Inflatable packing element
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsPaul J. Wilson, Corey E. Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inflatable packing element for a bridge plug. The packing element has an anchor portion and a sealing cover portion, each of which is expanded in order to engage and seal a surrounding string of casing or borehole. The anchor portion has a minimum length defined by 2.63× the inner diameter of the surrounding pipe or other wellbore opening. At the same time, the anchor portion has a maximum length defined by approximately 49% of the length of the expanded portion of the packing element engaging the surrounding pipe or other wellbore opening.
Claims19
An inflatable packing element for sealing an opening within a wellbore, the opening having an essentially circular cross-section defining an inner diameter, the packing element comprising:
- an inflatable anchor portion;
- an inflatable sealing cover portion,
- wherein the length of the anchor portion engaging the inner diameter upon expansion is at least approximately 2.63× the inner diameter of the opening of the wellbore;
- and
- wherein the anchor portion engaging the inner diameter is no greater in length upon expansion than approximately 49% of the total length defined by the length of the anchor portion engaging the surrounding wellbore opening plus the length of the sealing cover portion engaging the surrounding wellbore opening.
An inflatable packing element for sealing a pipe within a wellbore, the pipe having an essentially circular profile defining an inner diameter, the packing element comprising:
- an elongated inflatable bladder having a first end and a second end;
- a plurality of overlaying metal straps disposed in a radial array, the metal straps having first ends proximate to the first end of the bladder, and second ends proximate to the second end of the bladder, and the plurality of metal straps being disposed circumferentially around the bladder and being outwardly expandable upon inflation of the bladder,
- a cover ring disposed circumferentially around the plurality of metal straps proximate to the respective first ends of the metal straps,
- an inflatable sealing cover portion disposed radially around the plurality of metal straps proximate to the respective second ends of the metal straps, and leaving a section of the plurality of metal straps exposed between the cover ring and the sealing cover portion so as to define an anchor portion;
- wherein the anchor portion has a minimum length upon expansion defined by 2.63× the inner diameter of the pipe;
- and
- wherein the anchor portion has a maximum length defined by no more than approximately 49% of (1) the length of the inflated sealing cover portion engaging the surrounding pipe, plus (2) the length of the inflated anchor portion engaging the surrounding pipe, plus (3) the length of the cover ring engaging the surrounding pipe, if any, upon full expansion of the bladder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.