Inflatable packer systems
AssigneeCompletion Tool Company
InventorsEdward T. Wood, William T. Bell, Bob V. Barker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method of preparing an inflatable packer including a mandrel and a sleeve for insertion into a fluid filled well bore. The method includes pressure testing the sleeve and its connection with the mandrel with a gas without introducing any incompressible fluid between the area of contact between the sleeve and mandrel. The method also includes the filling any pressure vulnerable areas in the packer not in the area of contact of the sleeve and mandrel with an incompressible fluid.
Claims12
A method of preparing an inflatable packer for insertion into a fluid filled well bore, said inflatable packer including a tubular mandrel, a pair of spaced apart collars connected to the mandrel, each of said collars having connected thereto an annular head, said heads being radially spaced apart from said mandrel to define respective chambers, one of said collars including a passageway for conducting inflating fluid from inside said one collar into one of said chambers, and an inflatable sleeve connected to and extending between said heads about said mandrel, which comprises the steps of:
- exhausting substantially all of the fluid from each of said chamber and said passageway in said one collar to form substantial vacuums therein;
- and filling said exhausted chambers and passageway with a substantially incompressible fluid.
An inflatable packer, which comprises:
- a tubular mandrel;
- a pair of spaced apart annular collars connected to the tubular mandrel, each of said collars having an annular head connected thereto, said heads being radially spaced apart from said mandrel to define respective chambers, one of said collars including a passageway for conducting inflating fluid from inside said one collar into one of said chambers, said chambers and passageway being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid;
- and an inflatable sleeve connected and extending between said heads in intimate liquid-free contact with said tubular mandrel.
A method for preparing an inflatable elongated packer for transportation through a well bore containing a well control fluid where the packer element on the inflatable packer device has a substantial comprising the steps of:
- at the surface of the earth, preparing an inflatable packer having a central supporting mandrel, a tubular elastomer packer element over the supporting mandrel and means sealingly attaching the ends of the packer element to the supporting mandrel where there are annular cavities between the supporting mandrel and packer element at each end by
- (a) reducing the pressure in the annular cavities and between the supporting mandrel and packer element to a pressure below atmospheric pressure so that there is no liquid between the packer element and supporting mandrel, and
- (b) filling the sub-atmospheric annular cavities with substantially incompressible, highly viscous fluid so that the cavities are completely filled with the incompressible fluid.
An inflatable packer for use in a fluid filled borehole traversing earth formations comprising:
- an elongated supporting mandrel adapted for connection to a string of pipe;
- an elongated elastomer packing element disposed over said supporting mandrel and having a length of at least ten feet;
- means sealingly attaching the packing element at each of its ends to said supporting mandrel and having cavities therein for receiving inflating liquid under pressure;
- means for reinforcing each of the ends of said packing element upon inflation of said packing element relative to said supporting mandrel;
- means for selectively admitting inflating liquid under pressure from the interior of the supporting mandrel to said cavities and between the packing element and supporting mandrel for inflating said packing element into sealing engagement with the wall of a well bore;
- said packing element along said supporting mandrel, prior to operation of the means for selectively admitting fluid, being substantially devoid of liquid and said cavities being filled with a substantially incompressible, high viscosity, fluid which does not imgrate at atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.