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US 7,621,570 B2Granted
Pre-expanded connector for expandable downhole tubulars
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorGhazi J. Hashem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an expandable threaded connection between segments of expandable tubulars. Threaded connections are machined into pre-expanded ends of tubulars. Once the threaded connections are machined into the pre-expanded ends, two joints of tubulars are connected using the threads, thus creating a pre-expanded threaded connection. After a tubular string is made up and lowered into a wellbore, the entire length of the string is expanded using known methods for expanding tubulars. During the downhole expansion operation, the pre-expanded threaded connections experience minimal expansion. The minimal downhole expansion of the pre-expanded threaded connections allows the threaded connections to maintain their sealing ability and coupling strength.
Claims24
An expandable threaded tubular connection comprising:
- a first tubular segment with a pre-expanded end, the pre-expanded end including a pin member with threads;
- and
- a second tubular segment with a pre-expanded end, the pre-expanded end including a box member with threads suitable for threadedly engaging said threads of said pin member of said first tubular segment,
- wherein the first and second tubular segments, the pre-expanded ends, and the pin and box member threads are expanded after the expandable threaded tubular connection is made-up and inserted downhole, wherein a sealing ability and coupling strength of the expandable threaded tubular connection is not compromised by the expansion.
1 more element
An expandable threaded tubular connection for well bore production tubulars comprising:
- a first expandable tubular segment with a first tapered end joint connected to the end of the first expandable tubular segment, wherein the first tapered end joint has been pre-expanded to a given shape and size by inserting an expansion tool into the first tapered end joint to a predetermined length, the first tapered end joint including a pin member with thread means;
- and
- a second expandable tubular segment with a second tapered end joint connected to the end of the second expandable tubular segment, wherein the second tapered end joint has been pre-expanded to a given shape and size by inserting an expansion tool into the second tapered end joint to a predetermined length, the second tapered end joint including a box member with thread means suitable for threadedly engaging said pin member of said first tapered end joint;
- wherein the shape and size of the first and second tapered end joints are selected such that the first and second tapered end joints, including the thread means of the first and second tapered end joints, are expanded less than the first and second expandable tubular segments after the expandable threaded tubular connection is inserted downhole;
- and
- wherein said expandable threaded tubular connection maintains its sealing ability following expansion of the expandable threaded tubular connection after it has been inserted downhole.
3 more elements
An expandable threaded tubular connection for well bore production tubulars comprising:
- a first expandable tubular segment with a first tapered end joint connected to the end of the first expandable tubular segment, wherein the first tapered end joint is forged to a given shape and size such that the inner diameter of the first tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the first expandable tubular segment, the first tapered end joint including a pin member with thread means;
- and
- a second expandable tubular segment with a second tapered end joint connected to the end of the second expandable tubular segment, wherein the second tapered end joint is forged to a given shape and size such that the inner diameter of the second tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the second expandable tubular segment, the second tapered end joint including a box member with thread means suitable for threadedly engaging said thread means of said pin member of said first tapered end joint;
- wherein the shape and size of the first and second tapered end joints are selected such that the first and second tapered end joints, including the thread means of the first and second tapered end joints, are expanded less than the first and second expandable tubular segments after the expandable threaded tubular connection is inserted downhole;
- and
- wherein said expandable threaded tubular connection maintains its sealing ability following expansion of the expandable threaded tubular connection after it has been inserted downhole.
3 more elements
An expandable threaded tubular connection for well bore tubulars comprising:
- a first expandable casing segment having a first tapered end joint, wherein the first tapered end joint is pre-expanded such that the inner diameter of the first tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the remainder of the first expandable casing segment, the first tapered end joint including a pin member with thread means;
- and
- a second expandable casing segment having a second tapered end joint, wherein the second tapered end joint is pre-expanded such that the inner diameter of the second tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the remainder of the second expandable casing segment, the second tapered end joint including a box member with thread means suitable for threadedly engaging said thread means of said pin member of said first tapered end joint;
- wherein the inner diameters of the first and second tapered end joints are selected to allow for less expansion of the end joints as compared to the expansion of the first and second expandable casing segments when the first and second expandable casing segments and first and second tapered end joints, including the thread means of the first and second tapered end joints, are expanded after the expandable threaded connection is made-up and inserted downhole.
1 more element
An expandable threaded tubular connection for well bore tubulars comprising:
- a first expandable liner segment having a first tapered end joint, wherein the first tapered end joint is pre-expanded such that the inner diameter of the first tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the remainder of the first expandable liner segment, the first tapered end joint including a pin member with thread means;
- and
- a second expandable liner segment having a second tapered end joint, wherein the second tapered end joint is pre-expanded such that the inner diameter of the second tapered end joint is greater than the inner diameter of the remainder of the second expandable liner segment, the second tapered end joint including a box member with thread means suitable for threadedly engaging said thread means of said pin member of said first tapered end joint;
- wherein the inner diameters of the first and second tapered end joints are selected to allow for less expansion of the end joints as compared to the expansion of the first and second expandable liner segments when the first and second expandable liner segments and first and second tapered end joints, including the thread means of the first and second tapered end joints, are expanded after the expandable threaded connection is made-up and inserted downhole.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.