Post installation cured braided continuous composite tubular

Abstract

A method for providing a barrier at a predetermined location in downhole operations comprises: providing a first tubular sleeve of a woven material comprising a plurality of fibers in a braided arrangement and including a conductor, impregnating the sleeve with a curable resin, radially enlarging the sleeve at the predetermined downhole location, and curing the resin. The present method can also be used to provide a barrier at a desired location within a wellbore while drilling, to restrict sand flow into a wellbore while allowing fluid flow into the wellbore, or to protect a metallic sand screen by employing the composite braided tubular sleeve as a protective shroud.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of providing a barrier at a predetermined location in downhole operations, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a first tubular sleeve of a woven material comprising a plurality of fibers in a braided arrangement, said tubular sleeve including a conductor selected from the group consisting of electrical conductors and optical fibers;    b) impregnating the sleeve with a curable resin;    c) radially enlarging the sleeve at the predetermined downhole location; and    d) curing the resin.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein step d) is accomplished by providing an exothermic reaction near the sleeve.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein step d) is accomplished by curing cement near the sleeve such that heat from the cement curing cures the resin.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including providing at least a second tubular sleeve that is coaxial with the first tubular sleeve.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the conductor is an optical fiber.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the conductor includes at least two of: electrically conducting wires for data transmission, optical fibers for data transmission, and electrically conducting wires for power transmission.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the conductor includes at least one sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including the step of installing the sleeve on the outer diameter of an expandable metallic casing or screen.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further including expanding the expandable casing or screen, wherein the sleeve expands during the expansion of the metallic casing.  
     
     
         10 . A method of installing a tubular member in a wellbore, the method comprising: 
 a) providing an expandable tubular member;    b) providing a flexible tubular sleeve around the tubular member, the sleeve comprising a plurality of fibers woven in a braided arrangement and a curable component;    c) installing the expandable tubular member in the wellbore;    d) expanding the expandable tubular member and flexible tubular sleeve in the wellbore; and    e) curing the curable component of the tubular sleeve so as to form a rigid sleeve.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the tubular braided sleeve is installed in the wellbore simultaneously with the expandable metallic casing or screen.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the tubular braided sleeve is installed in the wellbore after the expandable metallic casing is placed in the well.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein step e) is accomplished by providing an exothermic reaction near the sleeve.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein step e) is accomplished by curing cement near the sleeve such that heat from the cement curing cures the resin.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the tubular braided sleeve includes at least one of: electrically conducting wires for data transmission, optical fibers for data transmission, sensors, and electrically conducting wires for power transmission.  
     
     
         16 . A method of providing a barrier at a desired location within a wellbore while drilling, comprising: 
 providing a tubular sleeve of a biaxially woven material;    positioning the sleeve at the desired location;    impregnating the sleeve with a curable resin;    radially expanding the sleeve at the desired location; and    curing the resin.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the desired location is in a water-producing zone and the cured sleeve forms a water barrier.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the desired location is in a low fracture gradient zone.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the wellbore is air or foam drilled.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  where sleeve is expanded using a fluid.  
     
     
         21 . A method for restricting sand flow into a wellbore while allowing fluid flow into the wellbore, comprising 
 providing a braided tubular sleeve;    positioning the sleeve at a desired location where it is desired to restrict sand flow;    impregnating the sleeve with a curable composition;    expanding the sleeve such that it contacts the borehole wall; and    curing the curable composition so as to set the sleeve such that liquids can pass through the set sleeve but particulates cannot.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further including the step of cleaning the sleeve by providing a fluid flow from the inside of the sleeve outward through the sleeve.  
     
     
         23 . A method for protecting a metallic sand screen by employing a composite braided tubular sleeve as a protective shroud.