a web between adjacent ones of the slots;
a passage leading from each of the slots into an interior of the housing;
three metallic impermeable tubes, each of the tubes being sealingly connected to the motor;
a fastener on each of the tubes, each of the fasteners being within one of the slots and securing one of the tubes to the head, the webs separating the fasteners from each other;
a single electrical conductor within each of the tubes for supplying electrical power to the motor, each of the conductors extending through one of the passages into the interior of the housing;
an elastomeric insulation layer surrounding each of the conductors;
and
a plurality of annular crimps formed circumferentially around and in each of the tubes at spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of each of the tubes, each of the crimps being over at least a portion of the axial length of each of the tubes for forming seals between each of the insulation layers and each of the tubes.

9 more elements

A method of supplying power to a submersible motor of an electrical submersible pump assembly, comprising:

(a) providing a motor with a housing having a cylindrical head, three axially extending slots formed in a sidewall of the head, the slots being spaced circumferentially apart from each other, defining a web between adjacent ones of the slots, and a passage leading from each of the slots into an interior of the housing;
(b) providing three metallic impermeable tubes, placing a fastener on each of the tubes, placing each of the fasteners within one of the slots and securing each of the tubes to the head with the fasteners so that the webs separate the Fasteners from each other;
(c) positioning an electrical conductors within each of the tubes such that each of the tubes contains a single one of the electrical conductors, each of the conductors having a layer of elastomeric insulation;
(d) causing an annular portion extending circumferentially around the insulation layer of each of the electrical conductors to be in tight contact with the tube in which it is enclosed to form a seal therebetween, the annular portion extending over at least a portion of the axial length of the tube;
and
(c) supplying electrical power to the conductors.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/211,896Filed 25 Aug 2005
Published: US 2007/0046115 A11 Mar 2007
Granted: 3 Nov 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

E21B 43/128
Lifting well fluids: adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives
F04D 13/0693
The pump being electrically driven: details or arrangements of the wiring
F04D 13/10
For submerged use: adapted for use in mining bore holes
H01B 7/046
Flexible cables, conductors, or cords, e.g. trailing cables: attached to objects sunk in bore holes, e.g. well drilling means, well pumps