Roll-out apparatus, method, and system
OwnerRonald van Petegeminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A roll-out apparatus, method, and system is disclosed for deployment in a subterranean well at a setting location. The roll-out apparatus, method, and system includes a load ring and an energizing ring. The load ring may include an outer surface having an outer circumference and a slot extending through the entire wall thickness that follows a circuitous path from a front face to a back face of the load ring. The energizing ring includes an outer surface configured to contact an inner surface of the load ring to enlarge the outer circumference of the load ring in a radial direction. This causes the outer surface of the load ring to seal to an inner surface of the subterranean well at the setting location.
Claims43
An apparatus for deployment in a subterranean well at a setting location, the apparatus comprising:
- a load ring assembly comprising three or more rings interlocked together, each ring comprising an outer surface having an outer circumference, an inner surface, a central axis, and a wall having a wall thickness, each ring further comprising a slot extending through the entire wall thickness from a front face of the ring to a back face of the ring, and wherein the outer surface of at least one of the rings in the load ring assembly is textured to engage and grip the inner surface of a subterranean well;
- an energizing ring having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central axis, wherein the outer surface of the energizing ring is configured to contact an inner surface of the load ring assembly and to enlarge an outer circumference of the load ring assembly in a radial direction thereby causing an outer surface of the load ring assembly to grip the inner surface of the subterranean well at the setting location.
A method of installing an apparatus in a subterranean well comprising:
- positioning a load ring assembly and an energizing ring on a deployment device,
- the load ring assembly comprising three or more rings interlocked together, each ring comprising an outer surface having an outer circumference, an inner surface, a central axis, and a wall having a wall thickness, each ring further comprising a slot extending through the entire wall thickness from a front face of the ring to a back face of the ring, and wherein the outer surface of at least one of the rings in the load ring assembly is textured to engage and grip an inner surface of a subterranean well;
- the energizing ring having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central axis;
- inserting the deployment device and the load ring assembly and the energizing ring into the subterranean well, the load ring assembly and the energizing ring positioned on the deployment device in a first orientation that allows the load ring assembly and the energizing ring and the deployment device to traverse the subterranean well;
- delivering the deployment device, the load ring assembly, and the energizing ring to a setting location in the subterranean well;
- and
- activating the deployment device to move the outer surface of the energizing ring to contact an inner surface of the load ring assembly to enlarge an outer circumference of the load ring assembly in a radial direction thereby causing an outer surface of the load ring assembly to grip the inner surface of the subterranean well at the setting location.
A subterranean well assembly comprising:
- a subterranean well having an inner surface at a setting location;
- a load ring assembly comprising three or more rings interlocked together, each ring comprising an outer surface having an outer circumference, an inner surface, a central axis, and a wall having a wall thickness, each ring further comprising a slot extending through the entire wall thickness from a front face of the ring to a back face of the ring, and wherein the outer surface of at least one of the rings in the load ring assembly is textured to engage and grip the inner surface of the subterranean well;
- an energizing ring having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central axis, wherein the outer surface of the energizing ring is configured to contact an inner surface of the load ring assembly and to enlarge an outer circumference of the load ring assembly in a radial direction thereby causing an outer surface of the load ring assembly grip the inner surface of the subterranean well at the setting location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.