High pressure high temperature packer system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating a seal between two coaxial strings of pipe. The method and apparatus have utility in one embodiment for sealing the annulus between the tubing and the casing within a hydrocarbon wellbore. According to the method of the present invention, an expander tool is positioned at a selected depth within the tubing, and then actuated in order to expand the tubing against the inner wall of the casing wall. The expander tool is rotated in order to provide a fluid seal in the annulus. In this way, the tubing string becomes its own packer. In the preferred embodiment, an elastomeric seal is provided around the outer surface of the tubing to enhance the fluid seal. Further, a slip ring is provided around the outer surface of the tubing to provide a gripping means between the tubing and the casing. In the preferred embodiment, rollers of the expander tool are aligned with the seal ring and slip ring before expansion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars disposed in a wellbore, the first tubular residing within the second tubular, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning an expander tool at the depth desired for sealing the annulus;    actuating the expander tool so that the expander tool acts against the inner surface of the first tubular;    expanding the first tubular so that the outer surface of the first tubular is in contact with the inner surface of the second tubular; and    rotating the expander tool so that radial contact is made between the outer surface of the first tubular and the inner surface of the second tubular, thereby creating a fluid seal in the annulus.    
     
     
         2 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 translating the expander tool vertically within the wellbore while expanding the first tubular so as to expand the first tubular along a desired portion of its length.    
     
     
         3 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 1 , wherein the first tubular is a tubular body in series with a string of tubing, and the second tubular is a string of casing.  
     
     
         4 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 3 , wherein the tubular body defines an elongated tubular member comprising: 
 a top end;    a bottom end;    at least one seal ring circumferentially fitted along the outer surface of the tubular body intermediate the top and bottom ends; and    at least one slip member disposed along the outer surface of the tubular body intermediate the top and bottom ends for gripping between the tubular body and the casing.    
     
     
         5 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 4 , wherein the seal ring is fabricated from an elastomeric material and serves to provide a fluid seal between the tubular body and the casing, thereby sealing the annulus.  
     
     
         6 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 5 , wherein the slip member defines a ring circumferentially fitted along the outer surface of the tubular body, and has a plurality of teeth to provide a gripping means between the tubular body and the casing.  
     
     
         7 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 5 , wherein the slip member defines a carbide material on the outer surface of the tubular body.  
     
     
         8 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 5 , wherein the tubular body further comprises a positioning member for positioning the expander tool at the proper depth within the tubular body.  
     
     
         9 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 8 , wherein the positioning member comprises a landing profile having a beveled member internal to said tubular body upon which the expander tool lands during the positioning step.  
     
     
         10 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 5 , wherein the tubular body defines a joint of production tubing.  
     
     
         11 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 3 , wherein the expander tool comprises: 
 a body having an upper portion and a lower portion;    a plurality of apertures disposed radially about the circumference of the body intermediate said upper and lower portions;    a piston disposed within each of said plurality of apertures; and    a roller coupled to each of said pistons, said roller having a plurality of lobes.    
     
     
         12 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 11 , wherein 
 said pistons are movable from a first recessed position essentially within said body, to a second extended position away from said body by a radial outward force applied from an interior of the body; and    said rollers are profiled to provide a top lobe, a bottom lobe, and an intermediate lobe, said top lobe and said bottom lobe having an essentially equal diameter which is greater than the diameter of said intermediate lobe.    
     
     
         13 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 12 , wherein 
 said expander tool further comprises a conduit internal to said body for transmitting fluid to said pistons so as to cause said radial outward force against said pistons; and    said body further comprises at least one nozzle through which fluid exits said body.    
     
     
         14 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 13  wherein 
 said pistons further comprise two rows of three pistons per row where said pistons are disposed equidistantly about the circumference of the body; and  
 said plurality of rollers further comprises an axle coupling each of said rollers to each of said pistons.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method for sealing the annulus between two concentric tubulars of  claim 14  wherein the expander tool is sized to fit into the inner surface of the tubular body within the wellbore.  
     
     
         16 . An expander tool for expanding a tubular body, the expander tool comprising: 
 a body;    a plurality of apertures disposed radially about the circumference of the body;    a piston disposed within each of said apertures; and    a roller coupled to each of said pistons, said roller having a plurality of lobes.    
     
     
         17 . The expander tool of  claim 16 , wherein 
 said pistons are movable from a first recessed position essentially within said body, to a second extended position away from said body by a radial outward force applied from an interior of the body; and    said rollers are profiled to provide a top lobe, a bottom lobe, and an intermediate lobe, said top lobe and said bottom lobe having an essentially equal diameter which is greater than the diameter of said intermediate lobe.    
     
