1. A method of protecting components in a downhole environment, comprising:
forming a fiber optic system with a fiber optic cable having a metal jacket surrounding a plurality of communication lines comprising at least one optical fiber communication line;
positioning the fiber optic cable adjacent a metal feature of a downhole component; and
preventing metal-to-metal contact by providing a spacer between the metal jacket and the metal feature, the spacer being of sufficient size to block formation of a galvanic circuit.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising deploying the fiber optic system within a wellbore.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing metal-to-metal contact comprises providing the spacer in the form of a sleeve.
4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing metal-to-metal contact comprises providing the spacer in the form of a tape wrapped about the jacket;
5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing metal-to-metal contact comprises providing the spacer in the form of a heat shrink material.
6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing metal-to-metal contact comprises providing the spacer in the form of a coating.
7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing metal-to-metal contact comprises providing the spacer in the form of a standoff.
8. A method of preventing galvanic action in a wellbore, comprising:
deploying a fiber optic system in the wellbore, the fiber-optic system having at least one optical component with a metallic feature;
providing a spacer between the metallic feature and a metallic object in the wellbore; and
forming the spacer of sufficient size to prevent formation of a galvanic circuit between the metallic feature and the metallic object.
9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein deploying comprises deploying a fiber optic cable having a metal jacket.
10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising operating the fiber optic system in the wellbore.
11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a sleeve over the metallic feature.
12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a tape over the metallic feature.
13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a heat shrink material over the metallic feature.
14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a coating over the metallic feature.
15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a standoff attached to the optical component.
16. A system for use in a well, comprising:
a fiber optic system having an optical component with a conductive feature; and
a spacer positioned adjacent the conductive feature at a location that otherwise would incur contact between the conductive feature and another conductive component in the well, the spacer comprising a material that prevents formation of a circuit between the conductive feature and the conductive component.
17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a sleeve.
18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a tape.
19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a heat shrink material.
20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a coating.
21. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a standoff.
22. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the fiber optic system comprises a fiber optic cable having a metallic jacket.
23. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a polyetheretherketone material.
24. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene material.
25. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a ceramic material.
26. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises a fluoronated ethylene propylene material.
27. A method, comprising:
assembling a fiber optic system;
deploying the fiber optic system along a well assembly in a wellbore;
blocking formation of a galvanic circuit by placing a spacer between a conductive feature of the fiber optic system and a conductive component of the well assembly.
28. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of determining energy content and quantity of a contaminant in a fluid comprising:
transmitting a fluid within a fluid infrastructure through an optical cell;
scanning said fluid over a broad wavelength range within the near infrared spectrum using a scanning source;
evaluating said broad wavelength range at low resolution to determine energy content of said fluid; and
increasing the resolution of a narrow wavelength range within said broad wavelength range and using said increased resolution to determine a quantity of a contaminant within said narrow wavelength range.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is natural gas.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is liquefied natural gas.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said broad wavelength range is between about 1250 nm and about 2500 nm.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said narrow wavelength range is between about 1560 nm and about 1610 nm.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said contaminant is hydrogen sulfide.
7. A system for determining energy content and quantity of a contaminant in a fluid comprising:
an optical cell;
a fluid infrastructure, wherein fluid in said fluid infrastructure is transmitted through said optical cell;
a first scanning source configured to scan said fluid in said optical cell over a broad wavelength range within the near infrared spectrum;
a central processing unit configured to evaluate said broad wavelength range at low resolution to determine energy content of said fluid;
wherein the resolution of a narrow wavelength range is increased within said broad wavelength range and said increased resolution is used to determine a quantity of a contaminant within said narrow wavelength range.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said fluid is natural gas.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein said fluid is liquefied natural gas.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein said broad wavelength range is between about 1250 nm and about 2500 nm.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein said narrow wavelength range is between about 1560 nm and about 1610 nm.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein said contaminant is hydrogen sulfide.