Emergency elastomer injection system for use on e-line and braided cable

Abstract

A system and method for sealing a passage around a cable is disclosed. Embodiments of the system can include an axial passage, such as a conduit and subsea wellhead housing connected to a wellbore, that can have a cable extending therethrough. The system can include an upper restrictor and a lower restrictor for closing the axial passage. An injection module having an injector and a reservoir can be fluid communication with the axial passage at an axial location between the upper restrictor and the lower restrictor. The injector can discharge a curable sealant initially stored in the reservoir into the axial passage so that at least a portion of the sealant contacts the cable at the axial location of the restrictor while the cable remains static.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for sealing a passage around a cable, the apparatus comprising:
 an axial passage adapted to have the cable passing therethrough, the cable having a plurality of strands;   an upper restrictor and a lower restrictor for closing the axial passage, the upper and lower restrictors occupying the annular space between an inner diameter of the axial passage and an outer diameter of the cable; and   an injection module having an injector and a reservoir, the injection module being in fluid communication with the axial passage at an axial location between the upper restrictor and the lower restrictor, the injector discharging a sealant initially stored in the reservoir into the axial passage so that at least a portion of the sealant contacts the cable at the axial location of the restrictor while the cable remains static.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper restrictor and the lower restrictor cause the sealant to flow between at least a portion of the plurality of strands. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper restrictor comprises an upper pair of rams and the lower restrictor comprises a lower pair of rams, each pair of rams moving axially inward to a constricted position to constrict the bore, the constricted position reducing the flow of sealant out of the axial passage, thereby forcing at least a portion of the sealant to enter a plurality of voids between the strands. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein reservoir comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber initially having a solvent, the solvent being a fluid that removes grease, and the second chamber initially having the sealant, wherein the solvent is discharged into the axial passage before the sealant is discharged into the axial passage. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is located in a remotely operated vehicle, the remotely operated vehicle stabbing into a fluid passage in communication with the axial passage. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises suspended particulate, the suspended particulate lodging in flow restrictions within the plurality of strands of the cable. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve in the passage adapted to pass the cable therethrough, the sleeve adapted to initially have an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the cable, and being deformable to reduce the annular space between an inner diameter of the sleeve and the outer diameter of the cable prior to discharging the sealant. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealant is a curable polymer that hardens after being injected. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sealant displaces grease located within the plurality of braided strands. 
     
     
         10 . A method for sealing around a cable extending through a conduit and a subsea wellhead assembly into a wellbore, the method comprising:
 (a) providing upper and lower passage restrictors in the conduit above the wellhead assembly;   (b) providing an injection module connected to a port through a sidewall in the conduit, the port being located between the upper passage restrictor and the lower passage restrictor, the injection module having an injector and a reservoir, the reservoir initially containing a curable sealant;   (c) actuating the wellbore restrictor to cause the upper and lower passage restrictors to move radially toward the center of the wellbore; and   (d) injecting the curable sealant from the injection module through the port in the conduit around the cable between the upper and lower passage restrictors.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the curable sealant is stored as two or more separate components in two or more separate vessels in the reservoir, the two or more separate components reacting to form the curable sealant, and wherein step (d) comprises mixing the two or more separate components prior to injecting the curable sealant. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the cable comprises a braided material, and wherein step (d) includes injecting the curable sealant into the braided material. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the cable remains axially stationary during steps (c) and (d). 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein step (d) occurs prior to step (c). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the reservoir comprises a first and second container, the first container initially containing a solvent and the second container initially containing the curable sealant, and wherein step (d) comprises first injecting the solvent to remove a grease from the cable and then injecting the curable sealant. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for sealing around a cable extending through a subsea wellhead assembly into a wellbore, the apparatus comprising:
 an axial passage having a conduit adapted to extend above the wellhead assembly and having an axial passage through which the cable extends, ;   a sleeve located in the passage, the cable extending through the sleeve, and the sleeve being deformable to reduce the annular space between an inner diameter of the sleeve;   an upper restrictor comprising an upper pair of rams and a lower restrictor comprising a lower pair of rams, each of the upper pair of rams and lower pair of rams moving from a first position to a second position to deform the sleeve to occupy the annular space between an inner diameter of the axial passage and an outer diameter of the cable; and   an injection module having an injector and a reservoir, the injection module being in fluid communication through a sidewall of the axial passage to a location within the axial passage between the upper restrictor and the lower restrictor, the injector discharging a curable sealant initially stored in the reservoir into the axial passage to seal between the cable and the sleeve.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cable comprises a plurality of strands and wherein upper restrictor and the lower restrictor cause the sealant to flow between at least a portion of the plurality of strands. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the sealant comprises suspended particulate, the suspended particulate lodging in flow restrictions within the plurality of strands of the cable. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein reservoir comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber initially having a solvent, the solvent being a fluid that removes grease, and the second chamber initially having the sealant, wherein the solvent is discharged into the axial passage before the sealant is discharged into the axial passage. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the reservoir is located in a remotely operated vehicle, the remotely operated vehicle stabbing into a fluid passage in communication with the axial passage.