Packer

• US 20080156500A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Petrowell Limited (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Reid, Steve, Macleod, Iain
• Granted Patent: US 9,194,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/382
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/12 Packers; Plugs used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/00 Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones

Abstract

A packer for a well is described. The packer comprises at least one packing element, at least one anchoring element, and a mandrel coupled to the at least one anchoring element. The packer is arranged such that, once set, the mandrel is free to move with respect to the packing and anchoring elements. In one embodiment the at least one anchoring element is integral with the at least one packing element. In an alternative embodiment the at least one anchoring element is separate from the at least one packing element.

Claims

1. A packer for a well comprising:

at least one packing element;

at least one anchoring element, and

a mandrel coupled to the at least one anchoring element,

wherein, once set, the mandrel is free to move with respect to the packing and anchoring elements.

2. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchoring element is integral with the at least one packing element.

3. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one anchoring element is separate from the at least one packing element.

4. The packer of claim 1, wherein the mandrel can move axially up and/or down the well with respect to the packing and anchoring elements.

5. The packer of claim 4, wherein the mandrel can move axially by approximately 450 mm (18 inches) either up or down the well.

6. The packer of claim 1, wherein the packer further includes an interlock mechanism for controlling the setting of the packing and anchoring elements.

7. The packer of claim 6, wherein the interlock is configured to prevent the packer from setting until a predetermined pressure is applied to the interlock.

8. The packer of claim 7, wherein the mandrel includes a port through which a pressure of sufficient magnitude to trip the interlock and set the packer can be applied.

9. The packer of claim 6, wherein where the at least one packing element and the at least one anchoring element are integral, the interlock may comprise:

a deactivation element configured to move with respect to the mandrel upon application of a predetermined pressure;

a packer setting sleeve configured to move with respect to the mandrel from a packer run-in position to a packer set position;

a plurality of packer setting sleeve dogs for releasably retaining the packer setting sleeve in the packer run-in position; and

a plurality of mandrel dogs for releasably retaining the mandrel with respect to the at least one integral packing/anchoring elements until said packing/anchoring elements are set.

10. The packer of claim 6, wherein where the at least one packing element and the at least one anchoring element are separate, the interlock may comprise:

a deactivation element configured to move with respect to the mandrel upon application of a predetermined pressure;

an anchoring element setting sleeve configured to move with respect to the mandrel from an anchoring element run-in position to an anchoring element set position;

a plurality of anchoring element setting sleeve dogs for releasably retaining the anchoring element setting sleeve in the anchoring element run-in position;

a packing element setting sleeve configured to move with respect to the mandrel from a packing element run-in position to a packing element set position;

a plurality of packing element setting sleeve dogs for releasably retaining the packing element setting sleeve in the packing element run-in position; and

a mandrel dog for releasably retaining the mandrel with respect to the packing and anchoring elements until said packing and anchoring elements are set.

11. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one packing element is an elastomer element.

12. The packer of claim 1, wherein the elastomer element is a nitrile rubber.

13. The packer of claim 11, wherein the elastomer element is solid.

14. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one packing element is in the form of a cup seal

15. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one packing element comprises a seal surface, the seal surface defining alternate ridges and troughs.

16. The packer of claim 1, wherein the at least one packing element comprises a series of overlapping seal back-ups.

17. A method of setting a packer in a well, the method comprising the steps of:

expanding at least one integral packing/anchoring element outwardly from a mandrel from a run-in configuration to create a set configuration with a surface of the well; and

actuating the packer to free the mandrel to allow said mandrel to be moveable with respect to the packing and anchoring elements.

18. A method of setting a packer in a well, the method comprising the steps of:

expanding at least one anchoring element outwardly from a mandrel from a run-in configuration to create an anchored configuration with a surface of the well;

expanding at least one packing element outwardly from the mandrel from a run-in configuration to create a sealed configuration with a surface of the well; and

actuating the packer to free the mandrel to allow said mandrel to be moveable with respect to the packing and anchoring elements.