Collapse resistant expandables for use in wellbore environments

• US 7,191,842 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Hackworth, Matthew R., Hayes, Kevin W., Johnson, Craig D., Alteirac, Laurent N., McClurkin, Joel, Eubank, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bomar; Shane
• Application Number:
  US10/387,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 166/207, 166/382, 166/384, 623/1.17, 623/1.2
• US Class Current: 166/384
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/103 of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/108 Expandable screens or perforated liners

Abstract

A technique utilizes blocking members to resist contraction of expandables in wellbore environments. The technique comprises an expandable having a wall with a plurality of expandable cells. A plurality of blocking members cooperate with at least some of the cells to resist contraction of the expandable device once transitioned to a desired expanded state.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an expandable tubular having a wall with a plurality of bistable cells that change from a stable collapsed state to a stable expanded state during expansion of the expandable tubular, the expandable tubular further comprising a blocking member, disposed in the wall, that shifts position upon reaching the expanded state to further resist return of the cells to the stable collapsed state.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the blocking member comprises a spring clip.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the blocking member comprises a peg.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the blocking member comprises a movable wedge.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the peg is spring biased.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the peg comprises a pivoting peg.

7. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the spring clip comprises a tab that flexes outwardly into an interfering position between a pair of cell features in each of the plurality of cells upon reaching the expanded state.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the expandable tubular comprises a sandscreen.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cells comprises slots.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells comprises an opening formed through a wall of the expandable tubular.

11. An expandable system for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a wellbore expandable having a wall with a plurality of cells, each cell comprising a bistable cell having a stable collapsed state and a stable expanded state; and

a contraction blocking mechanism comprising a plurality of separate inserts, wherein upon transitioning the wellbore expandable toward an expanded state, at least a plurality of the bistable cells transition to the stable expanded state, and at least a portion of the plurality of separate inserts are moved into an interfering relationship with the plurality of cells to further resist collapse of the plurality of bistable cells once the wellbore expandable is expanded.

12. The expandable system as recited in claim 11, wherein the wellbore expandable comprises an expandable tubular.

13. The expandable system as recited in claim 11, wherein each separate insert comprises a spring clip having a tab that is biased into a position between cell features when the wellbore expandable is transitioned to the expanded state.

14. The expandable system as recited in claim 11, wherein each separate insert comprises a peg that automatically moves into a position between cell features when the wellbore expandable is transitioned to the expanded state.

15. The expandable system as recited in claim 12, wherein each separate insert comprises a wedge that moves into a position between cell features when the wellbore expandable is transitioned to the expanded state.

16. The expandable system as recited in claim 12, wherein each separate insert comprises a spring clip having a tab that is biased into a position between cell features when the wellbore expandable is transitioned to the expanded state.

17. The expandable system as recited in claim 12, wherein each separate insert comprises a peg that automatically moves into a position between cell features when the wellbore expandable is transitioned to the expanded state.

18. The expandable system as recited in claim 12, wherein the expandable tubular comprises a sandscreen.

19. The expandable system as recited in claim 12, wherein the expandable tubular comprises a liner.

20. The expandable system as recited in claim 11, wherein each cell comprises a radial opening formed through the wall.

21. A method of making an expandable tubular, comprising:

forming a plurality of bistable cells through a wall of an expandable tubular wherein the plurality of bistable cells change from a stable collapsed state to a stable expanded state during expansion of the expandable tubular;

placing a plurality of contraction blocking members adjacent the plurality of bistable cells; and

biasing at least a portion of the plurality of contraction blocking members to move into an interfering position within the plurality of bistable cells to further resist collapse of the plurality of bistable cells once the expandable tubular is expanded.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein biasing comprises spring biasing.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein placing comprises compressing a plurality of spring clips within the wall for subsequent expansion into the interfering position.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein biasing comprises biasing each of the plurality of contraction blocking members into at least one of a plurality of interfering positions.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein placing comprises placing a pivotable peg proximate each of the plurality of bistable cells for pivotable movement into the interfering position.

26. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein forming comprises forming a plurality of slots.

27. A system of making an expandable tubular, comprising:

means for forming an expandable tubular having a plurality of bistable cells that change from a stable collapsed state to a stable expanded state during expansion of the expandable tubular; and

means for further resisting contraction of the expandable tubular by moving a blocking member into an interfering position within a wall of the expandable tubular upon movement of the expandable tubular wall to an expanded state.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the means for forming comprises a plurality of bistable cells through the expandable tubular wall.

29. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the means for blocking comprises a spring clip.

30. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the means for blocking comprises a pivoting peg.

31. A system comprising:

an expandable tubular having a tubular wall with a plurality of bistable cells being stable in a first collapsed state and a second expanded state, and a plurality of spring clips mounted in the tubular wall in the compressed state prior to expansion of the expandable tubular, wherein upon sufficient expansion of the expandable tubular, at least a portion of the bistable cells transition to the stable expanded state and at least a portion of the plurality of spring clips transition to an interfering position to further resist collapse of the expandable tubular.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the plurality of spring clips comprises a spring clip having an arcuate spring.

33. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the plurality of spring clips comprises a spring clip having a pair of interfering corners.

34. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the plurality of spring clips comprises a spring clip having a pair of interfering tabs.

35. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the plurality of spring clips comprises a spring clip expandable into a plurality of interfering positions.