Zero-Relaxation Packer Setting Lock System
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorMartin P. Coronado
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A packer mandrel is radially surrounded by an axially compressible packer element and a backing ring. A setting sleeve arrangement also surrounds the packer mandrel adjacent the packer element. A hydraulic locking mechanism is used to secure the setting sleeve arrangement against the packer element. The hydraulic locking mechanism includes an expansible fluid-sealed chamber that is defined between the setting sleeve and the central packer mandrel.
Claims17
A packer device comprising:
- a central packer mandrel;
- a packer element radially surrounding the mandrel, the packer element being axially compressible between an unset position wherein the packer element is not in sealing contact with a surrounding wellbore wall, and a set position wherein the packer element is in sealing contact with a surrounding wellbore wall;
- a hydraulic locking mechanism for selectively moving the packer element to its set position, the hydraulic locking mechanism comprising:
- a setting sleeve radially surrounding and axially moveable with respect to the packer mandrel;
- a fluid chamber;
- a fluid passage to provide fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source;
- a check valve operationally associated with the fluid passage to provide one-way fluid entry into the fluid chamber;
- and
- wherein axial movement of the setting sleeve draws fluid into the fluid chamber through the fluid passage, the fluid preventing reverse axial movement of the setting sleeve to maintain the packer element in the set position.
A packer device setting assembly for axially compressing a packer element into a set position, the packer device setting assembly comprising:
- a central packer mandrel;
- a setting sleeve radially surrounding and axially moveable with respect to the packer mandrel;
- a fluid chamber;
- a fluid passage to provide fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an external fluid source;
- a check valve operationally associated with the fluid passage to provide one-way fluid entry into the fluid chamber;
- and
- wherein axial movement of the setting sleeve draws fluid into the fluid chamber through the fluid passage, the fluid preventing reverse axial movement of the setting sleeve to maintain the packer element in the set position.
A method for setting a packer element which radially surrounds a central packer mandrel into sealing engagement with a surrounding wellbore wall, the method comprising the steps of:
- axially urging a setting sleeve against the packer element to axially compress the packer element and cause the packer element to expand radially outwardly into sealing engagement with the wall;
- selectively flowing fluid into a fluid chamber as the setting sleeve is urged against the packer element;
- and
- precluding fluid from exiting the fluid chamber such that fluid pressure within the fluid chamber maintains the setting sleeve against the packer element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.