Method of forming a lined tubular member
AssigneePackless Industries
InventorsL. Robert Zifferer, Edward A. Reed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A corrugated conduit and method of expanding to form a lined tubular member are described. In some embodiments, a corrugated conduit may be expandable. The corrugated conduit may be inserted into a tubular member and hydraulically or otherwise expanded against walls of the tubular member to strengthen and/or seal the tubular member when the corrugated conduit is expanded in the tubular member. In certain embodiments, the tubular member is a drill stem.
Claims16
A method of forming a lined tubular member, comprising:
- forming corrugations in conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, wherein the conduit is formed of metal, and wherein the corrugated conduit comprises ridges that are located a distance from a center of the corrugated conduit that is substantially the same as a radial distance of an un-corrugated portion of the conduit;
- inserting the metal corrugated conduit in a tubular member;
- and
- hydraulically expanding the corrugated conduit while the corrugated conduit is inside the tubular member.
A method of forming a lined drill stem, comprising:
- forming corrugations in conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, wherein the conduit is formed of metal and wherein the corrugated conduit comprises ridges that are located a distance from a center of the corrugated conduit that is substantially the same as a radial distance of an un-corrugated portion of the conduit;
- inserting the metal corrugated conduit in a drill stem comprising one or more threaded ends and a middle portion, wherein an inner diameter of at least one of the threaded ends of the drill stem is smaller than an inner diameter of the middle portion of the drill stem;
- and
- hydraulically expanding the metal corrugated conduit while the metal corrugated conduit is inside the drill stem.
A method of forming a lined tubular member, comprising:
- forming corrugations in conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, wherein the conduit is formed of metal;
- providing the metal corrugated conduit inside a tubular member, wherein the tubular member comprises ends with an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of a middle portion of the tubular member;
- and
- hydraulically expanding the corrugated conduit to seal the tubular member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.