Mechanical expansion system
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorRichard Lee Giroux
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus enable expanding a tubular in a wellbore. The method and apparatus include running a bottom hole assembly (BHA) into a wellbore. The BHA is anchored to the wellbore and a portion of the BHA is released from the anchor. An expansion member is then pulled by a work string through the tubular thereby engaging the tubular with the wellbore. The work string is reconnected to the anchor and used to release the anchor. The BHA is then removed from the wellbore.
Claims20
A tubular expansion system, comprising:
- an expandable tubular;
- an expansion member configured to mechanically expand the expandable tubular;
- an anchor configured to selectively fix the expandable tubular axially relative to a surrounding downhole surface;
- an inner string coupled to the expansion member and configured to enable pulling of the expansion member through the expandable tubular;
- and
- a latch configured to couple the inner string to the anchor in order to release the anchor from the surrounding downhole surface.
A method of repairing a damaged portion of a casing in a wellbore, comprising:
- running a bottom hole assembly (BHA) into the wellbore on a conveyance;
- locating the BHA proximate the damaged portion;
- engaging an inner wall of the casing with a friction member;
- rotating the conveyance thereby rotating a first portion of the BHA while maintaining a second portion of the BHA stationary with the friction member to provide a relative rotation of the BHA;
- engaging the inner wall of the casing with an anchor of the BHA in response to the relative rotation of the BHA;
- disconnecting a frangible connection thereby disconnecting an inner string from the anchor, wherein the inner string is coupled to an expansion member;
- and
- pulling the inner string and thereby the expansion member through an expandable tubular to expand the expandable tubular into engagement with the inner wall of the casing thereby repairing the damaged portion.
A method of expanding an expandable tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- running a bottom hole assembly (BHA) into the wellbore on a conveyance;
- engaging a surrounding downhole surface with an anchor of the BHA to fix the expandable tubular axially relative to the surrounding downhole surface;
- pulling an inner string of the BHA and thereby an expansion member of the BHA through the expandable tubular to expand the expandable tubular;
- and
- coupling the inner string to the anchor with a latch in order to release the anchor from the surrounding downhole surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.