Apparatus and methods for radially expanding a tubular member
AssigneeE2 Tech Limited
InventorAlan MacKenzie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Radially expanding a tubular such as a liner or casing, especially in a downward direction. The apparatus includes at least one driver device such as a piston that is typically fluid-actuated, and an expander device is attached to the or each driver device. Actuation of the or each driver device causes movement of the expander device to expand the tubular. One or more anchoring devices, which may be radially offset, are used to substantially prevent the tubular from moving during expansion thereof.
Claims22
An expansion device for radially expanding a tubular in a wellbore comprising:
- a resetable anchor that is resettable downhole;
- an expansion cone moveably coupled to the anchor;
- and
- an actuator configured to move the expansion cone relative to the anchor, thereby moving the expansion cone in the tubular in order to radially expand the tubular.
A method of expanding a tubular in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- engaging an anchor at a first location to provide a set anchor;
- actuating a driver device;
- moving an expansion device relative to the set anchor with the driver device;
- expanding the tubular with the expansion device as the expansion device moves;
- disengaging the anchor;
- moving the anchor to a second location;
- and
- resetting the anchor, wherein the disengaging and the resetting of the anchor occur in a single trip downhole.
An expansion device for radially expanding a tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- a resetable anchor;
- an expansion cone moveably coupled to the anchor;
- an actuator configured to move the expansion cone relative to the anchor, thereby moving the expansion cone in the tubular in order to radially expand the tubular;
- and
- a second anchor laterally spaced from the resetable anchor, wherein the second anchor has an outer diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the resetable anchor.
A method of expanding a tubular in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- engaging an anchor to the tubular at a first location to provide a set anchor;
- actuating a driver device;
- moving an expansion device relative to the set anchor with the driver device;
- expanding the tubular with the expansion device to form an expanded tubular as the expansion device moves;
- disengaging the anchor from the tubular;
- moving the anchor to a second location;
- resetting the anchor;
- and
- engaging the expanded tubular with a second anchor at a third location.
A method of expanding a tubular in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- engaging an anchor to the tubular at a first location to provide a set anchor, wherein the tubular is a screen;
- actuating a driver device;
- moving an expansion device relative to the set anchor with the driver device;
- expanding the tubular with the expansion device as the expansion device moves;
- disengaging the anchor from the tubular;
- moving the anchor to a second location;
- and
- resetting the anchor.
A method of expanding a tubular in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- engaging an anchor to the tubular at a first location to provide a set anchor;
- actuating a driver device;
- moving an expansion device relative to the set anchor with the driver device;
- expanding the tubular with the expansion device as the expansion device moves;
- disengaging the anchor from the tubular;
- moving the anchor to a second location;
- resetting the anchor;
- and
- circulating a cement into an annulus surrounding the tubular prior to expanding the tubular.
An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular, comprising:
- an expansion device for radial expansion of the tubular;
- an anchor for gripping an expanded inner wall of the tubular;
- a driver to provide movement of the expansion device relative the anchor;
- and
- at least one wear face of the expansion device wherein the wear face is made of a material harder than a body of the expansion device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.