Liner and reinforcing swage for conduit in a wellbore and method and apparatus for setting same

A method of emplacing a straddle patch in a conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations comprising:

• a. suspending at a first predetermined depth in said conduit a first annular liner having a body portion including substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than the internal diameter of said conduit, having sufficient malleability for and being adapted for being expanded to conformingly and sealingly engage said conduit with a tight frictional and sealing engagement and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• said liner also including adjacent said body portion a tubular swage at at least one end for expanding said liner outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said body portion being responsively connected with a reaction force setting means for holding said body portion at the desired setting depth against the force of said swage as said swage is forced interiorly of said body portion;
• said liner having a connector means connected at its one end;
• said connector means having its other end connected with a seal sub and having an expansible portion for retaining sealing interconnection after expansion of said body portion of said annular liner;
• said seal sub having a longitudinally extending internal sealing surface defining a bore for receiving in sealing relationship a large bore seal unit;
• said swage engaging a force generating means also suspended in said conduit for subjecting said swage to a force acting to force said swage into said body portion;
• and said reaction force setting means engaging said force generating means for subjecting said reaction force setting means and body portion to a reaction force opposing movement of said body portion as said swage is forced thereinto;
• b. actuating said force generating means and applying said force to said swage and said reaction force to said reaction force setting means, thereby forming said swage interiorly of said body portion while said reaction force is still acting on said body portion and expanding said liner outwardly into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• thereafter,
• c. removing said force generating means from said well, leaving said liner expanded into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit with said swage forced interiorly of said body portion for reinforcement and having a bore having an unusually large diameter penetrating longitudinally through both said swage and said body portion for insertion of a seal unit within said seal sub;
• d. lowering into said well and in sealing relationship with said sub a second annular liner that is connected with a tubular element via a connector means having an expansible portion for maintaining sealing connection after expansion of said second annular liner outwardly into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• said tubular element being sealingly connected with a seal unit at its bottom end;
• lowering said seal unit into sealing relationship with said seal sub and thereby suspending at a second predetermined depth in said conduit said second annular liner having a body portion including substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than the internal diameter of said conduit, having sufficient malleability for and being adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• said second liner also including adjacent said body portion a tubular swage at at least one end for expanding said liner outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said body portion being responsively connected with a force setting means for holding said body portion at the desired setting depth against the force of said swage as said swage is forced interiorly of said body portion;
• said swage engaging a force generating means also suspended in said conduit for subjecting said swage to a force acting to force said swage into said body portion;
• and said reaction force setting means engaging said force generating means for subjecting said reaction force setting means and said body portion to a reaction force opposing movement of said body portion as said swage is forced thereinto;
• e. actuating said force generating means and applying said force to said swage and said reaction force to said reaction force setting means, thereby forcing said swage interiorly of said body portion while said reaction force is still acting on said body portion and expanding said liner outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• and thereafter;
• f. removing said force generating means from said well, leaving said liner expanded into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit with said swage forced interiorly thereof for reinforcement and having said bore also penetrating longitudinally through both said second liner and tubular element, as well as through said first liner and seal sub.

A combination liner and element for a conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations and having a given diameter comprising:

• a. a liner having:
• i. an annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than said given diameter, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• and
• ii. a tubular swage means adjacent said body portion for expanding said body portion outwardly into tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said swage means being adapted for being forced concentrically interiorly of said body portion and left in place therein after said body portion has been expanded into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said tubular swage means having extending longitudinally therethrough a bore that is large enough for passage of downhole tools, well fluids and the like;
• b. a tubular element having an outside diameter less than said given diameter for being disposed concentrically interiorly of said conduit in said well;
• and
• c. a connector means connected at its one end with said body portion and at its other end with said tubular element;
• said connector means having an expansible portion for retaining a sealing interconnection after expansion of said body portion.

A combination of liner and apparatus for setting the liner in conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations comprising:

• a. a first liner including:
• i. an annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than the diameter of said conduit, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• and
• ii. tubular swage means disposed adjacent said annular body portion for expanding said annular body portion outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said tubular swage means being adapted for being forced concentrically within said annular body portion for expanding said annular body portion outwardly against and into tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• b. an adapter rod means penetrating through said liner for applying a reaction force to the bottom end of said liner;
• said adapter rod means being connected adjacent its lower end portion with said liner and having at the other end portion means for engagement with a force generating means for opposing movement of said liner when acted on by a force from said force generating means;
• and
• c. setting sleeve means disposed radially of the central axis of said adapter rod means and adjacent said liner and having means for engagement with said force generating means for generating a force on said liner;
• one of said force and said reaction force acting upon said swage means of said liner and the other acting on the end of said body portion opposite said swage means such that said swage means is moved concentrically within said body portion and said body portion is expanded into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit while said force and said reaction force are still being applied to said liner;
• and said liner is thereafter left in said tight frictional engagement with said conduit, with said swage means disposed concentrically within and reinforcing said annular body portion that has been expanded into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit.

