# US 2009/0260801 A1 · Ring member for a swellable downhole packer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260801 A1 - Document ID: US20090260801A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/427,026 - Filed: 2009-04-21 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-22 - Assignees: Swelltec Limited - Inventors: KIM NUTLEY; BRIAN NUTLEY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260801A1 ## CPC - E21B 33/1208: {characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence)} - E21B 33/1216: {Anti-extrusion means, e.g. means to prevent cold flow of rubber packing} - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A ring member for a downhole apparatus including a swellable material selected to increase in volume on exposure to at least one triggering fluid is described. The ring member is configured to cooperate with a swellable member disposed on a body of the apparatus, and may, for example, function as a gauge ring or a retaining member. The ring member is secured to the apparatus via a coupling arrangement which couples the body to an adjacent well string section. In one embodiment, the ring member is threaded into the well string. In another, it is disposed over an upstanding formation such as a coupling sleeve, for example, by clamping. An assembly and a method of assembly are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A well string assembly comprising: a well string section; a body; a swellable member disposed on the body, the swellable member comprising a material selected to expand on exposure to at least one triggering fluid; a coupling arrangement which couples the body and the well string section; and a ring member in cooperation with the swellable member and secured in the assembly via the coupling arrangement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring member cooperates with the swellable member to perform one or more of: inhibiting axial movement of the swellable member on the body; inhibiting extrusion of the swellable member or a part of the swellable member on the body; providing stand-off protection to the swellable member or the well string; or providing centralization of the body or swellable member in the wellbore. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring member comprises an annular abutment surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling arrangement comprises a threaded connection configured to couple the body to a corresponding threaded connection on the well string section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring member is a sub assembly disposed between the body and the well string section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring member is configured for threaded connection to the body, and the body and ring member comprise corresponding threaded profiles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the threaded profiles comprise buttress threads. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the threaded profiles include a box threaded section provided with a shoulder that abuts an end of a pin threaded section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the threaded profiles are provided with an annular recess disposed between the thread the shoulder. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the ring member is threaded to the body at a first end via the corresponding threaded profiles; and the ring member is threaded to the well string section at a second end via the corresponding threaded profiles, wherein the coupling of the ring member to the body has a torque rating that exceeds a torque rating of the coupling between the ring member and the well string section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coupling of the ring member to the body has a torque rating which exceeds a torque rating of a coupling between a first well string section and a second well string section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a seal is provided between the ring member and the body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the seal is provided between: a shoulder of a box threaded section, wherein the box threaded section abuts an end of a pin threaded section; and the end of the pin threaded section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seal comprises a metal to metal seal between the shoulder and the end of the pin threaded section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein a seal ring is disposed between the box threaded section and the pin threaded section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling arrangement comprises: a first box thread section for receiving a pin thread section of the body; and a second box thread section for receiving a pin thread section of the well string section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling arrangement comprises a formation upstanding from the assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the ring member comprises an internal profile shaped to accommodate the formation upstanding from the assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the formation is a well string section joint or a part thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring member is configured to be clamped onto a coupling arrangement. ### Claim 21 A ring member for a downhole assembly, the ring member configured to cooperate with a swellable member disposed on a body of an apparatus, wherein the swellable member comprises a material selected to expand on exposure to at least one triggering fluid; and wherein the ring member is further configured to be secured to the apparatus via a coupling arrangement which couples the body and a well string section. ### Claim 22 An apparatus configured to form part of a well string, the apparatus comprising: a body having a swellable member disposed thereon, wherein the swellable member comprises a material selected to expand on exposure to at least one triggering fluid, and wherein the body is configured to be coupled to a well string section by a coupling arrangement; and a ring member configured to cooperate with the swellable member and be secured to the well string via the coupling arrangement. ### Claim 23 A method of forming a swellable packer on a well string, the method comprising the steps of: providing a swellable member on a body, the swellable member comprising a material selected to expand on exposure to at least one triggering fluid; providing a coupling arrangement for coupling the body to a well string section; and securing a ring member to the well string via the coupling arrangement, such that the ring member cooperates with the swellable member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method as claimed in claim 23, including the additional step of securing the ring member to the body by a first threaded connection. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method as claimed in claim 24, including the step of coupling the ring member to the body with a torque rating which exceeds a torque rating of a coupling between a first well string section and a second well string section. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method as claimed in claim 24, including the additional step of coupling the ring member to a well string using a second threaded connection. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method as claimed in claim 24, including the step of coupling the ring member to the body with a torque rating which exceeds a torque rating of the coupling between the ring member and the well string section. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method as claimed in claim 23, including the additional step of providing a seal between the ring member and the body. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method as claimed in claim 23, including the additional step of securing the ring member to the body by disposing the ring member over a formation upstanding from the body. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method as claimed in claim 29, including the additional step of clamping the ring member over the formation. ### Claim 31 A well string sub assembly configured to form part of a well string, the sub assembly comprising: a first end comprising a first coupling configured to be connected to the body of a swellable apparatus; and a second end comprising a second coupling configured to be connected to a well string section, wherein the sub assembly is configured to cooperate with a swellable member of the swellable apparatus. ### Claim 32 A ring member for a well string comprising a swellable apparatus, the ring member comprising: a body configured to be secured to an upstanding formation on a well string; wherein the ring member is configured to cooperate with a swellable member of the swellable apparatus.