Expandable tubing and method

• US RE45,011 E1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Schetky, L. McDonald, Johnson, Craig D., Hackworth, Matthew R., Bixenman, Patrick W., Besselink, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder, William P
• Application Number:
  US12/872,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 166/380, 166/382, 166/207, 166/227
• US Class Current: 166/380
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/00 Flexible luggage; Handbags collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/084 Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/086 Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners comprising porous materials E21B43/082
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/108 Expandable screens or perforated liners

Abstract

An apparatus suitable for use in a wellbore comprises an expandable bistable device. An exemplary device has a plurality of bistable cells formed into a tubular shape. Each bistable cell comprises at least two elongated members that are connected to each other at their ends. The device is stable in a first configuration and a second configuration.

Claims

1. An expandable system, comprising:

a tubular member configured for use in a wellbore, the tubular member having longitudinal structures extending the length of the tubular member and openings oriented between the longitudinal structures such that expansion of the tubular member expands the plurality of openings without deforming the longitudinal structures;

wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of pivotal links connecting adjacent longitudinal structures.

2. The An expandable system, comprising:

as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprisesa tubular member comprising a sandscreen and configured for use in a wellbore, the tubular member having longitudinal structures extending the length of the tubular member and openings oriented between the longitudinal structures such that expansion of the tubular member expands the plurality of openings without deforming the longitudinal structures;

wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of pivotal links connecting adjacent longitudinal structures.

3. The expandable system as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprises a liner.

4. The An expandable system, comprising:

a tubular member configured for use in a wellbore, the tubular member having longitudinal structures extending the length of the tubular member and openings oriented between the longitudinal structures such that expansion of the tubular member expands the plurality of openings without deforming the longitudinal structures;

wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of pivotal links connecting adjacent longitudinal structures; and

as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of pivotal links are arranged to undergo plastic deformation during expansion of the tubular member.

5. The expandable system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a communication line routed along the tubular member.

6. The expandable system as recited in claim 5, wherein the tubular member comprises a passageway in which the communication line is received.

7. The expandable system as recited in claim 5, further comprising a device coupled to the communication line.

8. The expandable system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a deformable material surrounding an outer surface of the tubular member.

9. The expandable system as recited in claim 8, wherein the deformable material comprises an elastomer.

10. The An expandable system, comprising:

as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprisesa tubular member configured for use in a wellbore, the tubular member comprising a plurality of different diameters in itsan expanded state, the tubular member having longitudinal structures extending the length of the tubular member and openings oriented between the longitudinal structures such that expansion of the tubular member expands the plurality of openings without deforming the longitudinal structures;

wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of pivotal links connecting adjacent longitudinal structures.

27. The expandable system as recited in claim 7, wherein the device is at least one selected from the group consisting of an electrical device, a measuring device, a meter, a gauge, a sensor, and any combination thereof.

28. The expandable system as recited in claim 7, wherein the device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a valve, a sampling device, a device used in intelligent or smart well completion, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow-control device, a flow rate measurement device, an oil/water/gas ratio measurement device, a scale detector, an equipment sensor, a vibration sensor, a sand detection sensor, a water detection sensor, a data recorder, a viscosity sensor, a density sensor, a bubble point sensor, a composition sensor, a resistivity array device and sensor, an acoustic device and sensor, a telemetry device, a near infrared sensor, a gamma ray detector, an hydrogen sulfide detector, a carbon dioxide detector, a downhole memory unit, a downhole controller, and any combination thereof.

29. The expandable system as recited in claim 2, wherein the sandscreen further comprises an expandable screen element.

30. The expandable system as recited in claim 4, further comprising a communication line routed along the tubular member.

31. The expandable system as recited in claim 30, wherein the tubular member comprises a passageway in which the communication line is received.

32. The expandable system as recited in claim 30, further comprising a device coupled to the communication line.

33. The expandable system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a communication line routed along the tubular member.

34. The expandable system as recited in claim 33, wherein the tubular member comprises a passageway in which the communication line is received.

35. The expandable system as recited in claim 33, further comprising a device coupled to the communication line.

11. A method of utilizing a tubular within a wellbore, comprising:

radially expanding the tubular within a wellbore; and

maintaining substantially constant the axial length of the tubular;

wherein maintaining comprises linking a plurality of longitudinal bars with flexible links.

12. The A method of utilizing a tubular within a wellbore, comprising:

as recited in claim 11, wherein radially expanding further comprisesradially expanding the tubular within a wellbore and creating expanded openings in a wall of the tubular; and

maintaining substantially constant the axial length of the tubular, wherein maintaining comprises linking a plurality of longitudinal bars with flexible links.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein maintaining comprises arranging expandable cells such that radial expansion can occur without axial shortening of the tubular.

14. The A method of utilizing a tubular within a wellbore, comprising:

as recited in claim 11, wherein radially expandingradially expanding the tubular within a wellbore, wherein the tubular comprises expanding a sandscreen; and

maintaining substantially constant the axial length of the tubular, wherein maintaining comprises linking a plurality of longitudinal bars with flexible links.

15. An expandable device for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a wellbore conduit having a plurality of expandable cells, each cell having a thick strut and a compliant link,

wherein radial expansion of the wellbore conduit results when the compliant link is transitioned from a contracted position to an expanded position;

wherein the plurality of expandable cells comprise a passageway in which a communication line is deployed.

16. The expandable device as recited in claim 15, wherein the compliant link is arcuate.

17. The expandable device as recited in claim 15, wherein the axial length of the wellbore conduit remains substantially constant during radial expansion of the wellbore conduit.

18. The expandable device as recited in claim 15, wherein the thick strut has a thickness at least two times greater than the thickness of the compliant link.

19. The expandable device as recited in claim 15, wherein the wellbore conduit comprises a sandscreen.

20. A method of forming an expandable conduit, comprising:

forming a conduit wall with a plurality of expandable cells; and

structuring each expandable cell with at least one undeformed longitudinal section and at least one thin strut that can be transitioned to move the conduit wall between a contracted state and an expanded state;

wherein the plurality of expandable cells comprise a passageway in which a communication line is deployed.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising A method of forming an expandable conduit, comprising:

forming a conduit wall with a plurality of expandable cells, the conduit wall comprising a longitudinal thinned portion that provides a slot configured to receive a communication line;

structuring each expandable cell with at least one undeformed longitudinal section and at least one thin strut that can be transitioned to move the conduit wall between a contracted state and an expanded state; and

determining a force deflection characteristic of the conduit wall by selecting a thickness ratio of the at least one undeformed longitudinal section to the at least one thin strut;

wherein the plurality of expandable cells comprise a passageway in which a communication line is deployed.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein selecting comprises selecting a thickness ratio of at least 2:

1.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein selecting comprises selecting a thickness ratio of at least 3:

1.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein selecting comprises selecting a thickness ratio of at least 6:

1.

25. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising A method of forming an expandable conduit, comprising:

forming a conduit wall with a plurality of expandable cells, the conduit wall comprising a longitudinal thinned portion that provides a slot configured to receive a communication line;

structuring each expandable cell with at least one undeformed longitudinal section and at least one thin strut that can be transitioned to move the conduit wall between a contracted state and an expanded state; and

determining a force deflection characteristic by selecting a cell shape;

wherein the plurality of expandable cells comprise a passageway in which a communication line is deployed.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein selecting comprises selecting a curvature of the thin strut while the conduit wall is in the contracted state.