Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Andrew Michael Duggan

Simon John Harrall

Paul David Metcalfe

Neil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson

Wayne Rudd

David John Hillis

Gareth Lyle Innes

Graeme Thomas Marr

Neil Andrew Simpson

David Stephenson

Mark Davies

James Kennon Whanger

James Oliver

Neil James Glover

Walter Aldaz

Gareth Innes

There is disclosed a tubing expansion device and a method of expanding tubing. In one embodiment, an expansion device () is disclosed which comprises at least one expansion member () adapted to expand a tubing () by inducing a hoop stress in the tubing (), and at least one further expansion member () adapted to expand the tubing () by inducing a compressive yield of the tubing (); and a method of expanding tubing () comprising the steps of expanding the tubing () at least in part by inducing a hoop stress in the tubing (), and expanding the tubing () at least in part by inducing a compressive yield of the tubing ().

Tubing expansion

A method of isolating a section of a drilled bore containing a problem zone comprises: providing a section of tubing; locating the tubing in the section of the bore; and expanding the tubing and forming at least an outer portion of the tubing to conform to irregularities in the bore wall, to isolate the problem zone. The tubing may feature a formable outer section, and the expansion of the tubing may be achieved using a compliant rotary expander.

Bore isolation

An expandable coupling arrangement for coupling first and second tubulars includes a male thread portion on an end of the first tubular and a female thread portion on an end of the second tubular. The thread portions comprise dovetail threads having flanks, roots and crests, wherein the flanks are inclined at an angle of greater than 10&#xb0;.

Coupling tubulars

There are disclosed methods and apparatus for expanding tubing downhole. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a method of expanding downhole tubing such as a liner (), the method comprising the steps of locating the liner () in a borehole (), expanding a part () of the liner () in the borehole (), locating an expansion device such as an expandable cone () in said expanded part () of the liner (), and translating the cone () relative to the liner () to expand a further part () of the liner ().

There is disclosed an expandable seal for sealing at least part of a wall of a well borehole, an expandable seal assembly comprising at least two such expandable seals, and a method of sealing at least part of a well borehole using such a seal. In one embodiment, the expandable seal () comprises an expandable tubular support member () and an inflatable seal element () mounted externally of the expandable tubular support member () for inflation radially outwardly into sealing engagement with at least part of a wall () of a well borehole (). There is also disclosed a sealing apparatus for sealing at least one flow port in an expandable downhole tubular, in one embodiment, the sealing apparatus () comprising a sealing member () coupled to an expandable tubular (), the sealing member () including a deformable portion () movable between a closed position preventing fluid flow through a flow port () and an open position permitting fluid flow through the flow port ().

Seal

There are disclosed methods and apparatus for expanding downhole tubing. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a method of expanding tubing comprising providing an assemblycomprising a section of expandable tubing () and an expansion device in the form of an expansion mandrel () located at least partially externally of the tubing (), running the assembly () into a bore, translating the expansion mandrel () relative to the tubing () to expand an end section of the tubing (), and further translating the expansion mandrel () relative to the tubing () to expand a further section of the tubing ().

There is disclosed a method of lining a drilled bore () and bore-lining tubing (). The method comprises providing a first tubular (); locating the first tubular () in the bore (); providing an expandable, second tubular (); locating the second tubular () in the bore () overlapping the first tubular (); expanding a portion () of the second tubular () to create a coupling () including a flow passage () between the first tubular and the second tubular ().

Bore-lining tubing and method of use

The invention relates to a tubing expansion tool and to a method of expanding tubing. In one embodiment, a tubing expansion tool () is disclosed which comprises a body () and at least one expansion member () radially movably mounted on the body () for movement towards an extended configuration describing an expansion diameter for expanding tubing () to a predetermined diameter, the expansion member () being lockable in the extended configuration. In further embodiments, the expansion member () is biased radially inwardly; the expansion member () is moveable in response to both an applied mechanical force and an applied fluid pressure force; and the expansion member () is pivotably mounted with respect to the body ().

Growing community of inventors

Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Andrew Michael Duggan