Method of creating a casing in a borehole

• US 6,497,289 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enventure Global Technology, LLC (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Stewart, R. Bruce, Brisco, David Paul, Ring, Lev, Mack, Robert Donald, Haut, Richard Carl, Cook, Robert Lance
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dougherty, Jennifer R
• Application Number:
  US09/454,139
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 166/85.1, 166/177.4, 166/207, 166/212, 166/216, 166/217, 166/242.1, 166/378, 166/380
• US Class Current: 166/380
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/10 Reconditioning of well casings, e.g. straightening
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/084 Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/103 of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/105 Expanding tools specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/106 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0447 Including joint or coupling

Abstract

A wellbore casing formed by extruding a tubular liner off of a mandrel. The tubular liner and mandrel are positioned within a new section of a wellbore with the tubular liner in an overlapping relationship with an existing casing. A hardenable fluidic material is injected into the new section of the wellbore below the level of the mandrel and into the annular region between the tubular liner and the new section of the wellbore. The inner and outer regions of the tubular liner are then fluidicly isolated. A non hardenable fluidic material is then injected into a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner to pressurize the portion of the interior region of the tubular liner below the mandrel. The tubular liner is then extruded off of the mandrel.

Claims

1. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner containing a tubular expansion cone in the borehole;

injecting fluidic material into the tubular liner through the tubular expansion cone;

pressurizing an interior region of the tubular liner;

radially expanding and extruding the tubular liner off of the tubular expansion cone; and

reducing the required radial expansion and extrusion forces during an initial stage of the radial expansion and extrusion.

2. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner containing a tubular expansion cone in the borehole, wherein the wall thickness of the tubular liner is reduced proximate the tubular expansion cone;

injecting fluidic material into the tubular liner through the tubular expansion cone;

pressurizing an interior region of the tubular liner;

radially expanding and extruding the tubular liner off of the tubular expansion cone; and

reducing the required radial expansion and extrusion forces during an initial stage of the radial expansion and extrusion;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the tubular expansion cone does not include a fluid tight seal.

3. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner and a mandrel in the borehole;

injecting a hardenable fluidic sealing material into an annular region located between the borehole and the exterior of the tubular liner;

injecting a non hardenable fluidic material into an interior region of the tubular liner below the mandrel;

pressurizing a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner; and

radially expanding at least a portion of the liner in the borehole by extruding at least a portion of the liner off of the mandrel;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal; and

wherein the injecting of the non hardenable fluidic material is provided at reduced operating pressures and flow rates during an end portion of the extruding.

4. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner and a mandrel in the borehole;

injecting fluidic material into the borehole;

pressurizing a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner; and

radially expanding at least a portion of the liner in the borehole by extruding at least a portion of the liner off of the mandrel;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal; and

wherein the wall thickness of an unexpanded portion of the tubular liner is variable.

5. A method of joining a second tubular member to a first tubular member, the first tubular member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second tubular member, comprising:

positioning a mandrel within an interior region of the second tubular member;

pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second tubular member; and

extruding the second tubular member off of the mandrel into engagement with the first tubular member;

wherein an interface between the mandrel and the second tubular member does not include a fluid tight seal; and

wherein the pressurizing of the portion of the interior region of the second tubular member is provided at operating pressures ranging from about 500 to 9,000 psi.

6. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner and a mandrel in the borehole;

injecting fluidic material into the borehole;

pressurizing a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner;

radially expanding at least a portion of the liner in the borehole by extruding at least a portion of the liner off of the mandrel; and

equalizing the operating pressures on the interior and exterior surfaces of an end of the tubular liner;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal.

7. A method of joining a second tubular member to a first tubular member, the first tubular member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second tubular member, comprising:

positioning a mandrel within an interior region of the second tubular member;

pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second tubular member;

extruding the second tubular member off of the mandrel into engagement with the first tubular member; and

equalizing the operating pressures on the interior and exterior surfaces of an end of the second tubular member;

wherein an interface between the mandrel and the second tubular member does not include a fluid tight seal.

8. A wellbore casing, comprising:

a tubular liner, the tubular liner formed by the process of;

extruding the tubular liner off of a mandrel; and

equalizing the operating pressures on the interior and exterior surfaces of an end of the tubular liner during the extruding of the tubular liner; and

an annular body of a cured fluidic sealing material coupled to the tubular liner;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal.

9. A method of creating a casing in a borehole located in a subterranean formation, comprising:

installing a tubular liner and a mandrel in the borehole;

injecting fluidic material into the borehole;

pressurizing a portion of an interior region of the tubular liner;

radially expanding at least a portion of the liner in the borehole by extruding at least a portion of the liner off of the mandrel; and

slowing the mandrel using an end of the tubular liner;

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal.

10. A method of joining a second tubular member to a first tubular member, the first tubular member having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second tubular member, comprising:

positioning a mandrel within an interior region of the second tubular member;

pressurizing a portion of the interior region of the second tubular member;

extruding the second tubular member off of the mandrel into engagement with the first tubular member; and

slowing the mandrel using an end of the second tubular member;

wherein an interface between the mandrel and the second tubular member does not include a fluid tight seal.

11. A wellbore casing, comprising:

a tubular liner, the tubular liner formed by the process of;

extruding the tubular liner off of a mandrel; and

slowing the mandrel during the extruding using an end of the tubular liner;

an annular body of a cured fluidic sealing material coupled to the tubular liner; and

wherein an interface between the tubular liner and the mandrel does not include a fluid tight seal.