Morphing tubulars
View Patent ↗Apparatus and method for sealingly connecting tubular members in a wellbore. In a connector apparatus where a portion of a tubular member is radially expanded into sealing contact within a second tubular member, and the second tubular member has circumferential recesses on an inner surface, an annular resilient band member is arranged in the recesses. The annular resilient band member is acted on by the portion of the tubular member during expansion and maintains sealing contact to the portion after expansion.
1. A connector apparatus for sealingly connecting to a tubular member in a wellbore, the connector apparatus comprising:
a substantially cylindrical body having a receiving section adapted to receive therein at least one portion of the tubular member for permitting expansion of the at least one portion radially outwardly against one or more circumferential recesses undercut into the substantially cylindrical body and disposed beyond an inner surface of the receiving section, the expansion continuing until one or more joints are formed between the at least one portion and the receiving section;
wherein, two annular resilient band members are oppositely arranged at an upper end and a lower end of the one or more recesses,
the two annular resilient band members being acted on by the at least one portion during expansion and maintaining sealing contact to the at least one portion after expansion.
2. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the two annular resilient band members are entirely contained within the one or more recesses.
3. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the two annular resilient band members has an upper surface and a lower surface, the surfaces being separated by a radial depth of the one or more recesses.
4. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of two back-up rings is located between a side of each of the two annular resilient band members and a side wall of the one or more recesses.
5. A connector apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the two back-up rings extends circumferentially around the side of each of the two annular resilient band members.
6. A connector apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the two back-up rings is metal.
7. A connector apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the two back-up rings is formed from PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone).
8. A connector apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of the two annular resilient band members has a profile on a first side wall and each of the two back-up rings has a matching profile on a first side wall so that each of the two annular resilient band members is received in each of the two back-up rings.
9. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the two annular resilient band members is an elastomer.
10. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the two annular resilient band members is an activated memory metal.
11. A connector apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of the two annular resilient band members is metal coated.
12. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more recesses comprises a pair of neighboring recesses with an annular resilient band member disposed adjacent to each side wall of an adjoining rim extending between the pair of neighboring recesses.
13. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more formed joints are either sealed or secured connections or are both sealed and secured connections.
14. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a fluid exclusion device is located in the one or more recesses and the fluid exclusion device is provided having an annular configuration.
15. A connector apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the fluid exclusion device comprises a fluid exclusion material comprising a crushable medium selected from a group comprising: closed cell foam, metal foam or syntactic foam.
16. A connector apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the fluid exclusion device comprises a collapsible ring.
17. A connector apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a port is located through a base of at least one of the one or more recesses.
18. A method of connecting tubular members in a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a connector apparatus comprising a substantially cylindrical body having a receiving section adapted to receive therein at least one portion of a tubular member and one or more circumferential recesses undercut into the substantially cylindrical body and disposed beyond an inner surface of the receiving section, and two annular resilient band members are oppositely arranged at an upper end and a lower end in each of the one or more recesses;
b) placing the at least one portion within the receiving section of the connector apparatus;
c) expanding the at least one portion radially outwardly against the receiving section until one or more joints are formed between the at least one portion and the receiving section;
d) acting on each of the two annular resilient band members by the at least one portion during expansion; and
e) acting on the at least one portion by each of the two annular resilient band members following expansion to maintain sealing contact between each of the two annular resilient band members and the at least one portion after expansion.