Seal around braided cable
A method of deploying a downhole tool into a wellbore includes: lowering a cable into the wellbore; after lowering the cable, engaging a mold with an outer surface of the cable; injecting sealant into the mold and into armor of the cable, thereby sealing a portion of the cable; lowering the downhole tool to a deployment depth using the cable; engaging a seal with the sealed portion of the cable; and operating the downhole tool using the cable.
1. A method of deploying a downhole tool into a wellbore, comprising:
lowering a cable into the wellbore;
after lowering the cable, engaging a mold with an outer surface of the cable;
injecting sealant into the mold and into armor of the cable, allowing the sealant to cure, and disengaging the mold from the cable, thereby sealing a portion of the cable;
lowering the downhole tool to a deployment depth using the cable;
engaging a seal with the sealed portion of the cable; and
operating the downhole tool using the cable.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the downhole tool is an electric submersible pump, and
the electric submersible pump is operated to pump production fluid from the wellbore.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the downhole tool to the cable.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the downhole tool is connected before lowering the cable, and
the cable is used to lower the downhole tool into the wellbore.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the downhole tool is connected after injecting the sealant, and
the cable is used to lower the downhole tool into the wellbore.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the mold comprises a pair of semi-tubular housing segments and seals, and
the mold seals are engaged with the cable by assembling the segments around the cable.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the cable is inserted through the mold, and
seals of the mold are engaged with the cable by operating respective actuators of the mold.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant is a polymer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the sealant is a mixture of a resin and a hardener, and
the resin and hardener are mixed as the sealant is injected into the mold.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sealant is molten when injected into the mold.
11. The method of claim 1 ,
further comprising connecting a stuffing box to a wellhead,
wherein the stuffing box comprises the seal.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a length of the cable is greater than or equal to five hundred feet, and
a length of the sealed portion is less than or equal to one-tenth of the cable length.