Multi-sectional swellable packer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018087344-A1
Application number	US-201715718834-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2016
Publication date	Mar 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-sectional swellable packer for a wellbore has a mandrel and multiple packer elements mounted on the mandrel. The packer elements are formed of swellable materials that swell when contacted with a swelling fluid. In various embodiments, the outer diameter of the central element is larger than that of the end elements with or without gap between elements. In other embodiments, a multi-sectional swellable packer for a wellbore has multiple mandrels with multiple packer elements which are interconnected by flexible joints/connections. The outer diameter of the central element can be different from that of the end elements. The swellable rubber of the central element can be different from that of the end elements. The packer increases flexibility of operation and reduces the risk of run-in-hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A packer comprising:
a mandrel; and a plurality of packer elements mounted on the mandrel; wherein the packer elements comprise end elements and a central element arranged between the end elements; wherein the packer elements are formed of swellable material that swells when contacted with a swelling fluid.

2 . The packer of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the central element is different than that of the end elements.

3 . The packer of claim 2 , wherein the outer diameter of the central element is larger than that of the end elements.

4 . The packer of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameters of the central element and end elements are increased gradually along the direction from ends to the center of the mandrel.

5 . The packer of claim 1 , wherein the packer elements abut each other.

6 . The packer of claim 5 , wherein gaps exist between the packer elements.

7 . The packer of claim 3 , wherein the central element and end elements are formed of a unitary packer member.

8 . A packer comprising:
a plurality of mandrels having the same inner diameter; a plurality of connection elements coupled to the plurality of mandrels; a plurality of packer elements that circumferentially fit over the mandrels, wherein the plurality of packer element each have an outer diameter; and wherein the packer elements are formed of a swellable material.

9 . The packer of claim 8 wherein the plurality of connection elements can connect adjacent mandrels in the plurality of mandrels.

10 . The packer of claim 8 , wherein the connection elements are flexible connections.

11 . The packer of claim 9 , wherein the connection elements are screw type closure structures.

12 . The packer of claim 11 wherein the screw type closure structure comprises
a male threaded member;
a female threaded member;
wherein the male threaded member and the female threaded member are screwed into a complementary threaded engagement.

13 . The packer of claim 12 wherein a gullet is set below the normal root portion of at least one of two mating threads and wherein a flank of at least one of the mating threads is crowned.

14 . The packer of claim 8 wherein when the mandrels connect with each other to form a multi-mandrel packer wherein the outer diameter of the center packer element is different the outer diameter of the end packer element.

15 . The packer of claim 14 , wherein the outer diameter of the central packer element is larger than the outer diameter of the end packer element.

16 . The packer of claim 8 , wherein when the mandrels connect with each other to form a multi-mandrel packer wherein the swellable materials of the packer elements have different swelling speeds.

17 . The packer of claim 16 , wherein the swelling speed of the center packer element is faster than the swelling speed of the end packer element.

18 . A method of manufacturing the packer of claim 3 comprising
vulcanizing different materials on a mandrel to form packer elements; and
machining the packer elements to form different outer diameters.

Assignees

• Cnpc Usa Corp

Inventors

• Cheng Peng
• Xu Jianhui
• Patsy Matthew
• Chen Demin

Classifications

• E21B33/1208

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

• E21B43/14 Primary

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B33/127 Primary

  with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/1243

  with inflatable sleeves · CPC title

• E21B17/042

  Threaded · CPC title