Annular isolators for expandable tubulars in wellbores

USRE41118E1 · kind E1 · reissue

Assignee

• Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael M. Brezinski · Duncan, US
• Gregory B. Chitwood · Dallas, US
• Ralph H. Echols · Dallas, US
• Gary P. Funkhouser · Moore, US
• John C. Gano · Carrollton, US
• William David Henderson · Frisco, US
• Paul Herman · Plano, US
• Marion D. Kilgore · Dallas, US
• Ronald J. Powell · Duncan, US
• Thomas W. Ray · Plano, US
• Roger L. Schultz · Newcastle, US
• Robert S. Taylor · Calgary, CA
• Bradley L. Todd · Duncan, US
• Cynthia Tuckness · Coppell, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 30, 2007
• Grant date: Feb 16, 2010
• Expiry date: Oct 30, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

The present disclosure addressed apparatus and methods for forming an annular isolator in a borehole after installation of production tubing. Annular seal means are carried in or on production tubing as it is run into a borehole. In conjunction with expansion of the tubing, the seal is deployed to form an annular isolator. An inflatable element carried on the tubing may be inflated with a fluid carried in the tubing and forced into the inflatable element during expansion of the tubing. Reactive chemicals may be carried in the tubing and injected into the annulus to react with each other and ambient fluids to increase in volume and harden into an annular seal. An elastomeric sleeve, ring or band carried on the tubing may be expanded into contact with a borehole wall and may have its radial dimension increased in conjunction with tubing expansion to form an annular isolator.