Wellbore Packer And Method

Abstract

A wellbore packer for setting against a wellbore wall in a wellbore, the wellbore packer including: a mandrel including a upper end and an lower end; and an outer housing encircling the mandrel and including a first compression ring, a second compression ring, an annular packing element encircling the mandrel and positioned between the first compression ring and the second compression ring, the sealing element being expandable to form an annular seal about the packer by compression between the first compression ring and the second compression ring; and an anchoring mechanism including a slip that is expandable outwardly into a set position and a slip actuation assembly to drive expansion of the slip.

1 . A wellbore packer for setting against a wellbore wall in a wellbore, the wellbore packer comprising:
 a mandrel including a upper end and an lower end; and   an outer housing encircling the mandrel and including a first compression ring, a second compression ring, an annular packing element encircling the mandrel and positioned between the first compression ring and the second compression ring, the sealing element being expandable to form an annular seal about the packer by compression between the first compression ring and the second compression ring; and an anchoring mechanism including a slip that is expandable outwardly into a set position and a slip actuation assembly to drive expansion of the slip.   
     
     
         2 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  wherein the mandrel has a one piece construction from the upper end to the lower end. 
     
     
         3 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  wherein the mandrel includes a bore extending from the upper end to the lower end and the mandrel is devoid of threaded connections between parts open into the bore. 
     
     
         4 . The wellbore packer of  claim 3  wherein the mandrel includes a tubing connection site at the upper end and the bore includes a seal bore portion extending from the tubing connection site toward the lower end. 
     
     
         5 . The wellbore packer of  claim 4  wherein the tubing connection site is a threaded box. 
     
     
         6 . The wellbore packer of  claim 3  wherein the bore includes a plug profile for accepting installation of a plug in the bore. 
     
     
         7 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  wherein the anchoring mechanism is positioned between the upper end and the packing elements. 
     
     
         8 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  wherein the slip actuation assembly is selected to operate to set the slips only after the packing element has expanded. 
     
     
         9 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  wherein the slip actuation assembly is selected to wedge a lower cone under the slip before an upper cone is wedged under the slip. 
     
     
         10 . The wellbore packer of  claim 1  further comprising a ratchet mechanism to lock compressive force into the anchoring mechanism and the packing element. 
     
     
         11 . A method for setting a packer against a wellbore wall in a wellbore, the method comprising:
 running into the wellbore with a wellbore packer connected to a tubing string, the wellbore packer including:
 a mandrel including a upper end and an lower end; and 
 an outer housing encircling the mandrel and including a first compression ring, a second compression ring, an annular packing element encircling the mandrel and positioned between the first compression ring and the second compression ring, the sealing element being expandable to form an annular seal about the packer by compression between the first compression ring and the second compression ring; and an anchoring mechanism including a slip that is expandable outwardly into a set position and a slip actuation assembly to drive expansion of the slip; 
   applying force to the packer to push the outer housing down over the mandrel, while the second compression ring is held stationary to compress the packing element and to cause the packing element to expand outwardly against the wellbore wall; and   continuing to apply force to compress the anchoring mechanism to drive the slip to expand outwardly into engagement with the wellbore wall.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the packing element expands before the slip expands outwardly. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the anchoring mechanism includes a lower cone between the slip and the packing element and an upper cone and compression of the anchoring mechanism drives the lower cone behind the slip and thereafter the upper cone is driven behind the slip. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising injecting fluids through a bore in the mandrel to a position below the packing element and the packing element isolating the fluids from the anchoring mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising inserting an injection string into a bore in the mandrel, the injection string engaging the mandrel and being sealed against the bore. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising injecting fluids from the injection string through the mandrel to a position below the packing element. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising pulling the injection string into tension to unset the packer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising retrieving the packer to surface on the injection string.