Sealing devices for sealing inner wall surfaces of a wellbore and methods of installing same in a wellbore
First Claim
1. A sealing device for use in a wellbore to seal a leak path through an inner wall surface of the wellbore, the sealing device comprising:
- a tubular member comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface;
an expandable element, the expandable element being disposed on the outer wall surface of the tubular member, the expandable element comprising an outer wall surface, a collapsed position, and an expanded position;
a shape deforming sealing element, the shape deforming sealing element comprising a run-in shape and a set shape, the shape deforming sealing element being releasably connected to the outer wall surface of the expandable element, the shape deforming element comprising an outer wall surface adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of a wellbore when the shape deforming sealing element is in the set shape,a first fluid pumped into the expandable element at a first temperature, the first temperature being at or above a transition temperature for the shape deforming sealing element, and the first temperature facilitating the shape deforming sealing element deforming from the run-in shape to the set shape by raising the temperature of the sealing element to a transition temperature at which the sealing element is deformable by the expandable element to the set shape and below which the sealing element is not deformable to the set shape,wherein expansion of the expandable element using fluid pressure from the collapsed position to the expanded position moves the shape deforming sealing element from the run-in shape to the set shape, andwherein the shape deforming sealing element is adapted to be secured to the inner wall surface of the wellbore after collapsing the expandable element from the expanded position to the collapsed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sealing devices for use in a wellbore to seal a leak path through an inner wall surface of the wellbore comprise a mandrel, an expandable element, and a shape deforming sealing element. Expansion or inflation of the expandable element moves the shape deforming sealing element from its run-in shape to its set shape. A stimulus, such as a change in temperature, acts upon the shape deforming sealing element facilitating the shape deforming sealing element changing shape. Removal of the stimulus causes the shape deforming sealing element to remain in the set shape. Thereafter, the mandrel and expandable element can be removed to leave only the shape deforming sealing element within the wellbore to seal the leak path.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sealing device for use in a wellbore to seal a leak path through an inner wall surface of the wellbore, the sealing device comprising:
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a tubular member comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; an expandable element, the expandable element being disposed on the outer wall surface of the tubular member, the expandable element comprising an outer wall surface, a collapsed position, and an expanded position; a shape deforming sealing element, the shape deforming sealing element comprising a run-in shape and a set shape, the shape deforming sealing element being releasably connected to the outer wall surface of the expandable element, the shape deforming element comprising an outer wall surface adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of a wellbore when the shape deforming sealing element is in the set shape, a first fluid pumped into the expandable element at a first temperature, the first temperature being at or above a transition temperature for the shape deforming sealing element, and the first temperature facilitating the shape deforming sealing element deforming from the run-in shape to the set shape by raising the temperature of the sealing element to a transition temperature at which the sealing element is deformable by the expandable element to the set shape and below which the sealing element is not deformable to the set shape, wherein expansion of the expandable element using fluid pressure from the collapsed position to the expanded position moves the shape deforming sealing element from the run-in shape to the set shape, and wherein the shape deforming sealing element is adapted to be secured to the inner wall surface of the wellbore after collapsing the expandable element from the expanded position to the collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sealing device for use in a wellbore to seal a leak path through an inner wall surface of the wellbore, the sealing device comprising:
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a mandrel comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; an expandable element sleeve, the expandable element sleeve being disposed on the outer wall surface of the mandrel, the expandable element sleeve comprising an outer wall surface, a collapsed position, and an expanded position; a shape deforming sealing element sleeve, the shape deforming sealing element sleeve comprising a run-in inner diameter, a set inner diameter, and a plurality of intermediate inner diameters, the shape deforming sealing element sleeve comprising an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of a wellbore when the shape deforming sealing element sleeve is in the set shape; and a first fluid pumped into the expandable element sleeve at a first temperature, the first temperature being at or above a transition temperature for the shape deforming sealing element, and the first temperature facilitating the shape deforming sealing element deforming from the run-in shape to the set shape by raising the temperature of the sealing element to a transition temperature at which the sealing element is deformable by the expandable element to the set shape and below which the sealing element is not deformable to the set shape, wherein expansion of the expandable element sleeve from the collapsed position to the expanded position using fluid pressure moves the shape deforming sealing element sleeve from the run-in shape to the set shape, and wherein the shape deforming sealing element sleeve is adapted to be secured to the inner wall surface of the wellbore after collapsing the expandable element sleeve from the expanded position to the collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of sealing a leak path through an inner wall surface of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a sealing device comprising; a tubular member comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; a shape deforming sealing element operatively associated with the outer wall surface of the tubular member, the shape deforming sealing element comprising a run-in shape and a set shape, the shape deforming sealing element comprising an inner wall surface and outer wall surface adapted to be secured to an inner wall surface of a wellbore when the shape deforming sealing element is in the set shape; (b) disposing the sealing device in a wellbore aligning the shape deforming sealing element with a leak path in an inner wall surface of a wellbore; (c) pumping a first fluid into an expandable element at a first temperature, the first temperature being at or above a transition temperature for the shape deforming sealing element, and the first temperature facilitating the shape deforming sealing element deforming from the run-in shape to the set shape by raising the temperature of the sealing element to a transition temperature at which the sealing element is deformable by the expandable element to the set shape and below which the sealing element is not deformable to the set shape, the expandable element being disposed on the outer wall surface of the tubular member and having an interior into which the first fluid is being pumped; (d) moving the shape deforming sealing element from the run-in shape to the set shape using fluid pressure to cause the shape deforming sealing element to be secured to the inner wall surface over the leak path; and (e) removing the tubular member from the wellbore leaving the shape deforming sealing element in the wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification