Downhole swaging system and method
View Patent ↗A downhole swaging system includes, a tubular having an area of strength with a different resistance to swaging as compared to areas of the tubular outside of the area of strength, and a swaging tool. The swaging tool has a first swage, and a second swage with an adjustable swaging dimension, the second swage is in functional communication with the first swage such that the adjustable swaging dimension is adjusted in response to the first swage encountering a change in resistance to swaging.
1. A downhole swaging system, comprising;
a tubular having an area of strength, the area of strength having a different resistance to swaging as compared to areas of the tubular outside of the area of strength; and
a swaging tool comprising;
a first swage; and
a second swage having an adjustable swaging dimension, the second swage being in functional communication with the first swage such that the adjustable swaging dimension is adjusted while swaging in response to the first swage encountering a change in resistance to swaging thereby, the adjustment being an increase in dimension when the change in resistance increases and a decrease in dimension when the change in resistance decreases.
2. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the area of strength includes a load ring positioned coaxial with the tubular.
3. The downhole swaging system of claim 2 , wherein the load ring is positioned radially outwardly of the tubular.
4. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the area of strength includes a change in wall thickness of the tubular.
5. The downhole swaging system of claim 4 , wherein the change in wall thickness includes a thickening of the wall in a radially inwardly direction.
6. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the area of strength includes a change in material properties of the tubular.
7. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the second swage is positioned behind the first swage in the direction of motion of the swage tool while swaging.
8. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the area of strength is located near a downhole tool such that the adjustment of the dimension of the second swage occurs at the downhole tool.
9. The downhole swaging system of claim 8 , wherein the downhole tool is a packer.
10. The downhole swaging system of claim 9 , wherein the packer includes slips the engagement force of which to a downhole structure is increased by the adjusted dimension of the second swage.
11. The downhole swaging system of claim 9 , wherein the packer includes seals the engagement force of which to a downhole structure is increased by the adjusted dimension of the second swage.
12. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first swage has a fixed swaging dimension.
13. The downhole swaging system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable dimension is circular.
14. A method of swaging a tubular, comprising:
positioning an adjustable dimension two staged swaging tool within a tubular;
swaging the tubular; and
adjusting while swaging a dimension of a second stage of the adjustable dimension two staged swaging tool in response to encountering a change in resistance to swaging of the tubular with a first stage of the adjustable dimension two staged swaging tool, an increase in the change in resistance to swaging causing the adjusting to increase the dimension and a decrease in the change in resistance to swaging causing the adjusting to decrease the dimension.