Mono-diameter wellbore casing

An apparatus for forming a mono-diameter wellbore casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation including a preexisting wellbore casing, comprising:

• means for installing a tubular liner and a first expansion device in the borehole;
• means for injecting a fluidic material into the borehole;
• means for pressurizing a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner below the first expansion device;
• means for radially expanding at least a portion of the tubular liner in the borehole by extruding at least a portion of the tubular liner off of the first expansion device;
• and
• means for radially expanding at least a portion of the preexisting wellbore casing and the tubular liner using a second expansion device;
• wherein at least one of the first and second expansion devices comprise releasable coupling means.

A method of joining a second tubular member to a first tubular member positioned within a subterranean formation, the first tubular member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second tubular member, comprising:

• positioning a first expansion device within an interior region of the second tubular member;
• pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second tubular member adjacent to the first expansion device;
• extending at least a portion of the second tubular member off of the first expansion device into engagement with the first tubular member;
• and
• radially expanding at least a portion of the first tubular member and the second tubular member using a second expansion device;
• wherein at least one of the first and second expansion devices comprise a releasable coupling.

An apparatus for joining a second tubular member to a first tubular member positioned within a subterranean formation, the first tubular member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second tubular member, comprising:

• means for positioning a first expansion device within an interior region of the second tubular member;
• means for pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second tubular member adjacent to the first expansion device;
• means for extruding at least a portion of the second tubular member off of the first expansion device into engagement with the first tubular member;
• and
• means for radially expanding at least a portion of the first tubular member and the second tubular member using a second expansion device;
• wherein at least one of the first and second expansion devices comprise releasable coupling means.

A method of radially expanding an overlapping joint between a wellbore casing and a tubular liner, comprising:

• positioning an expansion device within the wellbore casing above the overlapping joint;
• sealing off an annular region within the wellbore casing above the expansion device;
• displacing the expansion device by pressurizing the annular region;
• and
• removing fluidic materials displaced by the expansion device from the tubular liner;
• wherein the expansion device comprises a releasable coupling.

An apparatus for radially expanding an overlapping joint between a wellbore casing and a tubular liner, comprising:

• means for positioning an expansion device within the wellbore casing above the overlapping joint;
• means for sealing off an annular region within the wellbore casing above the expansion device;
• means for displacing the expansion device by pressurizing the annular region;
• and
• means for removing fluidic materials displaced by the expansion device from the tubular liner;
• wherein the expansion device comprises releasable coupling means.

A method of radially expanding an overlapping joint between a wellbore casing and a tubular liner, comprising:

• positioning an expansion device within the wellbore casing above the overlapping joint;
• sealing off a region within the wellbore casing above the expansion device;
• releasing the expansion device;
• and
• displacing the expansion device by pressurizing an annular region.

A method of radially expanding an overlapping joint between first and second tubular members, comprising:

• positioning an expansion device within the first tubular member above the overlapping joint;
• sealing off an annular region within the first tubular member above the expansion device;
• displacing the expansion device by pressurizing the annular region;
• and
• removing fluidic materials displaced by the expansion device from the second tubular member;
• wherein the expansion device comprises a releasable coupling.

An apparatus for radially expanding an overlapping joint between first and second tubular members, comprising:

• means for positioning an expansion device within the first tubular member above the overlapping joint;
• means for sealing off an annular region within the first tubular member above the expansion device;
• means for displacing the expansion device by pressurizing the annular region;
• and
• means for removing fluidic materials displaced by the expansion device from the second tubular member;
• wherein the expansion device comprises releasable coupling means.

A method of radially expanding an overlapping joint between first and second tubular members, comprising:

• positioning an expansion device within the first tubular member above the overlapping joint;
• sealing off a region within the first tubular member above the expansion device;
• releasing the expansion device;
• and
• displacing the expansion device by pressurizing an annular region.

A method of joining a second pipeline member to a first pipeline member positioned within a subterranean formation, the first pipeline member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second pipeline member, comprising:

• positioning a first expansion device within an interior region of the second pipeline member;
• pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second pipeline member adjacent to the first expansion device;
• extruding at least a portion of the second pipeline member off of the first expansion device into engagement with the first pipeline member;
• and
• radially expanding at least a portion of the first pipeline member and the second pipeline member using a second expansion device;
• wherein at least one of the first and second expansion devices comprise a releasable coupling.