Swell packer with axially activated dual extrusion support
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsRichard James Windslow, Henghua Jin, Anthony Villarreal, Daniel DeLeon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wellbore seal includes a support ring, an expandable seal element, an outer fold-back ring, and an inner fold-back ring. The outer fold-back ring includes an end engaging the support ring. The inner fold-back ring is positioned between the seal element and the outer fold-back ring. The inner fold-back ring is movable as the seal element expands, causing an end of the inner fold back ring to move outwardly relative to an end of the inner-fold-back ring.
Claims20
A wellbore seal comprising:
- a support ring;
- an expandable seal element;
- an outer fold-back ring including an end engaging the support ring;
- and
- an inner fold-back ring positioned between the seal element and the outer fold-back ring, the inner fold-back ring being movable as the seal element expands, causing an end of the inner fold back ring to move outwardly relative to an end of the inner-fold-back ring.
A wellbore sealing system comprising:
- a tube;
- a support ring positioned about the tube;
- a fold-back ring extending around the tube and engaging the support ring;
- a back-up ring extending around the tube and engaging a portion of the support ring, movement of the support ring in a direction parallel to an axis of the tube causing the back-up ring to move radially inward relative to the axis of the tube;
- and
- a seal element extending around the tube and engaging the fold-back ring.
A method for sealing a wellbore comprising:
- assembling a seal assembly on a tube, the seal assembly including
- a support ring,
- an outer fold-back ring engaged with the support ring,
- an inner fold-back ring engaged with the support ring and the outer fold-back ring, and
- a seal element engaged with the inner fold-back ring;
- lowering the tube and seal assembly into the wellbore;
- and
- exposing the seal element to an expansion activation fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.