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US 7,441,596 B2Granted
Swelling element packer and installation method
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsEdward T. Wood, Steven N. Bailey, Walter J. Laflin, Vel Berzin, James R. Korte, Edward J. O'Malley, Bennett M. Richard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealing element that swells on exposure to well fluids present or added to the wellbore is assembled to the mandrel in a manner to induce circumferential stresses proximately to the inside diameter of the element so as to resist the tendency of the inside diameter of the element to grow during the swelling process. A vacuum and a pressure method are described. Leak paths between the mandrel and the sealing element are minimized or eliminated as a result.
Claims17
A downhole packer, comprising:
- a mandrel;
- an element mounted to said mandrel and formed of a material that swells to seal downhole on contact with fluids in or added to a wellbore without axial compression, wherein said element has at least a portion that swells and that portion is initially mounted in contact with said mandrel in a manner that leaves a hoop stress in said portion that swells that is located adjacent said mandrel.
A downhole packer, comprising:
- a mandrel;
- an element mounted to said mandrel and formed of a material that swells to seal downhole on contact with fluids in or added to a wellbore without axial compression, wherein said element is initially mounted to said mandrel in a manner that leaves a hoop stress in said element adjacent said mandrel;
- the initial inside diameter of said element is no larger than the mandrel outside diameter;
- said initial inside diameter of said element is smaller than the mandrel outside diameter;
- said inside diameter of said element is increased to allow insertion of said mandrel though said element;
- said mandrel comprises a screen, at least in part;
- said element covers a portion of said screen.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.