Wear-resistant, variable diameter expansion tool and expansion methods

A method of downhole tubular expansion, the tubular disposed in a wellbore of a subterranean well, comprising of the steps of:

• positioning an automatically variable diameter expansion cone tool in the tubular;
• expanding the cone expansion tool to a selected diameter;
• advancing the cone expansion tool along the tubular, thereby radially expanding the tubular;
• and
• automatically varying the diameter of the cone expansion tool as the cone expansion tool is advanced along the tubular.

A method of tubular expansion, the tubular positioned in the wellbore of a subterranean well, comprising the steps of:

• positioning an expansion cone in the tubular, the expansion cone having a cone body with an exterior surface and a controlled egress seal on the exterior surface for sealing contact with the tubular;
• expanding the expansion cone;
• and
• moving the expanded cone axially along the tubular thereby expanding the tubular.

A method of expanding a screen assembly in a subterranean wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1. positioning, adjacent the screen assembly, an expansion tool having an upper and lower body, an anchoring mechanism located in the upper body, an expansion cone assembly located in the lower body, and a force generator operable to vary the distance between the anchoring mechanism and the expansion assembly;
• 2. radially expanding the expansion assembly;
• 3. setting the anchoring mechanism;
• 4. activating the force generator to lengthen the distance between the anchoring mechanism and the expansion assembly, thereby forcing the expansion assembly through the screen assembly and radially expanding the screen assembly;
• 5. retracting the anchoring mechanism;
• 6. activating the force generator to shorten the distance between the anchoring mechanism and the expansion assembly;
• and
• 7. repeating steps 3-6 as desired.

A method of tubular expansion, the tubular positioned in the wellbore of a subterranean well, comprising the steps of:

• positioning an expansion cone in the tubular, the expansion cone having an expansion cone body with multiple cone body sections and at least one joint assembly pivotally connecting the cone sections;
• expanding the expansion cone;
• and
• moving the expanded cone axially along the tubular thereby radially expanding the tubular.

A method of utilizing an expansion tool in conjunction with a sensor in a wellbore, comprising:

• running the expansion tool in an expandable tubular in the wellbore;
• positioning the sensor proximate the expansion tool;
• activating the expansion tool in order to expand the expandable tubular;
• and
• operating the sensor to detect at least one parameter in the wellbore.

An expansion cone apparatus for use in expanding a tubular in a subterranean well comprising:

• an automatically-variable diameter cone body;
• at least one wear face attached to the cone body, the wear face made of a material harder than the cone body;
• and
• at least one sensor for detecting wellbore parameters operably connected to the variable diameter cone body, whereby the cone body diameter automatically varies based on the detected parameters.

A method of downhole tubular expansion comprising of the steps of:

• positioning an expansion cone in a tubular positioned in a subterranean wellbore, the expansion cone having a variable diameter cone body and at least one wear face attached to the cone body, the at least one wear face of material harder than the cone body;
• moving the expanded cone axially along the tubular thereby radially expanding the tubular;
• and
• automatically varying the diameter of the cone as it is moved along the tubular.