Device and method of lining a wellbore

• US 20070017669A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Lurie, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,387,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/177.400
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/10 in the borehole sealing the junction between main bore and laterals E21B41/0042
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/103 of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes

Abstract

A method of sealing the wall of a wellbore (1) as it is being drilled through a subterranean formation using a drill string (3) having a drill bit (4) on the lower end thereof comprises fitting to the lower end of a drill string (3) a device comprising (i) a cylindrically gathered pack of flexible tubing (6), (ii) a receptacle (5) for the gathered pack and (iii) a radially expandable locking means (8) having a first end of the tubing of the gathered pack connected either directly or indirectly thereto, and drilling a first section of wellbore, expanding the locking means (8) against the wellbore wall such that the first end of the tubing that is withdrawn from the gathered pack is locked in place in the wellbore, drilling a second section of wellbore with the movement of the drill string (3) through the wellbore causing the tubing to be withdrawn from the gathered pack (6) and to be turned inside out thereby forming a liner for the second section of wellbore.

Claims

1. A device for lining the wall of a wellbore (1) as it is being drilled through a subterranean formation (2) using a drill string (3) having a drill bit (4) on the lower end thereof, characterized in that the device comprises:

(a) a receptacle (5) for a cylindrically gathered pack of flexible tubing (6) and

(b) a radially expandable locking means (8) having means for directly or indirectly attaching a first end of the tubing of the gathered pack

wherein

(i) the receptacle (5) for the gathered pack of flexible tubing (6) is capable of being supported around the outside of the drill string (3) at or near the lower end thereof on a plurality of bearings (7) thereby allowing the receptacle (5) to remain stationary while the drill string (3) is rotated; and

(ii) the radially expandable locking means (8) is capable of being expanded against the wellbore wall thereby locking the first end of the flexible tubing in place in the wellbore such that in use movement of the drill string (3) through the wellbore (1) as it is being drilled causes the flexible tubing to be withdrawn from the cylindrically gathered pack (6) and to be turned inside out thereby providing a liner for the wellbore wall with the outer surface of the tubing of the cylindrically gathered pack forming the inner surface of the liner.

6. A method of sealing the wall of a wellbore (1) as it is being drilled through a subterranean formation using a drill string (3) having a drill bit (4) on the lower end thereof which method comprises fitting a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a receptacle (5), a gathered pack of tubing (6) and a radially expandable locking means (8), to the lower end of a drill string (3) and drilling a first section of wellbore, expanding the locking means (8) against the wellbore wall such that the first end of the tubing that is withdrawn from the gathered pack (6) is locked in place in the wellbore, drilling a second section of wellbore with the movement of the drill string (3) through the wellbore causing the tubing to be withdrawn from the gathered pack (6) and to be turned inside out thereby forming a liner for the second section of wellbore.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the locking means (8) is expanded against the wellbore at a position immediately above a lost circulation zone (2) of the formation that it is desired to seal.

2. A device for lining the wall of a wellbore (1) as it is being drilled through a subterranean formation (2) using a drill string (3) having a drill bit (4) on the lower end thereof, characterized in that the device comprises (i) a cylindrically gathered pack of flexible tubing, (6) (ii) a receptacle for the gathered pack (5) and (iii) a radially expandable locking means (8) having a first end of the tubing of the gathered pack (6) connected either directly or indirectly thereto wherein the receptacle (5) for the gathered pack of flexible tubing (6) is supported around the outside of the drill string (3) at or near the lower end thereof on a plurality of bearings (7) thereby allowing the receptacle to remain stationary while the drill string (3) is rotated and the radially expandable locking means (8) is disposed on the drill string (3) such that, in use, the radially expandable locking means (8) is expanded against the wellbore wall thereby locking the end of the flexible tubing in place in the wellbore (1) and movement of the drill string (3) through the wellbore (1) as it is being drilled causes the flexible tubing to be withdrawn from the cylindrically gathered pack (6) and to be turned inside out thereby providing a liner for the wellbore wall with the outer surface of the tubing of the cylindrically gathered pack forming the inner surface of the liner.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the flexible tubing is polyvinylchloride, polyamide or high density polyethylene.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the flexible tubing has a wall thickness of 0.1 to 2 mm.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which there is at least one conduit (11) within the drill string (3), each conduit (11) having an inlet (13) below the receptacle for the gathered pack of flexible tubing and an outlet (14) above the cylindrical receptacle.