Patent ID: 6752205
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
An inflatable packer for positioning downhole from a tubular string and for sealing downhole in a wellbore, the packer comprising:a packer tube for supporting at the tubular string in the wellbore; an upper packer sub and a lower packer sub each supported on the packer tube; and an elastomeric bladder extending between the upper packer sub and the lower packer sub, the bladder being axially stretched prior to inflation between the upper and lower packer subs to satisfy the relationship: S&gE;n*(REâˆ’RN)/L*100%, where S=stretch of the bladder (%); n=maximum number of folds along the length of the bladder; RE=radius of engagement of the bladder when packer is inflated in the borehole; RN=nominal radius of the tubular bladder; and L=length of the bladder.