Tam International, Inc.

Andrew Kutac

Dennis E Roessler

Paul Andrew Reinhardt

Charles O Stokley

Iain Greenan

Ray Frisby

Tim Davis

Iain M Greenan

A swellable packer which includes a generally tubular mandrel having a central axis and an exterior cylindrical surface. The swellable packer further includes a swellable elastomeric body fixed to the exterior cylindrical surface of the mandrel, wherein the swellable elastomeric body includes a plurality of grooves and wherein the generally tubular elastomeric sleeve has a circumference and a thickness.

Grooved swellable packer

A swellable downhole packer () is provided for positioning downhole in a well to seal with the interior surface of a borehole or the interior surface of a downhole tubular. The packer includes a swellable elastomeric sleeve-shaped body () positioned over a mandrel () for swelling, and a rigid end ring (). An elastomeric anti-extrusion member () is spaced axially between the sleeve-shaped body and the rigid end ring, and has a radial thickness adjacent the end ring greater than the radial thickness adjacent the sleeve-shaped body. A swellable elastomeric member () is spaced radially between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the elastomeric anti-extrusion member.

Swellable downhole packer

An improved inflatable packer is provided having a pre-stretched bladder to minimize Z-folding. An expandable outer body includes an inner elastomeric bladder layer , a reinforcement layer which may include overlapping slats or cable, and an outer elastomer cover layer which may cover only a portion of the reinforcement layer . The bladder may expand non-uniformly due to the variations in the cross-section of the borehole , irregularities in construction of the bladder , and/or difference in resistance to expansion between the covered portion and the exposed portion of the reinforcement layer . An improved inflatable packer and method comprises pre-stretching the bladder to keep the bladder in tension and minimize the occurrence of Z-folds.

Inflatable packer with prestressed bladder

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Hallettsville, TX, United States of America

Andrew Kutac