Turbulent flow tool

Abstract

An apparatus ( 10 ) for mounting on a tubular ( 12 ) for location in a bore comprises a seal comprising a swelling sealing material adapted to permit passage of fluid cement between the tubular and the surrounding bore wall which is void of set cement. Alternatively, the sealing material may expand into a space between the tubular and surrounding set cement.

1 . An apparatus for mounting on a tubular for location in a wellbore, the apparatus comprising:
 a seal comprising a swelling sealing material configured to permit passage of fluid cement between the tubular and a surrounding wellbore wall, the sealing material configured for subsequent volumetric expansion into a space between the tubular and the surrounding wellbore wall which is void of set cement, the shape of the sealing material configured to increase turbulence in a fluid passing between the seal and the wellbore wall.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a centraliser. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising attaching means for securing the apparatus to the tubular. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attaching means includes at least one of set screws, grub screws, bolts, shear pins, adhesives, welding and threaded connections. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a turbulating element including swelling sealing material configured to interact with wellbore fluids and to swell in response thereto. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the swelling sealing material is configured such that onset of swelling is delayed by a time selected to allow cement to be circulated and set between the tubular and the wellbore wall. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swelling sealing material is initiated by contact with a selected initiating material. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the initiating material comprises a fluid. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the fluid comprises at least one of liquid hydrocarbon, bitumen, gas, water, cement and a cement additive. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swelling sealing material is initiated by at least one of a selected triggering condition and triggering stimulus 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the triggering condition comprises one of applying an electric current, changing pressure, and changing temperature. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the triggering condition comprises in-situ temperature increase caused by curing cement. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier configured to provide a mounting for the swelling sealing material on the tubular. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the carrier includes a turbulating element. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the carrier is formed as a casting from at least one of card casting, die casting and wax casting. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one stop ring for mounting on the tubular. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the stop rings are configured to secure a carrier and a turbulating element to the tubular. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an interacting device configured to at least one of determine, identify, record and measure at least one of pressure and temperature after cement is disposed in the space between the seal and the wellbore wall. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the interaction device is configured to release at least one of a dye, paint and chemical in response to detecting of selected wellbore conditions. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to create a predetermined pressure drop in fluid passing thereacross. 
   
   
       21 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising turbulating elements adapted to form a corrugation along the carrier. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the stop ring is adapted to act in co-operation with a casing centraliser. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of seals adapted to be provided along the length of at least one tubular in the wellbore. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the seals are configured to be installed on an exterior of a plurality of different casing sizes in order to establish a plurality of barriers to fluid flow. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to at least one of determine, identify, register, measure and record at least one of pressure, temperature and fluid flow, and at least one parameter of the wellbore or a change of any of the foregoing. 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the device is configured to enable data access by at least one of a wireless, pipe-conveyed or wireline-conveyed tool. 
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the sensor is coupled to a device is configured to release an identifying agent into the wellbore. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the identifying agent is at least one of DNA and nucleonic or dye incorporated in the materials so as to identify fluids in contact with the device. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a galvanic protection element configured to protect to the tubular. 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a stop collar having turbulating features to promote turbulence of bypassing fluid during installation of the tubular or during the cementing phase. 
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , comprising a covering to isolate the turbulating features from fluid in the borehole. 
   
   
       32 . The apparatus  claim 31 , wherein the covering comprises a substantially impermeable membrane. 
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the membrane is adapted to decompose with respect to at least one of time, pressure and temperature. 
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the membrane is adapted to be breached after one of a selected time, a selected pressure application and a selected temperature application to enable a specific fluid to enter and to make contact with the turbulating element and initiate a swellable material therein.