Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Patrick Leon York

Lev Ring

Douglas Donald Seiler

Robert L Cuthbertson

Iain Alexander Dowell

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for mitigating trouble zones in a wellbore in a preferred pressure condition and completing the wellbore in the preferred pressure condition. In one aspect, a method of reinforcing a wellbore is provided. The method includes locating a valve member within the wellbore for opening and closing the wellbore. The method further includes establishing a preferred pressure condition within the wellbore and closing the valve member. The method also includes locating a tubular string having an expandable portion in the wellbore and opening the valve member. Additionally, the method includes moving the expandable portion through the opened valve member and expanding the expandable portion in the wellbore at a location below the valve member. In another aspect, a method of forming a wellbore is provided. In yet another aspect, a system for drilling a wellbore is provided.

Expandable tubulars for use in a wellbore

A LWD tool is disclosed for providing an image of the borehole during drilling or during removal of the tool from the borehole. The tool includes imaging transducers which are fired based upon either time or direction. Borehole reflections are processed to determine time-of-flight to give an indication of standoff with respect to each transducer from which the borehole geometry can be obtained. The reflections also are analyzed for other information, such as the amplitude of the reflected signal. The time-of-flight and amplitude values are encoded and stored in memory for retrieval later. In addition to the imaging transducers, the imaging assembly also includes depth transducers to obtain a micro measurement of depth downhole. The micro-depth measurements are stored and/or transmitted to the surface. In addition, a directional sensor and clock are provided downhole to correlate the firing of the transducers and the receipt of reflections. The micro-depth measurements and directional measurements preferably are used with one more image signals to check for the presence of bed boundaries intersecting the borehole. If a boundary is present, the imaging assembly applies a best fit sine wave to the image signal, from which dip angle .alpha. and dip direction are obtained. In the preferred embodiment, acoustic transducers are used as the imaging transducers, although electromagnetic transducers or other suitable transducers may be used.

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Katy, TX, United States of America

Patrick Leon York