Liner Expansion System with a Recoverable Shoe Assembly

Abstract

A system for expanding a tubular member. In some embodiments, the system includes an expansion assembly disposed in sealingly engagement within the tubular member, a shoe assembly releasably coupled within the tubular member, and a chamber disposed therebetween. The expansion assembly has a flowbore and a openable port. The shoe assembly includes a flowbore extending therethrough, the flowbore in fluid communication with the flowbore of the expansion assembly and having a valveable passage. When the valveable passage is closed, the port is adapted to open, whereby the chamber is fluidicly coupled to the flowbore of the expansion assembly. When the valveable passage is open, the port remains closed, whereby the chamber is fluidicly isolated from the flowbore of the expansion assembly.

1 . A system for expanding a tubular member, the system comprising:
 an expansion assembly disposed in sealingly engagement within the tubular member, the expansion assembly having:
 a flowbore; and 
 a openable port; 
   a shoe assembly releasably coupled within the tubular member, the shoe assembly comprising a flowbore extending therethrough, the flowbore in fluid communication with the flowbore of the expansion assembly and having a valveable passage; and   a chamber disposed within the tubular member between the expansion assembly and the shoe assembly;   wherein, when the valveable passage is closed, the port is adapted to open, whereby the chamber is fluidicly coupled to the flowbore of the expansion assembly; and   wherein, when the valveable passage is open, the port remains closed, whereby the chamber is fluidicly isolated from the flowbore of the expansion assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe assembly further comprises a plurality of moveable members, each moveable member radially extendable to engage the tubular member, whereby rotation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented and whereby axial translation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented in at least a first direction, and radially retractable to disengage the tubular member. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of circumferentially-spaced slots, each slot configured to receive one moveable member. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the expansion assembly comprises a plurality of axially extending splines and wherein the shoe assembly further comprises a plurality of axially extending splines configured to interlock with the splines of the expansion assembly, whereby the expansion assembly is prevented from rotating relative to the shoe assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the expansion assembly comprises an expansion cone and an expansion mandrel inserted therethrough, wherein the splines of the expansion assembly extend axially from the expansion mandrel. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a tubular support in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source and rotatably coupled to the expansion assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe assembly comprises:
 an outer tubular member having a plurality of radially moveable members, each moveable member engaging a slot formed in the tubular member, whereby rotation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented and whereby axial translation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented in at least one direction; and   an inner tubular member having a radially extending shoulder, the inner tubular member translatable within the outer tubular to engage the outer tubular with the shoulder, whereby the moveable members disengage the slots.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein an outer diameter of the shoulder is larger than an inner diameter of the moveable members. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe assembly comprises:
 an outer tubular member having a plurality of radially moveable members, each moveable member extendable to engage a slot formed in the tubular member, whereby rotation and axial translation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented, and retractable to disengage the slot; and   an inner tubular member having a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter less than the first diameter, the inner tubular member translatable within the outer tubular to engage the moveable members with the first portion, whereby the members extend to engage the slots, and to axially align the second portion with the members, whereby the members retract from the slots.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the inner tubular further comprises an axially extending shoulder, wherein the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the shoulder and wherein the shoulder has an outer diameter exceeding the inner diameter of the members when retracted. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe assembly comprises:
 an outer tubular member having a plurality of radially moveable members, each moveable member engaging a slot formed in the tubular member, whereby rotation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented and whereby axial translation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented in at least one direction; and   an inner tubular member translatable within the outer tubular, the inner tubular member having a neck adapted for insertion into the expansion assembly, whereby the flowbore of the shoe assembly is fluidicly coupled to the flowbore of the expansion assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the neck comprises at least one of an external fishing profile and an internal fishing profile. 
     
     
         13 . A system for expanding a tubular member, the system comprising:
 a tubular launcher having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced slots extending therethrough; and   a shoe assembly sealingly disposed therein, the shoe assembly having:
 a flowbore extending therethrough, the flowbore having a valveable passage; and 
 a plurality of members, each member radially moveable between an extended position and a retracted position; 
   wherein, when in the extended position, each member engages one of the slots, whereby rotation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular launcher is prevented and whereby axial translation of the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member is prevented in at least a first direction; and   wherein, when in the retracted position, each member is disengaged from the slots.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the tubular launcher comprises an upper launcher and a lower launcher coupled thereto, the lower launcher having the slots extending therethrough. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the lower launcher has an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the upper launcher. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein, when the members engage the slots, the shoe assembly is prevented from axial translation relative to the tubular launcher. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each member is a lug having a body, wherein the body is extendable into one of the slots and retractable from the slot, and a head coupled thereto, wherein the head has cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of each slot. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the lugs are spring-loaded and biased radially inward. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each member is an axially extending collet with a foot that is insertable within and retractable from each of the slots, the foot having a surface that slideably engages a surface bounding the slot in which the foot is inserted. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each collet is flexible, such that the collet is bendable in the radial direction to engage its foot within the slot and to disengage its foot from the slot. 
     
     
         21 . A method for expanding a tubular member in a wellbore, the method comprising:
 releasably coupling a shoe assembly within the tubular member;   delivering pressurized fluid through a flowbore of the shoe assembly, the flowbore having a valveable passage;   closing the valveable passage, whereby the pressurized fluid is diverted into a chamber disposed between the shoe assembly and an expansion cone;   translating the expansion cone relative to the tubular member under hydraulic pressure, whereby the expansion cone radially expands the tubular member;   disengaging the shoe assembly from the tubular member; and   retrieving the shoe assembly from the wellbore.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the releasably coupling comprises:
 inserting the shoe assembly within the tubular member; and   radially extending each of a plurality of moveable members coupled to the shoe assembly into a slot formed in the tubular member.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the closing comprises seating a ball on a ball seat formed within the shoe assembly across the valveable passage. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the disengaging comprises:
 applying a tension load to the shoe assembly;   displacing the shoe assembly relative to the tubular member; and   retracting each of a plurality of radially extended moveable members from a slot formed in the tubular member.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the applying comprises coupling a wireline to the shoe assembly and pulling on the wireline. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the retracting comprises:
 bending each moveable member radially away from the tubular member; and   slideably engaging a surface on each moveable member over a surface bounding the slot in which the moveable member is disposed.