Liner hanger

1. A method of coupling a radially expandable tubular member to a preexisting structure, comprising:

positioning the tubular member and an expansion device within the preexisting structure;

injecting fluidic materials into the tubular member;

sensing the operating pressure of the fluidic materials; and

radially expanding the tubular member into contact with the preexisting structure when the sensed operating pressure exceeds a predetermined amount by displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the operating pressure includes:

sensing the operating pressure of the fluidic materials within the tubular member.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein radially expanding the tubular member into contact with the preexisting structure when the sensed operating pressure exceeds a predetermined amount by displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member, comprises:

contacting an inner surface of the tubular member with an outer surface of the expansion device during the displacement of the expansion device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the expansion device is tapered.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member comprises:

a tapered portion;

a non-tapered portion coupled to an end of the tapered portion; and

another non-tapered portion coupled to another end of the tapered portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a wellbore casing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a pipeline.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a structural support.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member comprises:

a first tubular portion;

a first tapered tubular portion coupled to the first tubular portion;

a second tubular portion coupled to the first tapered tubular portion;

a second tapered tubular portion coupled to the second tubular portion; and

a third tubular portion coupled to the second tapered tubular portion.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the outside diameter of the second tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the first tubular portion; and wherein the outside diameter of the second tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the third tubular portion.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member further comprises:

a third tapered tubular portion coupled to the third tubular portion; and

a fourth tubular portion coupled to the third tapered tubular portion.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the outside diameter of the fourth tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the third tubular portion.

13. An apparatus for coupling a radially expandable tubular member to a preexisting structure, comprising:

a first tubular support member including a first internal passage;

an expansion cone assembly including:

a second tubular support including a second internal passage operably coupled to the first internal passage, one or more radial openings, and a first releasable coupling;

one or more pressure relief valves positioned in corresponding ones of the radial openings; and

one or more annular expansion cones coupled to the second tubular support;

an expansion cone launcher coupled to the annular expansion cones and the radially expandable tubular member; and

a shoe assembly, comprising:

a third tubular support member including a third internal passage operably coupled to the second internal passage and having a restriction, and a second releasable coupling releasably coupled to the first releasable coupling.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the expansion cone assembly includes a plurality of spaced apart annular expansion cones.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the expansion cone launcher comprises:

a tapered tubular portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a wellbore casing.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a pipeline.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a structural support.

19. A system for coupling a radially expandable tubular member to a preexisting structure, comprising:

means for positioning the tubular member and an expansion device within the preexisting structure;

means for injecting fluidic materials into the tubular member;

means for sensing the operating pressure of the fluidic materials; and

means for radially expanding the tubular member into contact with the preexisting structure when the sensed operating pressure exceeds a predetermined amount by displacing the expansion device relative to the tubular member.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the means for sensing the operating pressure includes:

means for sensing the operating pressure of the fluidic materials within the tubular member.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member comprises:

a tapered portion;

a non-tapered portion coupled to an end of the tapered portion; and

another non-tapered portion coupled to another end of the tapered portion.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a wellbore casing.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a pipeline.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the tubular member comprises:

a structural support.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member comprises:

a tapered portion;

a non-tapered portion coupled to an end of the tapered portion; and

another non-tapered portion coupled to another end of the tapered portion.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member comprises:

a first tubular portion;

a first tapered tubular portion coupled to the first tubular portion;

a second tubular portion coupled to the first tapered tubular portion;

a second tapered tubular portion coupled to the second tubular portion; and

a third tubular portion coupled to the second tapered tubular portion.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the outside diameter of the second tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the first tubular portion; and wherein the outside diameter of the second tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the third tubular portion.

28. The system of claim 26 , wherein, prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the tubular member, the tubular member further comprises:

a third tapered tubular portion coupled to the third tubular portion; and

a fourth tubular portion coupled to the third tapered tubular portion.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the outside diameter of the fourth tubular portion is greater than the outside diameter of the third tubular portion.

30. An apparatus for coupling a radially expandable tubular member to a preexisting structure, comprising:

a first tubular support member including a first internal passage;

an expansion device assembly including:

a second tubular support including a second internal passage operably coupled to the first internal passage;

one or more pressure relief valves operably coupled to the second internal passage; and

one or more expansion members movably coupled to the second tubular support adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the radially expandable tubular member as a function of the operation of one or more of the pressure relief valves.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein one or more of the expansion members comprise annular expansion cones.

32. A method of coupling a radially expandable pipeline member to a preexisting pipeline member, comprising:

positioning the pipeline member and an expansion device within the preexisting pipeline member;

injecting fluidic materials into the pipeline member;

sensing the operating pressure of the fluidic materials; and

radially expanding the pipeline member into contact with the preexisting pipeline member when the sensed operating pressure exceeds a predetermined amount by displacing the expansion device relative to the pipeline member.

33. An apparatus for coupling a radially expandable pipeline member to a preexisting pipeline member, comprising:

a first tubular support member including a first internal passage;

an expansion cone assembly including:

a second tubular support including a second internal passage operably coupled to the first internal passage, one or more radial openings, and a first releasable coupling;

one or more pressure relief valves positioned in corresponding ones of the radial openings; and

one or more annular expansion cones coupled to the second tubular support;

an expansion cone launcher coupled to the annular expansion cones and the radially expandable pipeline member; and

a shoe assembly, comprising:

a third tubular support member including a third internal passage operably coupled to the second internal passage and having a restriction, and a second releasable coupling releasably coupled to the first releasable coupling.