Apparatus for expanding a tubular member

• US 20040182569A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enventure Global Technology, Inc. (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Brisco, David Paul, Ring, Lev, Mack, Robert Donald, Duell, Alan B., Haut, Richard Carl, Stewart, R. Bruce, Cook, Robert Lance
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/207
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/203 expandable by fluid or elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/10 Reconditioning of well casings, e.g. straightening
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/047 for plural tubing strings
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/10 in the borehole sealing the junction between main bore and laterals E21B41/0042
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/084 Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth
• 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 43/106 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49938 Radially expanding part in cavity, aperture, or hollow body

Abstract

An apparatus for expanding a tubular member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

a mandrel for radially expanding and plastically deforming the tubular member movably coupled to the support member for longitudinal displacement relative to the support member comprising an expansion cone;

at least one pressure chamber defined by and positioned between the support member and mandrel fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid passage includes a throat passage having a reduced inner diameter.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mandrel includes one or more tubular pistons.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the mandrel includes a plurality of tubular pistons.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of pressure chambers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure chambers are at least partially defined by annular pistons.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable supports are positioned below the mandrel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable supports are positioned above the mandrel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable supports comprise hydraulic slips.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable supports comprise mechanical slips.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the releasable supports comprise drag blocks.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mandrel includes:

one or more annular pistons; and

an expansion cone coupled to the annular pistons.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more of the annular pistons include an expansion cone.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure chambers comprise annular pressure chambers.

15. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

a mandrel movably coupled to the support member comprising an expansion cone and one or more tubular pistons operably coupled to the expansion cone;

at least one pressure chamber defined by and positioned between the support member and the mandrel fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mandrel is movably coupled to the support member for longitudinal displacement relative to the support member.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pressure chamber comprises an expandable pressure chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the releasably supports comprise releasable locking members for locking the tubular member to the support member.

19. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

a mandrel movably coupled to the support member comprising an expansion cone and a plurality of tubular pistons operably coupled to the expansion cone;

a plurality of pressure chambers defined by and positioned between the support member and the tubular pistons fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mandrel is movably coupled to the support member for longitudinal displacement relative to the support member.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the pressure chambers comprise expandable pressure chambers.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the releasable supports comprise releasable locking members for locking the tubular member to the support member.

23. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

an expansion device for expanding the tubular member movably coupled to the support member comprising one or more tubular pistons;

at least one pressure chamber defined by and positioned between the support member and the expansion device fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

24. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

an expansion device for expanding the tubular member movably coupled to the support member comprising a plurality of tubular pistons;

a plurality of pressure chambers defined by and positioned between the support member and the tubular pistons fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

25. An apparatus for radially expanded and plastically deforming an expandable tubular member, comprising:

an expansion device for radially expanding and plastically deforming the expandable tubular member;

a support member;

an actuator coupled to the expansion device and the support member for displacing the expansion device in the longitudinal direction relative to the support member; and

a locking device for locking the position of the expandable tubular member relative to the support member.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the actuator comprises an expandable pressure chamber.

27. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

an expansion device for expanding the tubular member movably coupled to the support member for longitudinal displacement relative to the support member;

at least one expandable pressure chamber defined by and positioned between the support member and the expansion device fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable supports coupled to the support member adapted to support the tubular member.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the releasable supports comprise releasable locking members for locking the tubular member to the support member.

29. An apparatus for expanding a tubular member, comprising:

a support member comprising a fluid passage;

an expansion device for expanding the tubular member movably coupled to the support member for longitudinal displacement relative to the support member;

at least one pressure chamber defined by and positioned between the support member and the expansion device fluidicly coupled to the first fluid passage; and

one or more releasable locking devices coupled to the support member adapted to lock the tubular member to the support member.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the pressure chamber comprises an expandable pressure chamber.