Wells – Guide for device or conduit – Surrounding existing device or tubing
Patent
1993-12-03
1995-01-10
Neuder, William P.
Wells
Guide for device or conduit
Surrounding existing device or tubing
24285, 2851371, 285419, F16L 310
Patent
active
053798368
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to clamps for use with completion or production tubing strings deployed in oil, gas or water wells.
The completion of a well using tubing conveyed tools and the subsequent production thereof with or without the use of a submersible pump suspended on a production tubing string require the installation of an electric power cable and/or service lines, for example control or injection lines, alongside the tubing string. Clearly, these cable and/or service lines are liable to be damaged during running-in and removal from the well, particularly by crushing from side loads imposed by movement in deviated wells.
It is common practice to use clamps to maintain the cable and/or lines in a pre-determined path in the space between the tubing string and the well casing, the clamps either being secured to the tubing string between couplings or spanning a coupling. Such clamps, as described for example in UK Patent Application No 2 149 000 A (Lasalle) reduce the tensile stresses to which the cable and service lines are subject by virtue of their own weight. However, conventional clamps function by compressing the cable and service lines against the tubing string. This arrangement has the drawback that the contact surfaces between the cable and lines and the tubing string are quite limited, and the support afforded is dependent on the actual diameter of the tubing string.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of known clamps by divorcing the tubing string clamping function from the cable and service line clamping function.
According to the present invention there is provided a clamp for mounting a cable or service line in spaced relationship to a tubing string used in producing a well and formed of lengths of tubing joined by a coupling or other type of connection, the clamp comprising first and second clamping elements for clamping around the tubing string, the elements being mutually hinged at one side and provided with releasable fastening means at the opposite side, and a cover hinged at one side of the first element and provided with releasable fastening means for releasably fastening it to the first element at the other side, the outer surface of the first element and the inner surface of the cover being provided with formations which ensure that the power and/or service lines are firmly held when the cover is closed against the first element.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention the second clamping element comprises a clamp body providing two seating surfaces, each arranged to engage respective adjacent lengths of tubing above and below a connection, the first clamping element comprises two clamp straps each hinged at one end to the clamp body opposite a respective one of the seating surfaces, the clamp straps being formed with recesses to receive at least one power and/or service line, the cover is hinged to the clamp body and has an internal profile which in the clamping condition urges the power and/or service lines against the clamping straps, and the releasable fastening means are arranged for tightening the clamp straps against the clamp body to secure the clamp to the tubing string, and for tightening the cover against the clamp straps to secure the power and/or service lines to the clamp.
Preferably, the clamp strap is provided with a tongue which in the closed condition of the clamp is received in a recess in the second element, thus locking the first and second clamp in the closed position when the clamp is engaged around the tubing string. The clamp cover can thus be opened without disturbing the clamp straps, for example to enable a power cable and service lines to be positioned in the recesses on the outside of the clamp straps, which are thus exposed.
According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention the first and second clamping elements are arranged to clamp around the connector itself, rather than clamp around adjacent lengths of tubing and to
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patent: 5271648 (1993-12-01), Krausz
Ecotek Corporation
Neuder William P.
Reynolds Florence U.
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