Expanding well tubulars interconnected by pin-box assemblies optimized for expansion
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsDaniele Di Crescenzo, Serge Methieu Roggeband
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pin-box well tubular connector assembly having pin and box connector members (6, 5) with intermeshing external and internal screw thread profiles is optimized for expansion downhole in a wellbore by: A) configuring the box connector member (5) such that it has at least one thread (10) that does not engage a thread on the pin member (6); and optionally: B) configuring the pin and box connectors (6, 5) such that in axial direction a gap of at least 0.2 mm is present between the external and internal screw thread profiles; and/or C) inserting a swellable dope in the gap between the pin and box connector members (6, 5).
Claims14
A method for expanding a pair of well tubulars that are interconnected by a pin-box connector assembly comprising a pin connector member having an external screw thread profile;
- a box connector member having an internal screw thread profile, which external and internal screw thread profiles intermesh when the pin-box connector assembly is in an assembled condition, the method comprising:
- configuring the pin and box connector members whereby the box connector member has at least one thread that does not engage with a thread on the pin connector member;
- interconnecting the pair of well tubulars by means of the pin-box connector assembly;
- and
- radially expanding the interconnected well tubulars by moving an expansion cone therethrough;
- wherein:
- the pin connector member has a pin base section and a tip section and the box connector member has a box base section and an extended tip section, configured such that the pin base section engages the extended tip section and the tip section of the pin connector member engages the box base section, and
- the extended tip section comprises a ring-shaped sealing lip that engages a ring-shaped sealing shoulder at the pin base section whereby a radial gap is maintained between the at least one thread that does not engage with a thread on the pin connector member and the pin connector member.
A pin-box connector assembly comprising a pin connector member having an external screw thread profile, a box connector member having an internal screw thread profile, which external and internal screw thread profiles intermesh when the pin-box connector assembly is in assembled condition, wherein, in fully assembled configuration, the the box connector member has at least one thread that does not engage with a thread on the pin connector member;
- wherein:
- the pin connector member has a pin base section and a tip section and box connector member has a box base section and an extended tip section, configured such that the pin base section engages the extended tip section and the tip section of the pin connector member engages the box base section, and
- the extended tip section comprises a ring-shaped sealing lip that engages a ring-shaped sealing shoulder at the pin base section whereby a radial gap is maintained between the at least one thread that does not engage with a thread on the pin connector member and the pin connector member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.