A combination packer assembly for a conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations having a given diameter comprising:

• a. a liner including:
• i. an annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially coextensive, having an outside diameter less than said given diameter, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• and
• ii. tubular swage means disposed adjacent said annular body portion for expanding said annular body portion outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said tubular swage means being adapted for being forced concentrically within said annular body portion for expanding said annular body portion into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• b. a connector means connected at its one end with said body portion;
• said connector means having an expansible portion for retaining a sealing interconnection after expansion of said body portion;
• c. a seal sub connected to the other end of said connector means and having a longitudinally extending internal sealing surface defining a bore for receiving in sealing relationship a large bore seal unit;
• and
• d. settable retainer means retaining said seal sub at a set depth by supplementing the force exerted by said annular body portion and said swage means when said swage means has been moved concentrically interiorly of and expanded said body portion into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• said retainer means being connected with said seal sub;
• said retainer means having a pre-set outside diametral dimension less than said given diameter and being expansible out into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit upon setting of said combination;
• and being lockable into its expanded and set position;
• whereby said packer assembly can be emplaced at a given location in said conduit by expansion of said annular body portion into frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit and by expansion of said retainer means into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit;
• and said packer assembly will remain locked into its set position and will resist being displaced upwardly or downwardly against an unusually large force, such as by a weight and the force of a pressure acting thereon.

A combination straddle patch that is settable in two operations, comprising:

• a. a packer assembly for a conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations and having a given diameter comprising:
• i. a first liner including:
• A. a first annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than said given diameter, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• and
• B. a first tubular swage means disposed adjacent said first annular body portion for expanding said first annular body portion outwardly into said tight frictional engagement with said conduit;
• said first swage means being adapted for being forced concentrically within said first annular body portion for expanding said first annular body portion into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• ii. a first connector means connected at its one end with said first body portion;
• said first connector means having a first expansible portion for retaining a sealing interconnection after expansion of said first body portion;
• iii. a seal hub connected to the other end of said connector means and having a longitudinally extending internal sealing surface defining a bore for receiving in sealing relationship a large bore seal unit;
• and
• iv. settable retainer means retaining said seal sub at a set depth by supplementing the force exerted by said first annular body portion and said first swage means when said first swage means has been moved concentrically interiorly of and expanded said first body portion into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• said retainer means being connected with said seal sub;
• said retainer means having a pre-set outside diametral dimension less than said given diameter and being expansible out into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit upon setting of said combination;
• and being lockable into its expanded and set position;
• whereby said packer assembly can be emplaced at a given location in said conduit by expansion of said first annular body portion into tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit and by expansion of said retainer means into positive mechanical engagement with said conduit;
• and said packer assembly will remain locked into its set position for receiving an elongate liner assembly sealingly inserted thereinto;
• and
• b. an elongate liner assembly comprising:
• i. a second liner including:
• A. a second annular body portion having substantially cylindrical interior and exterior surfaces that are at least partially co-extensive, having an outside diameter less than said given diameter, having sufficient malleability for and adapted for being expanded to conformingly engage said conduit, and having a modulus of elasticity in compression sufficient to retain tight frictional engagement with said conduit after expansion thereagainst;
• and
• B. a second tubular swage means adjacent said second body portion for expanding said second body portion outwardly into tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• said second swage means being adapted for being forced interiorly of said second body portion and left in place therein after said second body portion has been expanded into said tight frictional and sealing engagement with said conduit;
• ii. an elongate tubular element comprising an elongate sleeve for serving as a patch;
• iii. a second connector means connected at its one end with said body portion and at its other end with said tubular element;
• said second connector means having a second expansible portion for retaining a sealing interconnection after expansion of said body portion;
• and
• iv. a seal unit sealingly connected with the bottom end of said sleeve and adapted for sealing insertion within said sealing bore of a previously set said packer assembly.