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US 8,075,813 B2Granted
Tubing expansion
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsDavid Stephenson, Grant Adams, David H. Grant, Neil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tubing expansion device is adapted to be advanced axially, without rotation, through tubing to be expanded. The device comprises a body and a plurality of expansion members mounted on the body, the expansion members being independently radially movable. The expansion members may be rotatable, or may be non-rotating.
Claims27
A method of expanding tubing, the method comprising:
- positioning an expansion device in the tubing to be expanded, the expansion device comprising a body, a plurality of radially fixed roller expansion members and a plurality of independently radially movable roller expansion members mounted on the body, wherein each roller expansion member is rotatable about an axis that lies substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body;
- urging the radially movable roller expansion members radially outwards into contact with an inner wall of the tubing;
- and
- expanding the tubing to a first diameter using the radially fixed roller expansion members and to a second larger diameter using the radially movable roller expansion members by urging the expansion device axially through the tubing and substantially without rotation of the body.
1 more element
A method of expanding tubing, the method comprising:
- providing an expansion device comprising a body, a fixed diameter swage and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers independently rotatable relative to the body between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers are disposed in a groove formed in the body in the retracted position and an outer diameter of the plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers in the retracted position is smaller than an outer diameter of the fixed diameter swage;
- locating the device in tubing to be expanded;
- urging the fingers radially outwards towards the extended position and into contact with an inner wall of the tubing;
- and
- expanding the tubing to by moving the expansion device substantially axially through the tubing.
2 more elements
A method of expanding tubing, the method comprising:
- positioning an expansion device in the tubing to be expanded, the expansion device comprising a body, a plurality of radially fixed expansion members and a plurality of radially extendable expansion members, wherein each expansion member is rotatable about an axis that lies substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body;
- urging the radially extendable expansion members radially outwards into contact with an inner wall of the tubing;
- and
- expanding the tubing by urging the expansion device axially through the tubing.
1 more element
A method of expanding tubing, the method comprising:
- positioning an expansion device in the tubing to be expanded, the expansion device comprising:
- a body,
- a plurality of radially fixed expansion members, and
- a plurality of radially extendable expansion members, wherein each expansion member is rotatable about an axis that lies substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body;
- and
- expanding the tubing to by moving the expansion device through the tubing.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.