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AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsLeon Van Den Steen, Petrus Cornelis Kriesels
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The invention relates to a system and method for radially expanding a tubular element (8). The method comprises the steps of bending the tubular element (8) radially outward and in axially reverse direction so as to form an expanded tubular section (10) extending around an unexpanded tubular section (8) wherein bending occurs in a bending zone (14); and increasing the length of the expanded tubular section (10) by inducing the bending zone (14) to move in axial direction relative to the unexpanded tubular section (8). The method includes the further step of heating the bending zone. Several embodiments to enable heating are described.
A method for radially expanding a tubular element, the method comprising the steps of:
The method of claim 12, wherein the heat transfer fluid solidifies below a threshold temperature, thereby stopping the step of increasing the length of the expanded tubular section by inducing the bending zone to move in axial direction.
A system for radially expanding a tubular element, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.