Drillable inflatable packer & methods of use

An inflatable packer, comprising:

• a packer body;
• an inflatable bladder mounted around the packer body;
• a first set of layers of ribs mounted around a top portion of the inflatable bladder;
• a second set of layers of ribs mounted around a bottom portion of the inflatable bladder;
• and
• the ribs composed of a composite material, and each of the ribs having a thickness between about 0.005 inches to about 0.100 inches.

A system for installing an inflatable packer in a bore, the system comprising:

• a running apparatus;
• and
• an inflatable packer releasably connected to the running apparatus and adapted to be selectively releasable from the running apparatus following setting of the inflatable bladder in the bore, the inflatable packer comprising:
• a packer body, the packer body having a fluid flow bore therethrough,
• an inflatable bladder mounted around the packer body,
• a plurality of ribs mounted around the inflatable bladder, each of the ribs having a thickness between about 0.005 inches to about 0.100 inches;
• a valve apparatus connected with the packer body and in fluid communication with the fluid flow bore of the packer body for selectively controlling fluid flow from the packer to a space outside the packer system, and
• the inflatable bladder, the packer body, the ribs, and the valve apparatus made of drillable material.

A method for installing a packer in a bore, the method comprising:

• positioning a packer at a desired location in a bore, the packer comprising
• a packer body,
• an inflatable bladder mounted around the packer body,
• a plurality of ribs mounted around the inflatable bladder, each of the ribs having a thickness between about 0.005 inches to about 0.100 inches;
• the packer body, the inflatable bladder and the ribs made of drillable material, and
• inflating the inflatable bladder to set the packer at the desired location in the bore.