Tubing expansion

• US 7,367,389 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Incorporated (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Metcalfe, Paul David, Duggan, Andrew Michael, Harrall, Simon John, Rudd, Wayne, Hillis, David John
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder; William P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COY, NICOLE A
• Application Number:
  US10/869,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 166/384, 166/380, 166/207, 166/277
• US Class Current: 166/207
• 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

Abstract

There are disclosed methods and apparatus for expanding tubing downhole.

In one embodiment, there is disclosed a method of expanding downhole tubing such as a liner (10), the method comprising the steps of locating the liner (10) in a borehole (12), expanding a part (16) of the liner (10) in the borehole (12), locating an expansion device such as an expandable cone (18) in said expanded part (16) of the liner (10), and translating the cone (18) relative to the liner (10) to expand a further part (20) of the liner (10).

Claims

1. An expandable tubing assembly comprising an expandable tubing adapted to be located in a borehole, and tubing expansion apparatus for expanding the expandable tubing, the tubing expansion apparatus comprising:

a removable liner at an end of the tubing which initially closes the tubing, wherein the liner remains in place relative to the tubing during expansion and is drillable to open the tubing;

a first expansion device for expanding part of the tubing in the borehole; and

a second expansion device adapted to be located in said expanded part of the tubing and to be translated relative to the tubing to expand a further part of the tubing.

2. An expandable tubing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubing is closed at a location between an end of the tubing and the second expansion device.

3. An expandable tubing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second expansion device is substantially self-sealing in the tubing.

4. An expandable tubing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second expansion device carries a seal.

5. An expandable tubing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second expansion device is a variable diameter expansion device.

6. An expandable tubing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second expansion device is a collapsible expansion device movable between a collapsed configuration and a larger diameter expansion configuration.