Apparatus and method to expand casing
AssigneeHydril Company
InventorRobert S. Sivley, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool for radially plastically expanding a pipe having a threaded connection therein, that includes a first section. The first section has an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the pipe. The first section includes a first outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at a plurality of selected contact patches on the first outer surface. The tool also includes a second section axially disposed behind the first section along the direction of travel. The second section has an increasing diameter and decreasing cone angle along the direction of travel. The second section includes a second outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at at least one selected contact patch on the second outer surface.
Claims25
A tool for radially plastically expanding a pipe having a threaded connection therein, comprising:
- a first section having an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the pipe, the first section comprising a first outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at a plurality of selected contact patches on the first outer surface;
- and
- a second section axially disposed behind the first section along the direction of travel, the second section having an increasing diameter and decreasing cone angle along the direction of travel, the second section comprising a second outer surface adapted to contact the inner surface of the pipe at at least one selected contact patch on the second outer surface.
A method of expanding casing comprising:
- forcing a casing expansion tool through a casing segment, wherein the casing segment has a smaller inside diameter than a largest outside diameter of said expansion tool;
- wherein said expansion tool comprises a first section having an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the casing segment, the first section comprising a first outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the casing segment at a plurality of selected contact patches on the first outer surface;
- and a second section axially disposed behind the first section along the direction of travel, the second section having an increasing diameter and decreasing cone angle along the direction of travel, the second section comprising a second outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at at least one selected contact patch on the second outer surface.
A tool for radially plastically expanding a pipe having a threaded connection therein, the connection having an engaged thread length L2, the tool comprising:
- a first section having an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the pipe, the first section comprising a first outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at a plurality of selected contact patches on the first outer surface;
- and
- a second section axially disposed behind the first section along the direction of travel, the second section having an increasing diameter and decreasing cone angle along the direction of travel, the second section comprising a second outer surface adapted to contact the inner surface of the pipe at at least one selected contact patch on the second outer surface;
- wherein the first and second section have a length at least about L2.
A tool for radially plastically expanding a pipe having a threaded connection therein, comprising:
- a section having an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the pipe, the section comprising an outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the pipe at a plurality of selected contact patches on the outer surface.
A method of expanding casing comprising
- forcing a casing expansion tool through a casing segment axially and rotating said tool about a longitudinal axis of said tool, wherein the casing segment has a smaller inside diameter than a largest outside diameter of said expansion tool;
- wherein said expansion tool comprises a first section having an increasing diameter and increasing cone angle along a direction of travel through the casing segment, the first section comprising a first outer surface adapted to contact an inner surface of the casing segment at a plurality of selected contact patches, each contact patch comprising a plurality of ball bearings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.