     
         18 . The expander tool of  claim 17 , wherein 
 said expander tool further comprises a conduit internal to said body for transmitting fluid to said pistons so as to cause said radial outward force; and    wherein said body further comprises at least one nozzle through which fluid exits said body.    
     
     
         19 . The expander tool of  claim 18 , wherein said pistons of said expander tool are movable by a radial force applied from an interior of the housing.  
     
     
         20 . The expander tool of  claim 19 , wherein each of said nozzles defines an orifice sized so that said pistons are moved from said first recessed position to said second extended position when said fluid reaches critical flow through said nozzles.  
     
     
         21 . The expander tool of  claim 20  wherein 
 said pistons further comprise at least two rows of pistons, with a plurality of pistons on each row, and with said pistons being disposed equidistantly about the circumference of the housing on each row; and  
 said plurality of rollers further comprises an axle coupling each of said rollers to each of said pistons.  
 
     
     
         22 . The expander tool of  claim 21 , further comprising a set of piston retaining plates disposed upon the body proximate each aperture in order to prevent over travel of said pistons.  
     
     
         23 . The expander tool of  claim 21 , further comprising a rotational actuator coupled to said body for rotating said expander tool.  
     
     
         24 . A method for sealing the annulus between a string of production tubing and the casing within a wellbore, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning an expander tool at a selected depth within the production tubing;    actuating the expander tool so that the expander tool acts against the inner surface of the production tubing;    expanding the production tubing so that the outer surface of the production tubing is in contact with the inner surface of the casing; and    rotating the expander tool so that radial contact is made between the outer surface of the production tubing and the inner surface of the casing, thereby creating a fluid seal in the annulus;.    
     
     
         25 . The method for sealing the annulus of  claim 24 , wherein said production tubing comprises therein an expandable portion having: 
 at least one elastomeric seal ring circumferentially fitted along the outer surface of said expandable portion intermediate the top and bottom ends which provides a fluid seal between the expandable portion and the casing, thereby sealing the annulus;    at least one slip ring disposed along the outer surface of the expandable portion intermediate the top and bottom ends and spaced apart from the seal ring, the slip ring having a plurality of teeth to provide a gripping means between the tubular body and the casing; and    a landing profile having a beveled member internal to said expandable portion upon which the expander tool lands during the positioning step.    
     
     
         26 . The method for sealing the annulus of  claim 25  wherein the expander tool comprises: 
 a body;  
 a plurality of apertures disposed radially about the circumference of the body;  
 a piston disposed within each of said apertures, each of said pistons being movable from a first recessed position essentially within said body, to a second extended position away from said body by a radial outward force applied from an interior of the body;  
 a roller coupled to each of said pistons, each of said rollers being profiled to provide a top lobe, a bottom lobe, and an intermediate lobe, said top lobe and said bottom lobe having an essentially equal diameter which is greater than the diameter of said intermediate lobe; and  
 a conduit internal to said body for transmitting fluid to said pistons so as to cause said radial outward force.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method for sealing the annulus of  claim 26  wherein 
 said body further comprises at least one nozzle through which fluid exits said body;  
 said pistons further comprise two rows of three pistons per row where said pistons are disposed equidistantly about the circumference of the housing; and  
 said plurality of rollers further comprises an axle coupling each of said rollers to each of said pistons.  
 
     
     
         28 . The method for sealing the annulus of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of translating the expander tool vertically within the wellbore while expanding the production tubing so as to expand the first tubular along a desired portion of its length.  
     
     
         29 . A method of completing a wellbore comprising the steps of: 
 providing a tubular;    applying a slip ring around said tubular;    applying an elastomeric seal ring around said tubular proximate to said slip ring;    positioning the tubular into a casing of the wellbore;    positioning an expander tool in the tubular at a point proximate the slip ring and sealing ring;    applying hydraulic fluid internal to the expander tool; and    expanding, in response to the hydraulic fluid, portions of the tubular corresponding to the depths of the slip ring and sealing ring, whereby the tubular is placed into contact with the inner surface of the casing.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of positioning an expander tool further comprises the steps of: 
 providing an expander tool having a plurality of multi-lobed rollers for forming a contoured seal, wherein said roller has a top, bottom and center lobes.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising: 
 the step of rotating said expander within the tubular until said tubular is sealed to the inner surface of the casing.