Patent ID: 9482070
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method for sealing an annulus around an expanded section of an expandable tubular element in a wellbore, the expanded section of the expandable tubular section enclosing a tool string, wherein a downhole end portion of a wall of the expandable tubular element is bent radially outward and in axially reverse direction defining the expanded tubular section extending around an unexpanded tubular section of the expandable tubular element, the method comprising the steps of: i) introducing a first drilling fluid in the wellbore; ii) drilling an open hole section of the wellbore using a drilling tool suspended at the end of the tool string; iii) replacing the drilling fluid with a sealing fluid; iv) extending the tubular element into the sealing fluid in the open hole section of the wellbore, by pushing the unexpanded section into the expanded tubular section thereby creating a layer of sealing fluid in the annulus between the expanded tubular section and the wellbore; v) flushing part of the sealing fluid out of the wellbore, leaving the annulus filled with the layer of sealing fluid.