Annular barrier
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to an annular barrier for providing zonal isolation in an annulus downhole between a well tubular metal structure and another well tubular metal structure or a wall of a borehole, comprising a tubular metal part configured to be mounted as part of the well tubular metal structure, the tubular metal part having an outer face, an opening and an axial extension along the well tubular metal structure, an expandable metal sleeve surrounding the tubular metal part, the expandable metal sleeve having a circumferential groove, a first end and a second end, each end of the expandable metal sleeve being connected with the outer face of the tubular metal part, and a sealing unit arranged in the circumferential groove, the annular sealing unit comprising an annular sealing element and a back-up sealing element abutting and supporting the annular sealing element, wherein the annular sealing element in a cross-section along the axial extension has a first width, a second width and a third width; the second width is larger than the first width and the third width and is arranged between the first width and the third width; the back-up sealing element has a first contact area, and the annular sealing element has a second contact area, where the first contact area has a shape that mates with the second contact area. The invention also relates to a downhole completion system comprising an annular barrier and a well tubular metal structure.
1 . An annular barrier for providing zonal isolation in an annulus downhole between a well tubular metal structure and another well tubular metal structure or a wall of a borehole, comprising:
a tubular metal part configured to be mounted as part of the well tubular metal structure, the tubular metal part having an outer face, an opening and an axial extension along the well tubular metal structure,
an expandable metal sleeve surrounding the tubular metal part, the expandable metal sleeve having a circumferential groove, a first end and a second end, each end of the expandable metal sleeve being connected with the outer face of the tubular metal part, wherein the expandable metal sleeve defines an expandable space being in fluid communication with the opening in the tubular metal part for fluidly expanding the expandable metal sleeve from a first radial position to a second radial position that is different than the first radial position, and
a sealing unit arranged in the circumferential groove, the annular sealing unit comprising an annular sealing element and a back-up sealing element abutting and supporting the annular sealing element,
wherein the annular sealing element in a cross-section along the axial extension has a first width, a second width and a third width; the second width is larger than the first width and the third width and is arranged between the first width and the third width; the back-up sealing element has a first contact area, and the annular sealing element has a second contact area, where the first contact area has a shape that mates with the second contact area,
wherein the back-up sealing element has a first face part and a second face part forming the first contact area of the back-up sealing element; the first face part inclines and faces away from the groove, and the second face part inclines and faces towards the groove.
2 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the annular sealing element comprises a first face facing the circumferential groove and a second face facing away from the circumferential groove; the first width is the width at the first face, and the third width is the width at the second face.
3 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first face part is equal to or larger than the second face part.
4 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first face part is smaller than the second face part.
5 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first face part and/or the second face part form(s) part of a curvature.
6 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the annular sealing element further comprises a key ring element surrounding at least part of the back-up sealing element.
7 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , further comprising a second back-up sealing element arranged so that the annular sealing element is between the two back-up sealing elements when seen along the axial extension.
8 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove is formed between two projections.
9 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first width is larger than or equal to the third width.
10 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first width is smaller than the third width.
11 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential groove has a first end face and a second end face, the first end face and the second end face extending radially to the axial extension.
12 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the back-up sealing element has a first thickness in a direction radial to the axial extension, and the annular sealing element has a second thickness in a direction radial to the axial extension, the first thickness being substantially equal to or smaller than the second thickness.
13 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , further comprising an anchoring element arranged in a second circumferential groove, the anchoring element comprising a first anchoring part at least partly overlapping a second anchoring part in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial extension so that an inner face of the first anchoring part at least partly abuts an outer face of the second anchoring part.
14 . Downhole completion system comprising an annular barrier according to claim 1 and a well tubular metal structure.
15 . An annular barrier according to claim 1 , wherein the back-up sealing element in cross section along the axial extent has a first width, a second width and a third width, the second width being larger than the first width and the third width, the second width being arranged between the first width and the third width, so as to lock the annular sealing element in place.