Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC

Grant Prideco, Inc.

Watherford/lamb, Inc.

Ghazi J. Hashem

Ghazi J Hashem

Richard W Delange

John Richard Setterberg, Jr

Lev Ring

Merle Edward Evans

Scott H Osburn

Gregory Guy Galloway

Varadaraju Gandikota

Thomas M Redlinger

John W Kochera

Melissa Frilot

Simon John Harrall

David J Brunnert

Patrick Glen Maguire

Robert P Badrak

Mark A Mitchell

Merle E Evans

Jr Setterberg John Richard

An expandable liner is used to re-complete a wellbore for a re-fracturing operation. The expandable liner may be used to cover the old perforations and provide a larger bore after expansion. The larger bore allows the new completion perforations and fracturing operation to be more easily achieved. In one embodiment, an expandable liner an expandable tubular having a threaded connection, wherein the threaded connection includes a groove configured to fail at a predetermined tension load. In another embodiment, the expandable liner may have a rib disposed around an outer diameter of the expandable tubular, wherein the rib is configured to form a seal with the outer tubular.

Expandable liner

An expandable liner is used to re-complete a wellbore for a re-fracturing operation. The expandable liner may be used to cover the old perforations and provide a larger bore after expansion. The larger bore allows the new completion perforations and fracturing operation to be more easily achieved. In one embodiment, the expandable liner may have a rib disposed around an outer diameter of the expandable tubular, wherein the rib is configured to form a seal with the outer tubular.

An expansion tool for use in a wellbore includes an expansion surface made up of a concave portion, a convex portion and a straight section therebetween. The straight section is formed according to a formula Y=(1.26)(X)&#x2212;0.13, where X is the wall thickness of a tubular and Y is the length of the straight section. The concave portion and the convex portion have an arc length extending the concave portion to a trailing edge of the tool. The concave and convex portions are radius-shaped. The arrangement of the shapes and their relation to each other reduces relatively high and low contact pressures and lessens the effects of axial bending in a tubular or a connection.

Methods and apparatus relating to expansion tools for tubular strings

A drill pipe includes one or more sections which are strengthened, or their shape is altered, in order to improve the wear and buckle resistance of the drill pipe. The sections are strengthened using various hardening methods such as heat treatment processes and/or expansion techniques. A sleeve can also be applied to the strengthened portions. Surface enhancers, such as hardbanding, can be applied to the strengthened portions or the sleeve in order to provide abrasion resistance or to reduce friction.

Wear and buckling resistant drill pipe

The present invention embodies a drill pipe in which various damaged sections of the pipe are repaired in order to maintain or improve the wear and buckle resistance of the drill pipe. The sections are strengthened using various hardening methods such as heat treatment processes and/or expansion techniques. A sleeve can also be applied to the strengthened portions. Surface enhancers, such as hardbanding, can be applied to the strengthened portions or the sleeve in order to provide abrasion resistance or to reduce friction.

Repaired wear and buckle resistant drill pipe and related methods

An expansion tool for use in a wellbore includes an expansion surface made up of a concave portion, a convex portion and a straight section therebetween. The straight section is formed according to a formula Y=(1.26) (X)&#x2212;0.13, where X is the wall thickness of a tubular and Y is the length of the straight section. The concave portion and the convex portion have an arc length extending the concave portion to a trailing edge of the tool. The concave and convex portions are radius-shaped. The arrangement of the shapes and their relation to each other reduces relatively high and low contact pressures and lessens the effects of axial bending in a tubular or a connection.

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for protecting tubular connections. In one aspect, an expandable tubular connection for use in a wellbore is provided. The tubular connection includes a tubular pin member. The tubular connection also includes a tubular box member having an end portion, wherein the tubular pin member is matable with the tubular box member to form the tubular connection. Additionally, the tubular connection includes a sleeve member disposed on the tubular pin member, wherein the sleeve member is configured to substantially protect the end portion of the tubular box member as the tubular connection is lowered into the wellbore. In yet a further aspect, a method for utilizing a tubular connection in a wellbore is provided.

Apparatus and methods to protect connections

A tubular configured to mate with a second tubular so that sealing integrity is maintained between the tubulars before, during, and after expansion of the tubulars is disclosed. In one embodiment, a connector for connecting tubulars is provided. The connector includes a pin portion; a box portion, wherein the pin and the box portions are configured to mate; a sealing surface formed in an inner surface of the box portion; a seal disposed in a groove formed in an outer surface of the pin portion, wherein the seal is configured to engage with a sealing surface of the box portion upon mating of the pin and the box portions; and a bump formed on an inner surface of the pin portion, wherein the bump is substantially radially aligned with the groove and the bump is configured so that the seal remains engaged with the box portion during and after expansion of the pin and the box portions.

Energizing seal for expandable connections

An expandable threaded connection between segments of expandable tubulars that provides a high bearing pressure seal at a specific area along the pin and box members is disclosed. The invention utilizes a 'groove' in a surface of the box member and a corresponding 'rib' on the pin nose. The radial expansion of the tubulars causes the pin to become shorter in length, thereby causing the pin nose to retract from the back of the box member. As the pin nose retracts, the rib on the pin nose moves backward until a portion of the rib contacts a portion of the groove in the box member. The point of contact between the rib and the groove creates a metal-to-metal seal between the pin and box members. Because the point of contact between the rib and the groove is a relatively small area, the force acting on the point of contact generates a high bearing pressure that is equal to or greater than the internal pressure within the expandable tubulars and, thus, generates a high pressure seal.

Reverse sliding seal for expandable tubular connections

A method and apparatus for providing an expandable threaded connection between segments of expandable tubulars. Threaded connections are machined into pre-expanded ends of tubulars. Once the threaded connections are machined into the pre-expanded ends, two joints of tubulars are connected using the threads, thus creating a pre-expanded threaded connection. After a tubular string is made up and lowered into a wellbore, the entire length of the string is expanded using known methods for expanding tubulars. During the downhole expansion operation, the pre-expanded threaded connections experience minimal expansion. The minimal downhole expansion of the pre-expanded threaded connections allows the threaded connections to maintain their sealing ability and coupling strength.

Pre-expanded connector for expandable downhole tubulars

Method of connecting expandable tubulars

An expandable threaded connection between segments of expandable tubulars. The present invention utilizes two complementary thread segments. The first segment of the threaded connection utilizes standard box and pin threads. In the second segment of the threaded connection, material is removed from the stab flank of the pin threads to reduce the standard width of the pin threads, while the box threads of the second segment are standard thread width. The use of the reduced thread width in the pin threads of the second segment allows for a loose fit between the pin threads of the second segment and the box threads of the second segment. The loose fit between the pin and box threads of the second segment allows radial and axial movement between those threads without causing disengagement of the threaded connection during the expansion process.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Ghazi J Hashem