Expandable liner hanger and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255467-B2
Application number	US-201313896452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	Oct 13, 2008
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to an expandable liner hanger capable of being expanded into a surrounding casing. In one aspect, an expandable tubular system is provided. The system includes an expandable tubular. The system further includes an expansion swage for expanding the expandable tubular, wherein the expansion swage is deformable from a compliant configuration to a smaller substantially non-compliant configuration. Additionally, the system includes a restriction member disposed on an exterior surface of the expandable tubular, wherein expansion of the expandable tubular in the location of the restriction member deforms the expansion swage from the compliant configuration to the smaller substantially non-compliant configuration. In another aspect, a method of expanding a liner hanger using a cone is provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liner hanger for use in a wellbore, the liner hanger comprising:
a tubular body;
a plurality of grooves circumferentially disposed around the tubular body, the grooves being formed in a wall of the tubular body and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body;
a plurality of gripping inserts, each gripping insert being disposed in a base formed in the wall of the tubular body, and each base being disposed between a pair of grooves; and
an expansion-relief zone disposed adjacent to each gripping insert and bordered by the pair of grooves and the base.

2. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of gripping inserts are staggered relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

3. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein the expansion relief zone is configured to reduce expansion forces required to expand the tubular body.

4. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein each gripping insert is mounted in the base at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

5. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein each groove has a first shape prior to expansion of the tubular body and a second shape after expansion of the tubular body, the second shape being different from the first shape.

6. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein each gripping insert is disposed in an aperture in the base.

7. The liner hanger of claim 6 , wherein the aperture in the base has a first shape prior to expansion of the tubular body, and a second shape after expansion of the tubular body, the second shape being substantially the same as the first shape.

8. The liner hanger of claim 1 , wherein each adjacent base is formed in the wall of the tubular body at a different position along the groove that separates each adjacent base.

9. A method of expanding a liner hanger in a wellbore, the method comprising:
positioning the liner hanger in the wellbore, the liner hanger having a tubular body, a plurality of grooves disposed around and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body, and a plurality of gripping inserts, wherein each gripping insert is disposed in a base formed in a wall of the tubular body, wherein each base is disposed between a pair of grooves, and wherein an expansion-relief zone is disposed adjacent to each gripping insert and bordered by the pair of grooves and the base;
expanding the liner hanger; and
deforming the grooves disposed around the tubular body as a result of the expansion.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each groove has a first shape prior to expansion of the liner hanger, and a second shape after expansion of liner hanger, the second shape being different from the first shape.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein each gripping insert is disposed in an aperture in the base.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the aperture in the base has a first shape prior to expansion of the liner hanger and a second shape after expansion of the liner hanger, the second shape being substantially the same as the first shape.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the expansion-relief zone is configured to reduce expansion forces required to expand the liner hanger.

14. A method of expanding a liner hanger using a cone, the method comprising:
expanding a portion of the liner hanger into contact with a surrounding tubular by utilizing the cone in a first compliant configuration;
expanding a setting ring disposed around the liner hanger into contact with the surrounding tubular which causes the cone to change from the first compliant configuration to a second smaller substantially non-compliant configuration; and
expanding another portion of the liner hanger into contact with the surrounding tubular by utilizing the cone in the second smaller substantially non-compliant configuration.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the liner hanger further includes at least one seal member disposed around the liner hanger.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein expanding the liner hanger using the cone in the second smaller substantially non-compliant configuration causes the at least one seal member to contact the surrounding tubular.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one seal member is expanded until a predetermined seal compression is reached.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the liner hanger further includes a plurality of gripping inserts, whereby at least one insert is disposed between a pair of recesses.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein expanding the liner hanger causes the inserts to contact the surrounding tubular and causes a width of the recesses to change shape.

20. A liner hanger for use in a wellbore, the liner hanger comprising:
a tubular body;
a plurality of grooves circumferentially disposed around the tubular body, the grooves being formed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body;
a plurality of bases formed in the wall of the tubular, each base being disposed between a pair of grooves;
a plurality of gripping inserts, each gripping insert being disposed in one of the plurality of bases; and
a plurality of expansion-relief zones, each expansion-relief zone being disposed adjacent to each gripping insert and bordered by the pair of grooves and the base.

21. The liner hanger of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of gripping inserts are staggered in an axial direction.

22. The liner hanger of claim 20 , wherein each gripping insert is mounted in the base at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

23. The liner hanger of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of expansion-relief zones are staggered in an axial direction.

Assignees

• Weatherford Lamb
• Weatherford Technology Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Thomson Gordon
• Ring Lev
• Gandikota Varadaraju
• Reinhardt Paul Andrew
• Luke Mike A
• Li David S

Classifications

• E21B43/105 Primary

  Expanding tools specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• E21B17/08

  Casing joints · CPC title

• E21B43/103

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