Casing expander for well abandonment
AssigneeWinterhawk Well Abandonment Ltd.
InventorDale Kunz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool is provided for expanding the casing at one or more locations for arresting surface casing vent flow in an abandoned well. A setting tool is run into the bore having an expansion element supported thereon. The setting tool imparts a large axial force to radially expand the expansion element for plastically deforming the casing. A single use, pleated ring crushable expansion element can be actuated and left downhole. The pleated ring tool can be pre-charged with a highly viscous fluid, semi solid for transport, but plastic under load. A multi-use expansion element can be actuated, released, moved and actuated again at successive locations.
Claims21
A downhole tool, conveyable downhole along the axis of a well casing, comprising a setting tool having an axial actuator and an expansion element having a first diameter for conveyance along the casing, the expansion element being compressible axially by the axial actuator for expanding radially to a second diameter for plastic deformation of the casing.
A method for in situ expansion of well casing comprising:
- conveying an expansion element downhole on a conveyance string to a specified location along the casing;
- actuating the element radially outwards to plastically expand the casing at the specified location;
- and
- releasing the expansion element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.