Expandable retaining shoe
First Claim
1. A packer apparatus for use in a wellbore, the packer apparatus comprising:
- a packer mandrel;
a packer element assembly disposed about the packer mandrel, wherein the packer element assembly has an upper end and a lower end;
an upper retaining shoe disposed about the packer mandrel above the upper end of the packer element assembly for axially retaining the packer element assembly; and
a lower retaining shoe disposed about the packer mandrel below the lower end of the packer element assembly for axially retaining the packer element assembly;
wherein at least one of the upper retainer shoe and lower retaining shoe comprises;
an expandable inner shoe disposed about the packer mandrel;
an expandable outer shoe disposed about the inner shoe; and
an inner wedge disposed about the packer mandrel and positioned in the inner shoe for engaging the corresponding one of the upper end or lower end of the packer element assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved downhole tool apparatus for limiting the extrusion of a packer element. The apparatus includes a packer mandrel having a packer element assembly disposed in a wellbore. Packer retaining shoes are disposed about the packer mandrel at the ends of the packer element assembly. The packer retaining shoes have an inner retainer and an outer retainer. The inner retainer has a plurality of segments having gaps therebetween that expand in width when the retaining shoe is moved from an initial position in which it is disposed about the packer mandrel to an expanded position wherein it engages the wellbore to limit the extrusion of the packer element assembly. The outer retainer is likewise made up of a plurality of segments having gaps therebetween that will expand. The outer retainer engages the wellbore to limit the extrusion of the packer element assembly. The inner retainer segments cover the gaps that exist between the outer retainer segments and the outer retainer segments cover the gaps that exist between the inner retainer segments so that extrusion is limited. The packer retaining shoes also include a wedge disposed about the packer mandrel at the upper and lower ends of the packer element assembly. The retaining shoes provide enhanced high temperature and higher pressure performance in that extrusion in wells having high temperature and high pressure is severely limited if not completely prevented.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A packer apparatus for use in a wellbore, the packer apparatus comprising:
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a packer mandrel;
a packer element assembly disposed about the packer mandrel, wherein the packer element assembly has an upper end and a lower end;
an upper retaining shoe disposed about the packer mandrel above the upper end of the packer element assembly for axially retaining the packer element assembly; and
a lower retaining shoe disposed about the packer mandrel below the lower end of the packer element assembly for axially retaining the packer element assembly;
wherein at least one of the upper retainer shoe and lower retaining shoe comprises;
an expandable inner shoe disposed about the packer mandrel;
an expandable outer shoe disposed about the inner shoe; and
an inner wedge disposed about the packer mandrel and positioned in the inner shoe for engaging the corresponding one of the upper end or lower end of the packer element assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A retaining shoe for limiting the extrusion of a packer element assembly disposed about a packer mandrel, wherein the packer element assembly is movable from an unset position to a set position in a wellbore, and the packer element assembly seals the wellbore when moved to the set position, the retaining shoe comprising:
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an outer shoe comprising a plurality of outer shoe segments;
an inner shoe comprising a plurality of inner shoe segments; and
an inner wedge disposed about the packer mandrel for engaging an end of the packer element assembly;
wherein the inner shoe segments and outer shoe segments move radially outwardly when the packer element assembly moves from the unset position to the set position, adjacent ones of the outer shoe segments have a gap therebetween, and adjacent ones of the inner shoe segments have a gap therebetween when the packer element assembly is in the set position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A packer apparatus for use in a wellbore, the packer apparatus comprising:
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a packer mandrel;
a packer element assembly disposed about the packer mandrel, wherein the packer element assembly has an upper end and a lower end, is movable from an unset position wherein the packer element assembly and the wellbore define a gap therebetween, to a set position wherein the packer element assembly sealingly engages the wellbore;
an upper retaining shoe for axially retaining the packer element assembly, the upper retaining shoe comprising;
an expandable inner shoe disposed about the packer mandrel;
an expandable outer shoe disposed about the inner shoe; and
an inner wedge slidably disposed in the inner shoe for engaging the upper end of the packer element assembly; and
a lower retaining shoe for axially retaining the packer element assembly, the lower retaining shoe comprising;
an expandable inner shoe disposed about the packer mandrel;
an expandable outer shoe disposed about the inner shoe; and
an inner wedge slidably disposed in the inner shoe for engaging the lower end of the packer element assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A retaining shoe for limiting the extrusion of a packer element assembly disposed about a packer mandrel, wherein the packer element assembly is movable from an unset position to a set position in a wellbore, and the packer element assembly seals the wellbore when moved to the set position, the retaining shoe comprising:
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an outer shoe comprising a plurality of outer shoe segments; and
an inner shoe comprising a plurality of inner shoe segments;
wherein each of the inner shoe segments is affixed to an outer shoe segment to define a segment pair, the segment pairs move radially outwardly so that the outer shoe segments engage the wellbore when the packer element assembly moves from the unset position to the set position, adjacent ones of the outer shoe segments have a gap therebetween, and adjacent ones of the inner shoe segments have a gap therebetween when the packer element assembly is in the set position. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification