A downhole expandable tubular

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016326830-A1
Application number	US-201414780712-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 10, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole expandable tubular to be expanded in a well downhole from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter to abut against an inner face of a easing or borehole, the downhole expandable tubular having an outer face and a longitudinal extension and comprising at least one first circumferential edge and at least one second circumferential edge provided on the outer face and spaced apart in the longitudinal extension, wherein a sealing element and a split ring-shaped retaining element are arranged between the first and second circumferential edges, the split ring-shaped retaining element forming a back-up for the sealing element and wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element has more than one winding, so that when the expandable tubular is expanded from the first outer diameter to the second outer diameter, the split ring-shaped retaining element partly unwinds. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an annular barrier.

First claim

1 . A downhole expandable tubular to be expanded in a well downhole from a first outer diameter (D 1 ) to a second outer diameter (D 2 ) to abut against an inner face of a casing or borehole, the downhole expandable tubular having an outer face and a longitudinal extension (I) and comprising:
at least one first circumferential edge and at least one second circumferential edge provided on the outer face and spaced apart in the longitudinal extension, wherein a sealing element and a split ring-shaped retaining element are arranged between the first and second circumferential edges, the split ring-shaped retaining element forming a back-up for the sealing element and wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element has more than one winding, so that when the expandable tubular is expanded from the first outer diameter (D 1 ) to the second outer diameter (D 2 ), the split ring-shaped retaining element partly unwinds.

2 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element is arranged in an abutting manner to the sealing element.

3 . (canceled)

4 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element unwinds by less than one winding when the expandable tubular is expanded from the first outer diameter (D 1 ) to the second outer diameter (D 2 ).

5 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element has more than one winding in the second outer diameter (D 2 ) of the downhole expandable tubular.

6 . (canceled)

7 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element has a plurality of windings.

8 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the downhole expandable tubular has a first thickness (T 1 ) between the first and second circumferential edges and a second thickness (T 2 ) in adjacent areas, the first thickness (T 1 ) being smaller than the second thickness (T 2 ).

9 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element and the sealing element substantially fill a gap provided between the first and second circumferential edges.

10 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element is made of a spring material.

11 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element is arranged on a first side of the sealing element, and a second split ring-shaped retaining element is arranged on another side of the sealing element opposite the first side.

12 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element retains the sealing element in a position along the longitudinal extension of the downhole expandable tubular while expanding the split ring-shaped retaining element and the sealing element.

13 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the ring-shaped retaining element is a split ring.

14 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second circumferential edges are part of a groove provided in the outer face of the downhole expandable tubular.

15 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second circumferential edges are extending in a radial extension in relation to the downhole expandable tubular, said radial extension being perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (I) of the downhole expandable tubular.

16 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein an intermediate element is arranged between the split ring-shaped retaining element and the sealing element.

17 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 16 , wherein the split ring-shaped retaining element and the intermediate element are arranged in an abutting manner to the sealing element, so that at least one of the split ring-shaped retaining element and the intermediate element abuts the sealing element.

18 . (canceled)

19 . (canceled)

20 . A downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , wherein the downhole expandable tubular is a patch to be expanded within a casing or well tubular structure in a well, a liner hanger to be at least partly expanded within a casing or well tubular structure in a well, or a casing to be at least partly expanded within another casing.

21 . (canceled)

22 . An annular barrier to be expanded in an annulus between a well tubular structure and an inside wall of a borehole or a casing downhole for providing zone isolation between a first zone and a second zone of the borehole, comprising:
a tubular part for mounting as part of the well tubular structure, a downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , surrounding the tubular part and having an outer face facing towards the inside wall of the borehole or the casing, each end of the downhole expandable tubular being connected with the tubular part, a space between the downhole expandable tubular and the tubular part, and an expansion opening in the tubular part through which fluid may enter into the space in order to expand the downhole expandable tubular.

23 . An annular barrier according to claim 22 , wherein a sleeve is arranged in between the downhole expandable tubular and the tubular part, the sleeve being connected with the tubular part and the downhole expandable tubular, thus dividing the space into a first space section and a second space section.

24 . (canceled)

25 . (canceled)

26 . A downhole completion comprising a downhole expandable tubular according to claim 1 , and a casing having an inner face against which at least part of the downhole expandable tubular is expanded.

27 . A downhole completion comprising a well tubular structure and an annular barrier according to claim 22 , where the tubular part of the annular barriers is mounted as part of the well tubular structure.

Assignees

• Welltec As

Inventors

• Hallundbæk Jørgen
• Staehr Lars

Classifications

• E21B43/103 Primary

  of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like · CPC title

• E21B33/1208 Primary

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

• E21B33/1212

  including a metal-to-metal seal element · CPC title

• E21B29/10 Primary

  Reconditioning of well casings, e.g. straightening · CPC title