Pipe Formality Evaluation for Expandable Tubulars

Abstract

A method of testing a tubular member and selecting tubular members for suitability for expansion by subjecting a representative sample the tubular member to axial loading, stretching at least a portion of the tubular member through elastic deformation, plastic yield and to ultimate yield, and based upon changes in length and area calculating an expandability coefficient indicative of expandability of the tubular members and selecting tubular members with relatively high coefficients indicative of good expandability.

1 . A method for manufacturing an expandable member used to complete a structure by radially expanding and plastically deforming the expandable member, comprising: 
 forming the expandable member from a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.08%.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: forming the expandable member from a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.20% and a charpy V-notch impact toughness of at least about 6 joules.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: forming the expandable member from a steel alloy comprising the following ranges of weight percentages: 
 C, from about 0.002 to about 0.08;    Si, from about 0.009 to about 0.30;    Mn, from about 0.10 to about 1.92;    P, from about 0.004 to about 0.07;    S, from about 0.0008 to about 0.006;    Al, up to about 0.04;    N, up to about 0.01;    Cu, up to about 0.3;    Cr, up to about 0.5;    Ni, up to about 18;    Nb, up to about 0.12;    Ti, up to about 0.6;    Co, up to about 9; and    Mo, up to about 5.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: forming the expandable tubular member with a ratio of the of an outside diameter of the expandable tubular member to a wall thickness of the expandable tubular member ranging from about 12 to 22.  
   
   
       5 . An expandable member for use in completing a wellbore by radially expanding and plastically deforming the expandable member at a downhole location in the wellbore, comprising: 
 a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.08%.    
   
   
       6 . The expandable member of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.20% and a charpy V-notch impact toughness of at least about 6 joules.    
   
   
       7 . The expandable member of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a steel alloy comprising the following ranges of weight percentages: 
 C, from about 0.002 to about 0.08;  
 Si, from about 0.009 to about 0.30;  
 Mn, from about 0.10 to about 1.92;  
 P, from about 0.004 to about 0.07;  
 S, from about 0.0008 to about 0.006;  
 Al, up to about 0.04;  
 N, up to about 0.01;  
 Cu, up to about 0.3;  
 Cr, up to about 0.5;  
 Ni, up to about 18;  
 Nb, up to about 0.12;  
 Ti, up to about 0.6;  
 Co, up to about 9; and  
 Mo, up to about 5.  
   
   
   
       8 . The expandable member of  claim 5  further comprising: 
 an expandable tubular member with a ratio of the of an outside diameter of the expandable tubular member to a wall thickness of the expandable tubular member ranging from about 12 to 22.    
   
   
       9 . A structural completion, comprising: 
 one or more radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members positioned within the wellbore;    wherein one or more of the radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members are fabricated from a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.08%.    
   
   
       10 . The structural completion of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 one or more radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members;    wherein one or more of the radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members are fabricated from a steel alloy comprising a weight percentage of carbon of less than about 0.20% and a charpy V-notch impact toughness of at least about 6 joules.    
   
   
       11 . The structural completion of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 one or more radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members;    wherein one or more of the radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members are fabricated from a steel alloy comprising the following ranges of weight percentages: 
 C, from about 0.002 to about 0.08;  
 Si, from about 0.009 to about 0.30;  
 Mn, from about 0.10 to about 1.92;  
 P, from about 0.004 to about 0.07;  
 S, from about 0.0008 to about 0.006;  
 Al, up to about 0.04;  
 N, up to about 0.01;  
 Cu, up to about 0.3;  
 Cr, up to about 0.5;  
 Ni, up to about 18;  
 Nb, up to about 0.12;  
 Ti, up to about 0.6;  
 Co, up to about 9; and  
 Mo, up to about 5.  
   
   
   
       12 . The structural completion of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 one or more radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members positioned within the structure;    wherein one or more of the radially expanded and plastically deformed expandable members are fabricated from an expandable tubular member with a ratio of the of an outside diameter of the expandable tubular member to a wall thickness of the expandable tubular member ranging from about 12 to 22.    
   
   
       13 . A method for manufacturing a tubular member used to complete a wellbore by radially expanding the tubular member at a downhole location in the wellbore comprising: 
 forming a steel alloy comprising a concentration of carbon between approximately 0.002% and 0.08% by weight of the steel alloy.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising forming the steel alloy with a concentration of niobium comprising between approximately 0.015% and 0.12% by weight of the steel alloy.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: forming the steel alloy with low concentrations of niobium and titanium; and limiting the total concentration of niobium and titanium to less than approximately 0.6% by weight of the steel alloy.  
   
   
       16 . An expandable tubular member for use in completing a wellbore completion within a wellbore that traverses a subterranean formation by radially expanding and plastically deforming the expandable tubular member within the wellbore, comprising: 
 a steel alloy having a charpy energy of at least about 90 ft-lbs;    a steel alloy having a charpy V-notch impact toughness of at least about 6 joules; and    a steel alloy comprising the following ranges of weight percentages: 
 C, from about 0.002 to about 0.08;  
 Si, from about 0.009 to about 0.30;  
 Mn, from about 0.10 to about 1.92;  
 P, from about 0.004 to about 0.07;  
 S, from about 0.0008 to about 0.006;  
 Al, up to about 0.04;  
 N, up to about 0.01;  
 Cu, up to about 0.3;  
 Cr, up to about 0.5;  
 Ni, up to about 18;  
 Nb, up to about 0.12;  
 Ti, up to about 0.6;  
 Co, up to about 9; and  
 Mo, up to about 5;  
   wherein a ratio of the of an outside diameter of the expandable tubular member to a wall thickness of the expandable tubular member ranging from about 12 to 22; and    wherein the expandable tubular member is strain aged prior to the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the expandable tubular member within the wellbore.