WorldWide Drilling Resource

27 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JULY 2015 Innovative Reel Systems Adapted from Information by Optical Cable Corporation F i b e r o p t i c commun i ca t i on systems are in- creasingly being used to enhance production in the gas and oil industry. As use of fiber optics rises, so does the number of deployable systems used in remote locations. Unlike fixed installa- tions, deployable systems are designed to be quickly installed, retracted, and then relocated in the field in some of the most inhospitable environments on earth. As oil and gas exploration/produc- tion continues to get more remote, as wel l as colder, hot ter, and deeper, deployable systems will become even more vital to the industry. Fiber optic applications range from offshore and onshore rig automation, to real-time sensors for pipeline monitoring systems for exploration, communications, security infrastructure, smart well controls, and operations control centers. An important component of deploy- able systems is reel design. Reel systems are responsible for the crucial tasks of speeding deployment and retraction while also protecting cables when they’re not in use. According to Rick Hobbs, director of business development at Optical Cable Corporation (OCC), a reel system for deployable fiber optic applications should ideally be lightweight, rugged, and stack- able for storage and transit. To meet these requirements, companies like OCC are providing lightweight alternatives to traditional reels. Made of durable, yet lightweight, impact-absorbing polymers, these modular advanced reel systems (MARS ® ) are designed specifically for the demanding needs of harsh oil and gas fiber optic installations. Reels can be used with a simple deployable axle or a flange-supported deployment and acquisition system. These types include A-Frames, cable acquisition cradles, transit case systems, tripods, bumper mounts, backpacks, and cartridge systems. Cartridge systems are specially- designed protective cases for deployable cable reels which permit full deployment and retrieval of cable without removing the reel from the case. The cartridge sys- tem also comes with casters. “Using a cartridge system, a single person can handle multiple spools at once and can quickly deploy fiber and rewind on the reel without assistance,” said Hobbs. To simplify shipping and transit, car- tridge systems, transit cases, and reels a r e d e s i g n e d with interlocking stacking features. “In harsh oil and gas environ- ments, when you can put your fiber optic assemblies in a cont rol led environment stor- age system like a reel, possibly together with a car t r i dge ; any potential damage to the cable or the connectors is mini- mized,” said Hobbs. “This reduces the need to refurbish components regularly, because the system is better protected during its deployment.