System for radially expanding a tubular member

• US 7,506,687 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enventure Global Technology, LLC (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Enventure Global Technology, LLC (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Ring, Lev
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US12/031,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080135262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 166/206, 166/207, 166/277, 166/382, 166/384, 285/382.4, 285/382.5
• 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

A system for radially expanding a tubular member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member;

comprising;

a support member;

a resilient member coupled to the support member;

an actuator operably coupled to the resilient member for controllably compressing the resilient member to thereby radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member; and

an adjustable expansion device coupled to the support member and translatable relative to the expandable tubular member to thereby radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resilient member comprises a tubular resilient member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the resilient member comprises a tubular elastomeric member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is adapted to compress the resilient member in the longitudinal direction and thereby cause the resilient member to expand in the radial direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support member is fabricated from a rigid material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rigid material is selected from the group consisting of steel and aluminum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resilient member is fabricated from materials selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and elastomeric material.

8. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming at least a portion of an expandable tubular member, comprising:

coupling a resilient member and an expansion device to a support member;

positioning the support member and the resilient member within the expandable tubular member;

compressing the resilient member within the interior of the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform a portion of the expandable tubular member;

positioning the expansion device within the radially expanded and plastically deformed portion of the expandable tubular member; and

translating the expansion device to radially expand and plastically deform another portion of the expandable tubular member,

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

12. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member, comprising:

a support member;

a resilient member coupled to the support member;

an actuator operably coupled to the resilient member for controllably compressing the resilient member to thereby radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member; and

an expansion device coupled to the support member and translatable relative to the expandable tubular member to thereby radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

16. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming at least a portion of an expandable tubular member, comprising:

coupling a resilient member and an expansion device to a support member;

positioning the support member within the expandable tubular member, wherein the resilient member is within the interior of the expandable tubular member;

compressing the resilient member within the interior of the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform a portion of the expandable tubular member;

positioning an expansion device within the expandable tubular member; and

translating the expansion device relative to the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

20. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member, comprising:

coupling a resilient member and an expansion device to a support member;

positioning the support member within the expandable tubular member, wherein the resilient member is within the interior of the expandable tubular member;

compressing the resilient member within the interior of the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform a portion of the expandable tubular member;

positioning an expansion device within the expandable tubular member; and

operating the expansion device to radially expand and plastically deform the remaining portions of the expandable tubular member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

24. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member, comprising:

coupling a resilient member and an expansion device that does not comprise the resilient member to a support member;

positioning the support member within the expandable tubular member, wherein the resilient member is within the interior of the expandable tubular member;

compressing the resilient member within the interior of the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform a portion of the expandable tubular member; and

radially expanding and plastically deforming the expandable tubular member using the expansion device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

28. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member, comprising:

a support member;

a resilient member coupled to the support member;

an actuator operably coupled to the resilient member for controllably compressing the resilient member to thereby radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member; and

an expansion device coupled to the support member that does not comprise the resilient member.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the expansion device comprises an adjustable expansion device.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the expansion device comprises a rotary expansion device.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the expansion device comprises a pressurization device.

32. A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member;

comprising;

deploying a resilient member coupled to a support member within the expandable tubular member;

compressing the resilient member within the interior of the expandable tubular member to radially expand and plastically deform a portion of the expandable tubular member; and

translating the support member relative to the expandable tubular member so as to radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular while the support member is being translated.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising deploying an expansion device within the expandable tubular member,

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the expansion device is an adjustable expansion device.