Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Petrowell Limited

Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC

Lee Mercer

Iain Morrison Macleod

Charles S Yeh

Michael Thomas Hecker

Michael D Barry

Stephen Reid

Andrew J Elrick

David C Haeberle

Jon Blacklock

Tracy J Moffett

Patrick Charles Hyde

Patrick C Hyde

Iain M Macleod

Michael T Hecker

David A Howell

Iain Morrison MacLeod

Stewart Christie

Iain McLeod

Petrus A J Stevens

Petrus Aj Stevens

A seal element for sealing a conduit is described. The seal element comprises a frusto conical portion and a first lip extending from an external edge of the frusto conical portion, the lip being adapted to be pivoted into engagement with a conduit surface. In a described embodiment, two seal elements are provided on a plug for sealing a conduit, the seal elements facing in opposite directions to seal from above and below.

Seal element

A packer for a well comprises a seal element and seal setting apparatus. The seal setting apparatus is moveable with respect to the seal element in a setting direction to apply a setting force to the seal element to move the seal element from a run-in configuration to a set configuration in which the seal element forms a contact seal with a conduit wall. The packer is arranged such that, in the set configuration, a pressure differential across the packer, which creates a force in the setting direction, will increase the setting force applied by the seal setting apparatus to the seal element to maintain the seal.

Packer

Apparatus and method for completing a wellbore including providing a packer having an inner mandrel, alternate flow channels along the inner mandrel, and a sealing element external to the inner mandrel, including connecting packer to tubular body, then running the packer and connected tubular body into the wellbore. In one aspect, the packer and connected tubular body may be placed along an open-hole portion of the wellbore. Tubular body may be a sand screen, with the sand screen comprising a base pipe, a surrounding filter medium, and alternate flow channels. The method includes setting a packer and injecting a gravel slurry into an annular region formed between the tubular body and the surrounding wellbore, and then further injecting the gravel slurry through the alternate flow channels to allow the gravel slurry to at least partially bypass sealing element of the packer.

Packer for alternate flow channel gravel packing and method for completing a wellbore

Completing a wellbore in a subsurface formation with packer assembly having first mechanically-set packer as first zonal isolation tool, and second zonal isolation tool comprises internal bore for receiving production fluids, and alternate flow channels. First packer has alternate flow channels around inner mandrel, and sealing element external to inner mandrel and includes operatively connecting packer assembly to a sand screen, and running into wellbore. First packer set by actuating sealing element into engagement with surrounding open-hole portion of the wellbore. Thereafter, injecting a gravel slurry and further injecting the gravel slurry through the alternate flow channels to allow it to bypass the sealing element, resulting in a gravel packed wellbore within an annular region between sand screen and surrounding formation below packer assembly.

Wellbore apparatus and methods for multi-zone well completion, production and injection

Method for completing a wellbore in a subsurface formation includes providing a sand control device representing one or more joints of sand screens, and a packer assembly along the joints with at least one mechanically-set packer with at least one alternate flow channel therein. Running the packer assembly and connected sand screen into the wellbore, setting a mechanically-set packer into engagement with the surrounding wellbore, injecting gravel slurry into the wellbore to form a gravel pack. An elongated isolation string is run into the sand control device across the packer assembly with valves that serve as an inflow control device. Thereafter, seals are activated around the isolation string and adjacent the packer assembly. A zonal isolation apparatus allows flow control to be provided above and below packer assembly.

Wellbore apparatus and methods for zonal isolations and flow control

A sealing system and method for sealing a tubular conduit, the sealing system includes a housing, at least one annular seal surrounding the outer surface of the housing, at least one seal back-up mounted on the housing outer surface, and seal and anchor energising means for urging the annular seal and the anchor surface into contact with the tubular conduit in response to an actuation force.

Sealing system

A packer for a well. The packer comprises a seal element and seal setting apparatus. The seal setting apparatus is moveable with respect to the seal element in a setting direction to apply a setting force to the seal element to move the seal element from a run-in configuration to a set configuration in which, in use, the seal element forms a contact seal with a conduit wall. In use, the packer is arranged such that, in the set configuration, a pressure differential across the packer, which creates a force in the setting direction, will increase the setting force applied by the seal setting apparatus to the seal element to maintain the seal.

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Kintore, United Kingdom

Lee Mercer