Seal for a joint or juncture – Seal between relatively movable parts – Relatively rotatable radially extending sealing face member
Patent
1996-11-05
1999-12-28
Cummings, Scott
Seal for a joint or juncture
Seal between relatively movable parts
Relatively rotatable radially extending sealing face member
166187, F16J 1546
Patent
active
060070676
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Present invention concerns a multi-operational inflatable packer, particularly for use in oil and gas wells, as stated in the introductory part of claim 1.
At intervention in e.g. oil and gas wells where different zones should be processed, tested, etc., inflatable packers are often used. This is due to the fact that it does not exist multi-operational packers that can be driven through small tube diameters, as, e.g., production pipes, and expanded to a significantly larger diameter by a high pressure.
The development within drilling and production technology tends towards long deviation and horizontal production zones having single bore completion. Long production zones will increase the need for multi-operational packers, for use in connection to selective testing, simulation, plugging, etc., of the different zones. Also, at single bore completion there is a need for highly expansion packers. A small diameter for running in and out provides for a number of advantages, especially at run-in, due to minor flow resistance over the packer. More operations may thus be run by light intervention equipment, as wire line or coiled tube instead of snubbing and drill stem.
In principle, an inflatable packer is constructed of three independent layers. These layers comprise first the inner rubber that should inhibit puncture and leakage of the fluid medium used for inflation. Furthermore, there is reinforcement layer that should absorb the forces from the inner over-pressure and optionally transfer axial and torsion forces from the equipment onto which the packer is mounted, to the bore wall. Additionally, there is an outer rubber that should protect the reinforcement layer from outer influence at running in and out, and during inflation against the bore wall to transfer the supplied forces.
Preferably there has been developed steel reinforced inflatable packers that meet the requirements for expansion and pressure. However, these are not multi-operational, as the steel reinforcement becomes permanently deformed at first expansion.
From GB 2 116 609 is known an inflatable packer comprising a plurality of layers of aramide fibres, in addition to rubber layers. The aramide fibres are located in rubber, one inner and one outer layer, where the strands in each layer are parallel, making an angle with the longitudinal axis of the packer; the next layer is located correspondingly, but with an opposite angle. The yarn are surface treated in order to achieve maximum attachment to the rubber in which they are embedded. At expansion, the distance between the yarn in each layer will increase, as will the angle between the layers. This will bring a very high stress to the rubber around the yarn so that local attachment rupture arises between yarn and rubber. Where attachment rupture arises, there will be a great danger for puncture, by the inner rubber being forced out between the yarn. By a packer of this kind, it will not be possible to expand to more than twice the diameter.
It has also shown that parallel winding yield too little stability in tangential direction. This may lead to local displacement of the yarn, point by point, and by that, a danger for puncture of the inner rubber.
The problem with the inner fibre layer puncture the inner layer of rubber is attempted to be remedied by winding an inner layer of fibres in a crosswise pattern. This has the disadvantage that at expansion, shear stress will arise, which can destroy the packer, especially in the area between the fitting and full expanded diameter.
The actual fitting of the inflatable packer does also represent a limitation for the expansion degree. The inflatable packer known from GB 2 116 609 has a fitting comprising a pressure sleeve, which do not have sufficient strength against deformation at great expansion and high pressure.
It is therefore an object for present invention to provide a multi-operational inflatable packer having a large degree of expansion, in the area two to three times the nominal diameter.
The object of the invention is achieved with a devi
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