Controlled deformation and shape recovery of packing elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713643-B2
Application number	US-202017085910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

A packer assembly includes a mandrel and a packing element disposed about the mandrel. Upper and lower recovery sleeves are disposed about the mandrel and extend between the mandrel and respective upper and lower ends of the packing element. The upper and lower recovery sleeves each have a recovery profile embedded within the packing element. Upper and lower backup assemblies are movably disposed about the respective upper and lower recovery sleeves, adjacent to the respective upper and lower ends of the packing element. The packer assembly includes at least one release mechanism. When setting the packer assembly in a bore, the packing element is axially compressed between the upper and lower backup assemblies to contact the bore wall, and the upper and lower backup assemblies splay outwards. Upon release, the packing element and backup assemblies retract, thereby facilitating retrieval of the packer assembly from the bore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A packer assembly comprising:
a packer mandrel;
a packing element disposed about the packer mandrel, the packing element comprising a unitary structure of packing material;
an upper recovery sleeve disposed about the packer mandrel and extending from a first region above the packing element to a second region between the packer mandrel and an upper end of the packing element, the upper recovery sleeve having an upper recovery profile embedded within the packing element;
an upper backup assembly movably disposed about the upper recovery sleeve in the first region and adjacent to the upper end of the packing element;
a lower recovery sleeve disposed about the packer mandrel and extending from a third region below the packing element to a fourth region between the packer mandrel and a lower end of the packing element, the lower recovery sleeve having a lower recovery profile embedded within the packing element; and
a lower backup assembly movably disposed about the lower recovery sleeve in the third region and adjacent to the lower end of the packing element.

2. The packer assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a filler ring movably disposed between the packer mandrel and the packing element.

3. The packer assembly of claim 2 , wherein the packing element is bonded to the filler ring.

4. The packer assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer ring disposed about the packing element.

5. The packer assembly of claim 4 , wherein the spacer ring has a first maximum outer diameter before the packer assembly is transitioned from a running configuration to a set configuration, a second maximum outer diameter after the packer assembly is transitioned from the running configuration to the set configuration, and the second maximum outer diameter is substantially the same as the first maximum outer diameter.

6. The packer assembly of claim 5 , wherein the spacer ring has a third maximum outer diameter after the packer assembly is transitioned from the set configuration to a released configuration, the third maximum outer diameter substantially the same as the first maximum outer diameter.

7. The packer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper backup assembly comprises:
an upper inner backup sleeve disposed about the upper recovery sleeve and movable with respect to the upper recovery sleeve, the upper inner backup sleeve having a first annular shoulder;
an upper outer backup sleeve disposed about the upper inner backup sleeve and movable with respect to the upper inner backup sleeve, the upper outer backup sleeve having a second annular shoulder;
a first biasing member between the first and second annular shoulders;
an upper backup support coupled to the upper inner backup sleeve; and
an upper backup ring assembly coupled to the upper backup support and configured to enclose an outer surface of the upper end of the packing element.

8. The packer assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the upper backup ring assembly further comprises a first inner backup ring adjacent the outer surface of the upper end of the packing element, and a first outer backup ring adjacent the first inner backup ring; and
the upper backup support is configured to abut the first outer backup ring when the packer assembly is in a set configuration.

9. The packer assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lower backup assembly comprises:
a lower inner backup sleeve disposed about the lower recovery sleeve and movable with respect to the lower recovery sleeve, the lower inner backup sleeve having a third annular shoulder;
a lower outer backup sleeve disposed about the lower inner backup sleeve and movable with respect to the lower inner backup sleeve, the lower outer backup sleeve having a fourth annular shoulder;
a second biasing member between the third and fourth annular shoulders;
a lower backup support coupled to the lower inner backup sleeve; and
a lower backup ring assembly coupled to the lower backup support and configured to enclose an outer surface of the lower end of the packing element.

10. The packer assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the lower backup ring assembly further comprises a second inner backup ring adjacent the outer surface of the lower end of the packing element, and a second outer backup ring adjacent the second inner backup ring; and
the lower backup support is configured to abut the second outer backup ring when the packer assembly is in a set configuration.

11. The packer assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the packer assembly is configured to transition from a running configuration to a set configuration, and from the set configuration to a released configuration;
and further wherein:
when the packer assembly is in the running configuration, the packing element has a first maximum outer diameter,
when the packer assembly is in the set configuration, the packing element has a second maximum outer diameter greater than the first maximum outer diameter, and
when the packer assembly is in the released configuration, the packing element has a third maximum outer diameter less than the second maximum outer diameter.

12. A method of manipulating a packing element in a bore, comprising:
providing a packer assembly comprising:
a packer mandrel;
a packing element disposed about the packer mandrel, the packing element comprising a unitary structure of packing material;
an upper recovery sleeve disposed about the packer mandrel and extending from a first region above the packing element to a second region between the packer mandrel and an upper end of the packing element, the upper recovery sleeve having an upper recovery profile embedded within the packing element;
an upper backup assembly movably disposed about the upper recovery sleeve in the first region and adjacent to the upper end of the packing element, the upper backup assembly having an upper inner backup sleeve disposed about the upper recovery sleeve and movable with respect to the upper recovery sleeve;
a lower recovery sleeve disposed about the packer mandrel and extending from a third region below the packing element to a fourth region between the packer mandrel and a lower end of the packing element, the lower recovery sleeve having a lower recovery profile embedded within the packing element; and
a lower backup assembly movably disposed about the lower recovery sleeve in the third region and adjacent to the lower end of the packing element, the lower backup assembly having a lower inner backup sleeve disposed about the lower recovery sleeve and movable with respect to the lower recovery sleeve;

moving the upper inner backup sleeve with respect to the upper recovery sleeve toward the upper end of the packing element;
moving the lower inner backup sleeve with respect to the lower recovery sleeve toward the lower end of the packing element;
reducing an axial distance between the upper recovery sleeve and the lower recovery sleeve, thereby axially compressing the packing element; and
deforming the packing element into contact with a surrounding wall of the bore.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein deforming the packing element into contact with a surrounding wall of the bore includes:
moving an upper backup ring coupled to the upper inner backup sleeve along an outer surface of the upper end of the packing element; and
moving a lower backup ring coupled to the lower inner backup sleeve along an outer surface of the lower end of the packing element.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein after deforming the packing element into contact with a surrounding wall of the bore, the method further comprises:
increasing an axial distance between the upp

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mitchell Michael Wilbert
• Ingram Gary Duron

Classifications

• E21B33/128 Primary

  with a member expanded radially by axial pressure (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B23/06

  for setting packers · CPC title

• E21B33/1208

  characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/1216

  Anti-extrusion means, e.g. means to prevent cold flow of rubber packing · CPC title