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US 6,725,919 B2Granted
Forming a wellbore casing while simultaneously drilling a wellbore
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsRobert Lance Cook, David Paul Brisco, Lev Ring, Michael Bullock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wellbore casing is formed simultaneously with the drilling out of the wellbore.
Claims28
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more solid tubular members, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals;
- one or more slotted tubular members coupled to the solid tubular members;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the slotted tubular members;
- wherein the solid tubular members, the slotted tubular members, and the shoe are positioned within a wellbore formed within a subterranean formation;
- and wherein at least one of the solid tubular members and the slotted tubular members are plastically deformed and radially expanded within the wellbore by a process that comprises:
- positioning an expansion cone assembly within at least one of the solid tubular members and the slotted tubular members, the expansion cone assembly comprising a tubular support member, and a tubular expansion cone movably coupled to the tubular support member, wherein the tubular support member and the tubular expansion cone define an annular chamber;
- pressurizing the annular chamber;
- and
- displacing the expansion cone relative to the at least one of the solid tubular members and the slotted tubular members.
7 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more primary solid tubulars, each primary solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- n slotted tubulars coupled to the primary solid tubulars;
- n-1 intermediate solid tubulars coupled to and interleaved among the slotted tubulars, each intermediate solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the slotted tubulars;
- wherein the primary solid tubulars, the slotted tubulars, the intermediate solid tubulars, and the shoe are positioned within a wellbore formed within a subterranean formation;
- and wherein at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the slotted tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars are plastically deformed and radially expanded within the wellbore by a process that comprises:
- positioning an expansion cone assembly within at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the slotted tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars, the expansion cone assembly comprising a tubular support member, and a tubular expansion cone movably coupled to the tubular support member, wherein the tubular support member and the tubular expansion cone define an annular chamber;
- pressurizing the annular chamber;
- and
- displacing the expansion cone relative to the at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the slotted tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars.
8 more elements
A system for extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- means for fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- means for fluidicly coupling at least one of the slotted tubulars with the producing subterranean zone;
- wherein the means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the slotted tubulars within the wellbore comprises:
- reciprocating means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the slotted tubulars within the wellbore.
7 more elements
A system for isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- means for preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and slotted tubulars;
- wherein the means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and slotted tubulars within the wellbore comprises:
- reciprocating means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and slotted tubulars within the wellbore.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more solid tubular members, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals;
- one or more perforated tubular members coupled to the solid tubular members, each perforated tubular member defining one or more radial passages;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the perforated tubular members;
- wherein the solid tubular members, the perforated tubular members, and the shoe are positioned within a wellbore formed within a subterranean formation;
- and wherein at least one of the solid tubular members and the perforated tubular members are plastically deformed and radially expanded within the wellbore by a process that comprises:
- positioning an expansion cone assembly within at least one of the solid tubular members and the perforated tubular members, the expansion cone assembly comprising a tubular support member, and a tubular expansion cone movably coupled to the tubular support member, wherein the tubular support member and the tubular expansion cone define an annular chamber;
- pressurizing the annular chamber;
- and
- displacing the expansion cone relative to at least one of the solid tubular members and the perforated tubular members.
7 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more primary solid tubulars, each primary solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- n perforated tubulars coupled to the primary solid tubulars, each perforated tubular defining one or more radial passages;
- n-1 intermediate solid tubulars coupled to and interleaved among the perforated tubulars, each intermediate solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the perforated tubulars;
- wherein the primary solid tubulars, the perforated tubulars, the intermediate solid tubulars, and the shoe are positioned within a wellbore formed within a subterranean formation;
- and wherein at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the perforated tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars are plastically deformed and radially expanded within the wellbore by a process that comprises:
- positioning an expansion cone assembly within at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the perforated tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars, the expansion cone assembly comprising a tubular support member, and a tubular expansion cone movably coupled to the tubular support member, wherein the tubular support member and the tubular expansion cone define an annular chamber;
- pressurizing the annular chamber;
- and
- displacing the expansion cone relative to the at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the perforated tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars.
8 more elements
A system for extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the perforated tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- means for fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- means for fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- means for fluidicly coupling at least one of the perforated tubulars with the producing subterranean zone;
- wherein the means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the perforated tubulars within the wellbore comprises:
- means for reciprocating an expansion device relative to at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the perforated tubulars within the wellbore.
7 more elements
A system for isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- means for positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and perforated tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- means for preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and perforated tubulars;
- wherein the means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and perforated tubulars within the wellbore comprises:
- means for reciprocating an expansion device relative to at least one of the primary and perforated tubulars within the wellbore.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.