IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,117,883
Granted Patent B2
US 8,117,883 · App. 12/718,811 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

Tubing expansion

Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,117,883
App. No.
12/718,811
Granted
Feb 21, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of expanding tubing comprises locating an expansion device in tubing to be expanded, vibrating one or both of the tubing and the expansion device, and translating the expansion device relative to the tubing, the vibration acting to reduce friction between the tubing and the device.

Claims (27)

1. A method of expanding tubing in a wellbore, the method comprising:

isolating a portion of the tubing containing an expansion device, wherein the isolated portion is located between a pair of seals;

removing fluid from an area of the tubing below the isolated portion;

injecting the fluid into the isolated portion via fluid outlets on a cone surface of the expansion device to establish a base pressure in the isolated portion of tubing, the base pressure creating a differential pressure across a wall of the tubing below the yield pressure of the tubing wall; and

introducing pressure pulses into the fluid in the isolated portion to increase the base pressure in excess of the yield pressure of the tubing wall.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the pair of seals is disposed on the expansion device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising conditioning an inner surface of the tubing ahead of the at least one seal on the expansion device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the inner surface is conditioned by a swab cup.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising plastically deforming the tubing to a larger diameter when expanding the tubing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a driving force of the expansion device remains constant as the expansion device is translated through the tubing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a major portion of the expansion device is subject to vibration.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a surface portion of the expansion device is subject to vibration.

9. A method of expanding tubing in a wellbore, the method comprising:

isolating a portion of the tubing by using at least one seal member proximate an end of an expansion device;

pumping fluid from an area below the isolated portion into the isolated portion through ports in a cone surface of the expansion device to establish a base pressure in the isolated portion of tubing, the base pressure creating a differential pressure across a wall of the tubing below the yield pressure of the tubing wall; and

applying pressure pulses to the isolated portion of tubing to increase the base pressure in excess of the yield pressure of the tubing wall.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tubing is at least partially expanded by fluid pressure.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tubing is at least partially expanded by the cone surface of the expansion device.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application of pressure pulses creates a vibration in at least one of the tubing and the expansion device.

13. A method of expanding tubing in a wellbore, the method comprising:

isolating a portion of the tubing to be expanded, wherein the tubing is at least partially isolated by a seal member disposed on an expansion device;

applying a base pressure to the isolated portion of tubing by transferring fluid from below the isolated portion into the isolated portion via fluid outlets in a cone surface of the expansion device, the base pressure creating a differential pressure across a wall of the tubing below the yield pressure of the tubing wall; and

expanding the isolated portion of tubing by applying pressure pulses to the isolated portion of tubing to increase the base pressure in excess of the yield pressure of the tubing wall.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising pushing on a workstring connected to the expansion device to translate the expansion device relative to the tubing thereby expanding the tubing.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising inserting the tubing into the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a driving force of the expansion device remains constant as the expansion device is translated through the tubing.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising plastically deforming the tubing to a larger diameter when expanding the tubing.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2014
From: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
To: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 034526/0272 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2010
From: SIMPSON, NEIL ANDREW ABERCROMBIE; RUDD, WAYNE
To: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
Reel/Frame 024289/0543 →
Priority Claims (2)
GB 0306774.1 · Mar 25, 2003 · national
GB 0312278.5 · May 29, 2003 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 10809036 · Mar 25, 2004
Related Publication 20100218582A1 · Sep 2, 2010