Expandable seal with conforming ribs
First Claim
1. A sealing device for an expandable tubular, the sealing device comprising:
- a tubular member having an outer wall surface and a bore defined by an inner wall surface;
a first rib disposed on the outer wall surface, the first rib comprising a first metallic core material providing a first rib outer diameter surface; and
a first metallic conforming material disposed on at least a portion of the first rib outer diameter surface, the first metallic conforming material being more malleable compared to the first metallic core material.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Expandable seals have one or more conforming ribs to facilitate creation of a seal to a sealing surface disposed in the well. The conforming ribs comprise a core of material either capped, partially covered by, or entirely covered by a ring. The ring can be formed of a metal that is softer than the metallic core material of each rib. Suitable metals forming the rings include copper formed by metal spun methods. Disposed adjacent to the rings are one or more sealing elements. By moving the rings into the sealing surface during expansion of the expandable seals, the rings close the extrusion gaps between the internal surface of the casing and the expanded tubular member ribs. The rings better conform to the sealing surface of the casing, thereby facilitating the creation of the seal between this sealing surface and each of the sealing elements.
173 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sealing device for an expandable tubular, the sealing device comprising:
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a tubular member having an outer wall surface and a bore defined by an inner wall surface; a first rib disposed on the outer wall surface, the first rib comprising a first metallic core material providing a first rib outer diameter surface; and a first metallic conforming material disposed on at least a portion of the first rib outer diameter surface, the first metallic conforming material being more malleable compared to the first metallic core material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An expandable tubular for disposition within a wellbore, the expandable tubular comprising:
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a radially expandable body having an outer wall surface, the body comprising a metallic core material; a first metallic conforming material disposed on the outer wall surface, the first metallic conforming material engaging a sealing surface when the body is radially expanded, the first metallic conforming material being more malleable as compared to the metallic core material. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of sealing an annulus of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) running a tubular member into a wellbore defined by an inner wall surface, the tubular member having an outer wall surface and a sealing device disposed on the outer wall surface, the sealing device comprising a metallic core material and a metallic conforming material, the metallic conforming material being more malleable compared to the metallic core material, the metallic conforming material being disposed over a portion of the metallic core material on an outer wall surface of the sealing device; (b) applying a radial load to expand the tubular member causing the metallic conforming material to engage the inner wall surface of the wellbore; and (c) continuing to apply the radial load causing the metallic conforming material to change shape in conformance with the shape of the inner wall surface of the wellbore, thereby creating a seal between the inner wall surface of the wellbore and the sealing device. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification