Modular hydraulic packer-and-port system

A well isolation and monitoring apparatus, comprising:

• a packer section having a relatively straight packer pipe and a packer sleeve manufactured of flexible, water-impervious material, wherein the packer pipe is adapted to provide fluid communication between an internal volume of the packer pipe and an inner surface of the packer sleeve in order to inflate or deflate the packer sleeve;
• an upper packer collar comprising an external flange on the packer pipe, the upper packer collar having a plurality of pass-through holes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the packer section;
• a lower packer collar comprising an external flange on the packer pipe, the lower packer collar having a plurality of pass-through holes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the packer section;
• wherein each packer collar pass-through hole comprises an external collar connector located external to the packer sleeve and an internal collar connector located within the packer sleeve;
• a first tube, connected to an internal collar connector of the upper packer collar and an internal collar connector of the lower packer collar;
• a second tube connected to an external collar connector of the lower packer collar and further adapted to provide fluid communication between a target isolation zone and a well surface level, wherein the first tube is located within the packer sleeve and the second tube is located outside the packer sleeve.

A method of isolating and monitoring sections in a well, comprising:

• deploying at least one packer section into a well, the well having an in-well ambient aquifer hydraulic head, and the at least one packer section further comprising:
• an upper packer collar comprising an external flange on the packer pipe, the upper packer collar having a plurality of pass-through holes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular packer section;
• a lower packer collar comprising an external flange on the packer pipe, the lower packer collar having a plurality of pass-through holes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular packer section;
• a packer sleeve secured to the upper packer collar and the lower packer collar, the packer sleeve comprising a flexible, water-impervious material, wherein the packer sleeve has an inner surface in fluid communication with the internal volume of the tubular packer section through a hole in the packer pipe through which the packer sleeve may be inflated or deflated by the flow of fluid therethrough;
• wherein each packer collar pass-through hole comprises an external collar connector located external to the packer sleeve and an internal collar connector located within the packer sleeve;
• and
• at least one tube line configured to be connectable between any of the plurality internal collar connectors of the upper packer collar and any of the plurality of internal collar connectors of the lower packer collar;
• the method further comprising:
• introducing a fluid or slurry into a central volume of the at least one packer section at a fluid static pressure greater than the in-well ambient aquifer hydraulic head;
• causing the packer sleeve to inflate and form a seal against an inner surface of the well thereby selectively isolating a section of the well.