Expandable metal sealing/anchoring tool
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsBrandon T. Least, Michael Linley Fripp, Shanu Thottungal Eldho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a sealing/anchoring element, a sealing/anchoring tool, and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring element, in one aspect, includes a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t). In one aspect, the circlet has one or more geometric features that allow it to elasto/plastically deform when moved from a radially reduced state to a radially enlarged state, and the circlet comprises an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.
Claims20
A well system, comprising:
- a bore;
- a sealing anchoring tool positioned within the bore, the sealing anchoring tool including:
- a mandrel;
- a wedge positioned about the mandrel;
- and
- a sealing/anchoring element positioned about the mandrel and proximate the wedge, the sealing/anchoring element including:
- a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet having one or more geometric features that allow it to elasto/plastically deform when one or more angled surfaces positioned along its inside surface or its outside surface engage with the wedge to move the circlet from a radially reduced state to a radially enlarged state, the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and thereby fix the circlet in the radially enlarged state, and further wherein during the expansion, the expandable metal is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together, and further wherein the mandrel comprises a first material configured to remain within the bore and provide a radial surface upon which the circlet may radially engage when expanding in response to hydrolysis, and the wedge comprises a second material configured to remain within the bore and provide an axial surface upon which the circlet may axially engage when expanding in response to hydrolysis.
A method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore, comprising:
- providing a sealing/anchoring tool within a bore of a wellbore, the sealing/anchoring tool including:
- a mandrel;
- a wedge positioned about the mandrel;
- and
- a sealing/anchoring element positioned about the mandrel and proximate the wedge, the sealing/anchoring element including:
- a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet having one or more geometric features that allow it to elasto/plastically deform when one or more angled surfaces positioned along its inside surface or its outside surface engage with the wedge to move the circlet from a radially reduced state to a radially enlarged state, the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and fix the circlet in the radially enlarged state, and further wherein during the expansion, the expandable metal is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together, and further wherein the mandrel comprises a first non-degradable material configured to remain within the bore and provide a radial surface upon which the circlet may radially engage when expanding in response to hydrolysis, and the wedge comprises a second non-degradable material configured to remain within the bore and provide an axial surface upon which the circlet may axially engage when expanding in response to hydrolysis;
- elasto/plastically deforming the sealing/anchoring element by moving the circlet from the radially reduced state to the radially enlarged state;
- and
- subjecting the elasto/plastically deformed sealing/anchoring element in the radially enlarged stated to reactive fluid to form an expanded metal sealing/anchoring element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.