Adjustable packing element assembly

• US 10,697,267 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2018
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Urban, II, Larry Joseph, Anderson, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephenson, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US15/963,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20190330956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1216 Anti-extrusion means, e.g. means to prevent cold flow of rubber packing
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/128 with a member expanded radially by axial pressure E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence

Abstract

An adjustable packing element assembly includes a tubular, and a packing element supported by the tubular. The packing element includes a first end portion and a second end portion. A backup ring is arranged at the first end portion. The backup ring includes a first section mounted to the tubular and a second section extending over the packing element. An expandable ring is mounted to the backup ring. The expandable ring includes a selectively expandable portion. An adjustable sleeve is mounted to the expandable ring. The adjustable sleeve is selectively arranged to constrain an amount of expansion of the selectively expandable portion.

Claims

1. An adjustable packing element assembly comprising:

a tubular;

a packing element supported by the tubular, the packing element including a first end portion and a second end portion;

a backup ring arranged at the first end portion, the backup ring including a first section mounted to the tubular and a second section extending over the packing element;

an expandable ring mounted to the backup ring, the expandable ring including a selectively expandable portion; and

an adjustable sleeve mounted to the expandable ring, the adjustable sleeve being selectively arranged to constrain an amount of expansion of the selectively expandable portion, wherein the adjustable sleeve is connected to the expandable ring through a plurality of threads.

2. The adjustable packing element assembly according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable sleeve includes a locking mechanism.

3. The adjustable packing element assembly according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lock screw extending through the adjustable sleeve and selectively engaging the expandable ring.

4. The adjustable packing element assembly according to claim 1, wherein the expandable ring is connected to the backup ring through a plurality of threads.

5. The adjustable packing element assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

another backup ring arranged at the second end portion, the another backup ring including a first section mounted to the tubular and a second section extending over the packing element;

another expandable ring mounted to the another backup ring, the another expandable ring including a selectively expandable portion; and

another adjustable sleeve mounted to the another expandable ring, the another adjustable sleeve being selectively arranged to constrain an amount of expansion of the another expandable ring.

6. A resource exploration and recovery system comprising:

a first system;

a second system operatively connected to the first system, the second system including at least one tubular; and

an adjustable packing element assembly comprising;

a packing element supported by the tubular, the packing element including a first end portion and a second end portion;

a backup ring arranged at the first end portion, the backup ring including a first section mounted to the tubular and a second section extending over the packing element;

an expandable ring mounted to the backup ring, the expandable ring including a selectively expandable portion; and

an adjustable sleeve mounted to the expandable ring, the adjustable sleeve being selectively arranged to constrain an amount of expansion of the selectively expandable portion, wherein the adjustable sleeve is connected to the expandable ring through a plurality of threads.

7. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 6, wherein the adjustable sleeve includes a locking mechanism.

8. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lock screw extending through the adjustable sleeve and selectively engaging the expandable ring.

9. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 6, wherein the expandable ring is connected to the backup ring through a plurality of threads.

10. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 6, further comprising:

another backup ring arranged at the second end portion, the another backup ring including a first section mounted to the tubular and a second section extending over the packing element;

another expandable ring mounted to the another backup ring, the another expandable ring including a selectively expandable portion; and

another adjustable sleeve mounted to the another expandable ring, the another adjustable sleeve being selectively arranged to constrain an amount of expansion of the another expandable ring.