Travel joint with telescoping control lines
A travel joint may accommodate relative movement between an upper and lower completion for communication of well fluids and control signals, while protecting the control lines used for signal control. In one example, the travel joint has an upper tubular member telescopically coupled to the lower tubular member to collectively define a flow path for well fluids through the travel joint. A plurality of telescoping control line conduits are secured about a travel joint periphery, each including an outer tube telescopically coupled to an inner tube to accommodate relative movement between the upper and lower tubular members. A control line routed through each telescoping control line conduit. A dynamic or expanding/hardening seal interface may be provided in the control line conduit to protect the control lines routed therethrough.
1 . A travel joint, comprising:
a lower tubular member;
an upper tubular member telescopically coupled to the lower tubular member;
a telescoping control line conduit secured about a travel joint periphery, said telescoping control line conduit including an outer tube telescopically coupled to an inner tube; and
a control line routed through said telescoping control line conduit.
2 . The travel joint of claim 1 further comprising:
control line supports axially spaced along the lower tubular member.
3 . The travel joint of claim 2 wherein:
the control line supports slide axially along the inner tube as the lower tubular member is received into the outer tube.
4 . The travel joint of claim 2 wherein:
the control line support comprises a collar and an aperture placed on the collar and sized to accept an inner tube.
5 . The travel joint of claim 4 wherein:
the aperture accepts the inner tube laterally.
6 . The travel joint of claim 4 further comprising:
a retaining member fastened to the collar which places the inner tube in a sliding relationship to the aperture.
7 . The travel joint of claim 1 further comprising:
a sliding electrical contact having a first segment positioned on the outer tube and a second segment positioned on the lower tubular member.
8 . The travel joint of claim 7 wherein:
the sliding electrical contact maintains electrical connections of the control line during relative movement between the upper tubular member and the lower tubular member.
9 . A travel joint, comprising:
a lower tubular member;
an upper tubular member telescopically coupled to the lower tubular member;
a telescoping control line conduit secured about a travel joint periphery, said telescoping control line conduit including an outer tube telescopically coupled to an inner tube; and
control line supports slidingly engaged with the inner tube.
10 . The travel joint of claim 9 wherein:
the control line supports have an axially spaced arrangement as well as an abutting arrangement.
11 . The travel joint of claim 9 wherein:
the control line supports are spaced axially along the travel joint when in an extended position and abutted against each other when in a retracted position.
12 . The travel joint of claim 9 further comprising:
a seal interface positioned between the inner tube and the outer tube.
13 . The travel joint of claim 12 wherein
the seal interface comprises a swellable element.
14 . The travel joint of claim 12 wherein:
the seal interface comprises a stack of V-shaped elements.
15 . The travel joint of claim 9 further comprising:
the control line support comprises a collar placed in a sliding arrangement with an inner tube.
16 . The travel joint of claim 15 wherein:
the inner tube can be inserted laterally into the collar.
17 . A method for operating a travel joint comprising:
providing a travel joint comprising an upper tubular member which moves relative to a lower tubular member; and
telescoping an inner tube into an outer tube as the upper tubular member moves relative to the lower tubular member.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising:
sliding a plurality of control line supports along the inner tube or outer tube as the inner tube telescopes into the outer tube.
19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising:
sliding a sliding electrical contact as the inner tube telescopes into the outer tube.
20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising:
inserting the inner tube into an aperture of a control line support; and
retaining the inner tube in a sliding arrangement with the control line support.