Expandable tubing for a well bore hole and method of expanding
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsClaude J. Vercaemer, Hubertus V. Thomeer, Robert M. Sorem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable tubing (12) for a well bore hole (14) in which selected length portions (24, 26, 28) are weakened by a slot configuration (FIGS. 2, 3, 4) to obtain predetermined expansion characteristics. The slot configurations are tailored or selected for a predetermined bore hole length and may be expanded to different radial diameters to conform generally to the peripheral contour of the bore hole. Tubing portions (29) between the slotted length potions (24, 26, 28) are unweakened.
Claims21
A lining tube for a well bore hole to expand against predetermined length portions of the bore hole;
- said lining tube having selected length portions in transverse alignment with said bore hole length portions and constructed for controlled radial expansion against said bore hole length portions relative to the remainder of said lining tube, and relieving means at each of said selected length portions for relieving said selected length portions in response to the application of force, said relieving means being varied at different selected length portions to provide different predetermined expansion characteristics for different selected length portions.
A tubular lining member for a well bore hole having predetermined length portions thereof that are constructed for a controlled predetermined radial expansion in response to different well bore hole characteristics, said length portions of said liner member being positioned along the length of said well bore hole and having a predetermined length portion thereon in transverse alignment with a selected bore hole length portion to be reinforced, and relieving means for relieving said predetermined length portions to permit expansion of said length portions, said relieving means being selectively varied for different length portions to provide different expansion amounts as may be predetermined for said different length portions.
A continuous lining tube for a well bore hole to expand against predetermined length portions of the bore hole;
- said continuous lining tube having selected length portions in transverse alignment with said bore hole length portions and constructed for controlled radial expansion against said bore hole length portions relative to the remainder of said lining tube, and weakened means at each of said selected length portions for weakening said selected length portions in response to the application of force, said weakened means being varied at different selected length portions to provide different predetermined expansion characteristics for different selected length portions.
A method for inserting and expanding a continuous expandable slotted tube within an uncased bore hole comprising the following steps:
- providing a plurality of longitudinally spaced selected expandable length portions of said continuous expandable slotted tube with different predetermined slot configurations to obtain different expansion characteristics;
- inserting said expandable slotted tube downwardly within said bore hole to a position at which said plurality of selected length portions of said slotted tube are in transverse alignment with predetermined length portions of said bore hole;
- and
- expanding said longitudinally spaced selected length portions of said slotted tube radially outwardly into contact with said predetermined length portion of said bore hole.
A method for positioning expandable coiled tubing within a bore hole comprising the following steps:
- providing coiled tubing on a reel having a plurality of slotted patterns therein positioned at predetermined length portions of said coiled tubing;
- injecting said coiled tubing within the bore hole to a predetermined position at which said plurality of slotted patterns are in transverse alignment with predetermined length portions of said bore hole;
- and
- expanding said slotted patterns radially outwardly into contact with said predetermined length portion of said bore hole.
A method for inserting a continuous expandable slotted tube from a cased bore hole into a deviated bore hole portion having a lateral junction and for injecting a predetermined fluid within the bore hole formation at the lateral junction;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a selected expandable length portion of said slotted tube within a predetermined slot formation suitable to form a porous area after expansion;
- providing a non-expandable length portion adjacent each end of said expandable length portion;
- inserting said expandable slotted tube downwardly within said bore hole to a position at which said selected expandable length portion is aligned transversely with said lateral junction and said non-expandable length portions are positioned in said bore hole adjacent opposite ends of said lateral junction;
- expanding said selected expandable length portion radially outwardly into contact with said bore hole while providing a porous area;
- and
- then injecting a suitable fluid into said slotted tube for passing through said porous area into the bore hole formation at said lateral junction for isolation of the cased bore hole from a reservoir.
A method of forming a coiled tubing string having a plurality of longitudinally spaced predetermined expandable length portions arranged for injection within a bore hole and comprising the steps of:
- providing a predetermined pattern of slots on a flat strip of coiled tubing;
- rolling said strip into a desired tubular shape;
- welding said strip after being rolled into said desired tubular shape for forming said tubing;
- winding said tubing onto a reel;
- injecting the coiled tubing from said reel with said expandable length portions thereon within the bore hole to a position where said expandable length portions are transversely aligned with selected length portions of the bore hole;
- and
- expanding said expandable length portions radially into contact with the bore hole.
A method for inserting and expanding tubing within an uncased bore hole which has varying diameters along its length comprising the following steps:
- providing a plurality of longitudinally spaced selected length portions of said tubing with selected slot configurations to obtain different expansion characteristics for expanding to different radial diameters for conforming to the varying diameters of the bore hole;
- inserting said expandable tubing downwardly within said bore hole to a position at which said plurality of selected length portions of said slotted tubing are in transverse alignment with predetermined length portions of said bore hole;
- and
- expanding said longitudinally spaced selected length portions of said slotted tubing radially outwardly into contact with said predetermined length portions of said bore hole with some of said selected length potions expanded radially a greater distance that other length portions for conforming generally to the adjacent bore hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.