Bore isolation
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Michael Duggan, Gareth Lyle Innes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of isolating a section of a drilled bore containing a problem zone comprises: providing a section of tubing; locating the tubing in the section of the bore; and expanding the tubing and forming at least an outer portion of the tubing to conform to irregularities in the bore wall, to isolate the problem zone. The tubing may feature a formable outer section, and the expansion of the tubing may be achieved using a compliant rotary expander.
Claims34
An apparatus for use in isolating a zone in a bore, the apparatus comprising:
- a section of expandable tubing attachable to a running string, the tubing wall comprises a structural layer and an outer relatively deformable layer for contact with the bore wall wherein the outer layer is of a material adapted to swell in situ;
- and
- an expansion device attachable to the running string concurrently with the section of expandable tubing, whereby the expansion device is operable to expand the tubing into contact with a section of surrounding bore wall.
An apparatus for use in isolating a zone in a bore, the apparatus comprising:
- a section of expandable tubing, the expandable tubing having an outer relatively deformable layer which is adapted to swell in situ;
- and
- an expansion device having operable variable diameter, whereby the expansion device is operable to expand the tubing into contact with a section of surrounding bore wall.
A method for lining a section of a drilled bore hole, comprising:
- locating an expandable tubular adjacent the section, the expandable tubing having an outer deformable layer which swells to ensure contact with the bore wall;
- locating a variable diameter expander tool proximate a portion of the expandable tubular;
- and
- varying an outer diameter of the expander tool and expanding at least a portion of the expandable tubular.
A method of isolating a section of a drilled bore, the method comprising:
- locating a section of tubing proximate an open or unlined portion of the drilled bore to be isolated, wherein a portion of the bore is lined and the tubing section includes a tubing wall comprising a structural layer and an outer relatively deformable layer that swells to ensure contact with a bore wall;
- and
- expanding the section of the tubing by using an expansion device, thereby isolating the section of the drilled bore, the isolated section is spaced apart from all existing tubing, wherein the expansion device is alterable in configuration between a first diameter and a second diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.