One trip cemented expandable monobore liner system and method
View Patent ↗An apparatus to protect the mounting area of casing and a locating profile and optionally a sliding sleeve valve and a flow path from the outside of the valve to the annulus when subsequent attachment of an expanded liner is intended and the expanded liner is to be cemented in place. A barrier sleeve, nose, and outer sleeve define a sealed cavity having a loose incompressible material inside that covers the mounting location on the casing. A locating profile and an optional sliding sleeve valve and a flow path from the outside of the valve to the annulus can be provided. The cementing of the casing takes place through the barrier sleeve. After the cementing, the sleeve and nose are drilled out and the incompressible material is removed to the surface with the drill cuttings. A liner is inserted in the casing and is preferably expanded into sealing contact with the mounting location on the casing. After expansion a cement retainer positioned at the bottom of the expanded liner and the sliding sleeve located either above the mounting location of the liner in the casing shoe or in the liner below the mounted top section allow cement to be delivered outside the expanded liner and the displaced wellbore fluid to return into the casing through so that the liner can be cemented. The cement retainer can be delivered with either the liner or the expansion tools to allow expansion and cementing in a single trip. A shifting tool can be run on the expansion string to actuate the sliding sleeve and if necessary to allow for cement to be pumped from the drill string into the annulus through the sliding sleeve. The cement retainer can be milled out in a separate trip.
1. A completion method, comprising:
running in a tubular to be expanded into a wellbore with a run in shoe assembly adjacent a lower end thereof for attachment to an existing tubular;
initially expanding a portion of the tubular with a swage assembly;
engaging the run in shoe assembly with said swage assembly after said initially expanding;
finishing expansion to said lower end by advancing the now engaged run in shoe assembly beyond said lower end;
returning said shoe assembly to the now expanded lower end for cementing therethrough;
providing a valve in the wall of the tubular to be expanded;
expanding said valve when the tubular is expanded; and
removing the run in shoe assembly through the now expanded tubular.
2. A completion method, comprising:
running in a tubular to be expanded into a wellbore with a run in shoe adjacent a lower end thereof for attachment to an existing tubular;
expanding the tubular with a swage assembly;
engaging the run in shoe with said swage assembly;
finishing expansion to said lower end by advancing the now engaged run in shoe beyond said lower end;
providing a valve in the wall of the tubular to be expanded;
expanding said valve when the tubular is expanded;
operating said valve after it is expanded; and
removing the run in shoe through the now expanded tubular.
3. The method of claim 2 , comprising: operating said valve with said swage assembly.
4. A completion method, comprising:
running in a tubular to be expanded into a wellbore with a run in shoe adjacent a lower end thereof for attachment to an existing tubular;
expanding the tubular with a swage assembly;
engaging the run in shoe with said swage assembly; and
removing the run in shoe through the now expanded tubular;
providing a valve in said existing tubular; and operating said valve with said swage assembly.
5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:
running in a cementing shoe on a string into the expanded tubular;
setting said cementing shoe in said expanded tubular;
operating said valve in said existing tubular from said string; and
cementing through said string and cementing shoe.
6. The method of claim 5 , comprising:
using said string to set said cementing shoe;
providing a shifting tool on said string; releasing from said cementing shoe, when set, to shift said valve in said existing tubular;
tagging into said set shoe with said string after operating said valve.