Expandable packer

• US 20070089877A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Corre, Pierre-Yves, Carree, Gilles
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/187
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1277 characterised by the construction or fixation of the sleeve

Abstract

Improved expandable packer is disclosed. The integral bodied composite packer is constructed entirely of a composite material. It can include an expandable middle portion with an elastomeric cover to engage an exterior surface of a well bore. The expandable portion can include continuous strands of polymeric fibers to reinforce the body and prevent extrusion. The packer body can have longitudinal cuts or slats to provide rigidity of the body after expansion. The slats can overlap. The packer can include an elastomeric cover or layer therein to engage the well bore. The expandable portion can include a reinforcement member in a laminar portion of the body made from at least one of the group consisting of high strength alloys, fiber-reinforced polymers and/or elastomers, nanofiber, nanoparticle, and nanotube reinforced polymers and/or elastomers.

Claims

1. An expandable packer comprising:

an integral composite tubular body having a longitudinal bore therethrough;

a non-expandable first end and a non-expandable second end, each adapted to be attached in a drill string; and

,

a central expandable portion of said body between said first end and said second end.

2. The expandable packer of claim 1 wherein the expandable portion provides a laminar elastomeric cover to engage an adjacent surface of a well bore.

3. The expandable packer of claim 1 wherein the expandable portion provides continuous strands of polymeric fibers cured within a matrix of the integral composite tubular body extending from the first end to the second end.

4. The expandable packer of claim 1 wherein the expandable portion provides an elastomeric laminar layer between the inner diameter of the longitudinal tubular body and an outer layer slices through the matrix.

5. The expandable packer of claim 3 wherein the continuous strands of polymeric fibers are bundled along longitudinal axis of the expandable packer body parallel to longitudinal cuts in a laminar interior portion of the expandable body to facilitate expansion of the expandable portion of the integral composite tubular body.

6. The expandable packer of claim 1 wherein the central expandable portion contains a plurality of overlapping reinforcement members made from at least one of the group consisting of high strength alloys, fiber-reinforced polymers and/or elastomers, nanofiber, nanoparticle, and nanotube reinforced polymers and/or elastomers.

7. The expandable packer of claim 6 wherein the reinforcement members have an angled end adjacent the non-expandable first end and adjacent the non-expandable second end to allow expansion of the expandable portion of the tubular body.

8. The expandable packer of claim 7 wherein the angle of the reinforcement end portions is about 54°

from the longitudinal axis of the expandable packer body.