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US 6,648,076 B2Granted
Gravel pack expanding valve
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorJohn Todd Broome
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorJohn Todd Broome
Estimating the term…
Circulation flow apertures in a wellbore pipe, tubing, casing or casing liner screen may be selectively closed by an internal pipe sleeve that is formed of a thin, malleable material. One axial end of the sleeve is flared and secured to the inner bore surface of the pipe as by welding or by clamping between the ends of axially adjacent pipe joints joined by a threaded coupling. The remaining length of the sleeve extends along the pipe and over any pipe apertures to form an annular space between the outer cylinder surface of the sleeve and the inner bore surface of the pipe. A perimeter seal element such as an O-ring is placed around the sleeve outer perimeter beyond the apertures in a direction opposite from the sleeve flare. The flow aperture in the pipe is closed by a swaging tool that expands the sleeve against the pipe bore wall sufficiently to close the annulus and compress the O-ring seal against the pipe borewall.
An apparatus for closing a fluid flow aperture through a well pipe wall between an internal flowbore of said pipe and an external pipe environment, said apparatus comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve formed of malleable material, said sleeve being disposed substantially coaxially within said flowbore and adjacent said aperture, one end of said sleeve being radially flared with an outer rim of the flare being secured to said pipe wall to provide an annular space between said sleeve and said pipe wall from said flare to channel fluid flow through said aperture, along said annulus and into said flowbore, a perimeter sealing element disposed between said sleeve and said pipe wall to substantially seal said annulus from said aperture flow when said sleeve is expanded against said pipe wall.
A well production sand screen having an outer screen element enclosing a base pipe, said outer screen element having particle size restricted flow orifices to channel a production flow of well fluid past said outer screen element into an internal flow chamber between said outer screen and said base pipe, first and second apertures through said base pipe between said internal flow chamber and a central flow bore, and a malleable material sleeve in substantially parallel alignment with said flow bore adjacent said first aperture, said sleeve having an out-turned flange secured to said base pipe to form an annular flow space between said sleeve and said base pipe whereby an expanded deformation of said sleeve obstructs fluid flow through said first aperture.
A method of controlling the production of well fluid comprising the steps of:
A method of closing a fluid flow aperture in a well pipe comprising the steps:
A method of closing a fluid flow aperture in a well pipe comprising the steps:
A method of closing a fluid flow aperture in a well pipe comprising the steps:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.