# US 10,865,625 B2 · Expandable liner

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- Number: US 10,865,625 B2
- Document ID: US10865625B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/743,929
- Filed: 2016-07-13
- Published: 2018-12-27
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-13
- Assignees: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
- Inventors: Richard W. Delange; John Richard Setterberg, Jr.; Scott H. Osburn; Michael B. Capehart; Feng Gao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865625B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/108: {Expandable screens or perforated liners}
- E21B 29/10: Reconditioning of well casings, e.g. straightening
- E21B 33/10: in the borehole {(sealing the junction between main bore and laterals E21B41/0042)}
- E21B 43/106: {Couplings or joints therefor}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of completing a wellbore (10) includes positioning an expandable tubular having a support layer (121) disposed on an exterior of the expandable tubular inside a casing (15); mechanically expanding the tubular and the support layer, wherein a distance between an outer diameter of the support layer and the inner diameter of the casing is sufficient to prevent burst of the tubular; and hydraulically expanding the support layer into contact with the casing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of completing a wellbore, comprising:
positioning an expandable tubular having a support layer disposed on an exterior of the expandable tubular inside a casing;
mechanically expanding the tubular and the support layer using an expansion tool in contact with the tubular, wherein after mechanical expansion, a distance between an outer diameter of the support layer and an inner diameter of the casing is 0.08 inches or less to prevent bursting of the tubular; and
contacting pressurized fluid against the tubular to further expand the tubular directly by the pressurized fluid, thereby hydraulically expanding the support layer into contact with the casing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the support layer comprises an elastomer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the elastomer comprises polyurea.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the support layer is disposed on a connection of the tubular.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising perforating the tubular.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tubular comprises a coiled tubing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein after expanding the support layer into contact with the casing, the tubular has an internal pressure resistance between 5,000 psi and 25,000 psi.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein expanding the support layer into contact with the casing increases the tensile strength of the tubular.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein after expanding the support layer into contact with the casing, the support layer has anchoring force between 5 kips/ft. and 50 kips/ft. at 250° F.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein after expanding the support layer into contact with the casing, the support layer forms a pressure seal between the tubular and the casing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is at a pressure that is between the yield strength of the tubular and a maximum tensile strength of the tubular.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a size of an expansion tool to control the distance between the outer diameter of the support layer and the inner diameter of the casing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein expanding the support layer into contact with the casing increases the collapse resistance of the casing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the support layer is compressed between 30% and 80% after expansion of the support layer into contact with the casing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the distance is between 0.002 inches and 0.04 inches to the side.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the support layer has a thickness between 0.05 inches and 0.15 inches.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the support layer is disposed on at least 50% of the exterior surface of the tubular.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising expanding an anchor disposed at a lower portion of the tubular into contact with the casing.