Expandable tubing and method

• US 6,772,836 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Schetky, L. McD., Johnson, Craig D., Hackworth, Matthew R., Bixenman, Patrick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEUDER, WILLIAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/315,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20030079886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 166/380, 166/384, 166/207, 166/228, 166/230, 166/277
• US Class Current: 166/277
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/00 Flexible luggage; Handbags collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/084 Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/086 Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners comprising porous materials E21B43/082
• 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 43/108 Expandable screens or perforated liners

Abstract

An apparatus suitable for use in a wellbore comprises an expandable bistable device. An exemplary device has a plurality of bistable cells formed into a tubular shape. Each bistable cell comprises at least two elongated members that are connected to each other at their ends. The device is stable in a first configuration and a second configuration.

Claims

1. An expandable device for use in a wellbore, comprising:

an expandable conduit formed of a wall having a plurality of slots therethrough with at least a portion of the plurality of slots having an arcuate shape when the expandable conduit is in a contracted state; and

a deformable material surrounding an outer surface of the expandable conduit.

2. The expandable device as recited in claim 1, wherein the arcuate shape transitions to an expanded shape as the expandable conduit is radially expanded.

3. The expandable device as recited in claim 2, wherein the arcuate shape comprises a wave shape.

4. The expandable device as recited in claim 2, further comprising a communication line routed along the expandable conduit.

5. The expandable device as recited in claim 4, wherein the expandable conduit comprises a passageway in which the communication line is received.

6. The expandable device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a device coupled to the communication line.

7. The expandable device as recited in claim 1, wherein the deformable material comprises an elastomer.

8. The expandable device as recited in claim 1, wherein the expandable conduit comprises a sandscreen.

9. An expandable device for use in a wellbore, comprising:

an expandable conduit formed of a wall having a plurality of slots therethrough with at least a portion of the plurality of slots having an arcuate shape when the expandable conduit is in a contracted state, wherein the arcuate shape transitions to an expanded shape as the expandable conduit is radially expanded, further wherein the plurality of slots are formed at least in part by a plurality of pivotal links.

10. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

an expandable conduit configured for deployment within a wellbore, the expandable conduit having a plurality of expandable cells that may be transitioned between a contracted state and an expanded state by application of a force directed radially outward, wherein during expansion each expandable cell passes a transition point that allows the force to be decreased during transition to the expanded state.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the expandable conduit comprises a sandscreen.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the expandable conduit comprises a wellbore liner.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein each expandable cell comprises a longitudinal strut and a flexible link.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein each flexible link undergoes pivotal motion during expansion.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein each flexible link is arcuate in form prior to expansion of the expandable conduits.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the force may be removed once each of the plurality of cells is moved past the transition point.

17. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

an expandable device deployable in a wellbore, the expandable device having a plurality of expandable cells, each expandable cell comprising a thin strut that is flexed between a contracted state and an expanded state without plastic deformation.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein each thin strut is coupled to at least one thick strut that remains unflexed during transition of the thin strut from the contracted state to the expanded state.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein each thin strut is pivotally coupled to at least one thick strut.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the expandable device remains at a substantially fixed axial length during transition from the contracted state to the expanded state.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the thickness ratio of the thick strut to the thin strut is at least 2:

1.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the expandable device comprises a radially expandable tubular.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the radially expandable tubular is a sandscreen.

24. A method of applying a radial force against a wellbore surface with an expandable device, comprising:

forming an expandable device with a plurality of cells expandable between a contracted state and an expanded state;

selecting the geometry of the cells such that the cells expand autonomously once expanded past a transition point; and

radially expanding the expandable device past the transition point and against a surface of the wellbore without reaching the expanded state.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein forming compares expanding the plurality of cells without axial shortening of the expandable device.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein forming comprises forming the expandable device as a tubular.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein forming comprises forming the expandable device as a sandscreen.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein forming comprises forming the expandable device as a wellbore liner.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein selecting comprises selecting a geometry that utilizes a combination of thick struts coupled to thin struts.