Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

James Kennon Whanger

James Oliver

Neil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson

Simon John Harrall

Andrew Michael Duggan

Simon J Harrall

Neil Andrew Simpson

Walter Aldaz

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

The present invention generally relates to a sealing apparatus for isolating a wellbore. In one aspect, the present invention provides an expandable sealing apparatus having an expandable tubular and a sealing element disposed around the tubular. A chamber for maintaining a fluid is defined between the sealing element and the tubular. The sealing apparatus also includes a self-isolating layer disposed in the chamber, wherein the self-isolating layer is adapted and arranged to regulate fluid flow through the chamber. Fluid supplied to the chamber may inflate the sealing element, thereby urging the sealing element into contact with the wellbore. When the pressure in the tubular is released, the pressure in the chamber causes the self-isolating layer to close off, thereby retaining the pressure in the chamber.

Self sealing expandable inflatable packers

An apparatus and method used for sealing a wellbore. The apparatus includes a swelling elastomer disposed around an outer surface of the tubular body. The swelling elastomer is isolated from wellbore fluid in an annulus. However, upon the application of an outwardly directed force to an inner surface of the tubular body, the tubular body expands radially outward causing the swelling elastomer to contact the wellbore while exposing the swelling elastomer to an activating agent via the one or more apertures, thereby causing the swelling elastomer to create a pressure energized seal with one or more adjacent surfaces in the wellbore.

Reinforced swelling elastomer seal element on expandable tubular

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Houston, TX, United States of America

James Kennon Whanger