Sealing apparatus and associated methods of manufacturing

1. A method of manufacturing a seal element, the method comprising:

depositing a first seal element material from an instrument at a first location of the seal element;

depositing a second seal element material from the instrument at a second location of the seal element,

the first seal element material being different from the second seal element material; and

forming a structure in the seal element, in which the structure limits compression of the seal element.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which a property of the first and second seal element materials is different, the property being selected from the group consisting of density, compressibility, porosity, elasticity, toughness and hardness of the seal element material.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which the second seal element material has a higher compressibility than the first seal element material, and the second location is external relative to the first location.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which the second seal element material has a higher density than the first seal element material, and the second location is external relative to the first location.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which the first and second seal element materials form integral portions of a well tool structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which the first and second seal element materials are deposited so that the seal element is more compressible in a first direction as compared to a second direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , in which the second seal element material depositing further comprises depositing the second seal element material at a third location of the seal element, the first location being between the second and third locations.

8. The method of claim 1 , in which the structure resists compression of the seal element until a selected compressive force is applied to the seal element.

9. The method of claim 1 , in which at least one of the first and second seal element materials comprises a metal.

10. The method of claim 1 , in which depositing the second seal element material comprises depositing the second seal element material external to the first seal element material, and in which the second seal element material comprises a metal.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one void in the seal element.

12. A sealing system, comprising:

a seal element, the seal element comprising at least one seal element material about at least one void in the seal element, the seal element material enclosing the void; and

in which a first structure is formed in the seal element, and in which the first structure limits compression of the seal element.

13. The sealing system of claim 12 , in which the first structure resists compression of the seal element until a selected compressive force is applied to the seal element.

14. The sealing system of claim 12 , in which a second structure is formed in the seal element, and the second structure causes a seal surface to extend from the seal element in response to compression of the seal element.

15. The sealing system of claim 12 , in which a property of the seal element material varies in the seal element, the property being selected from the group consisting of density, compressibility, porosity, elasticity, toughness and hardness of the seal element material.

16. The sealing system of claim 12 , in which the seal element material is deposited about the void in the seal element.

17. A sealing system, comprising:

a seal element, the seal element comprising multiple different seal element materials deposited at respective multiple different locations in the seal element, and the seal element further comprising a structure which limits compression of the seal element.

18. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which a property of the seal element materials is different, the property being selected from the group consisting of density, porosity, compressibility, elasticity, hardness and toughness.

19. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which one of the seal element materials having a relatively higher compressibility is positioned external relative to one of the seal element materials having a relatively lower compressibility.

20. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which one of the seal element materials having a relatively higher density is positioned external relative to one of the seal element materials having a relatively lower density.

21. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which the seal element materials form integral portions of a well tool structure.

22. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which the seal element materials are deposited so that the seal element is more compressible in a first direction as compared to a second direction.

23. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which the seal element materials include a relatively more compressible first seal element material positioned between relatively less compressible second seal element materials.

24. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which the seal element materials include a relatively less dense first seal element material positioned between relatively more dense second seal element materials.

25. The sealing system of claim 17 , in which the structure resists compression of the seal element until a selected compressive force is applied to the seal element.

26. The sealing system of claim 17 , further comprising at least one void in the seal element.