Patent ID: 7743825
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for selectively obstructing a cased or open hole wellbore extending from a surface, comprising: a mandrel having an outer surface; a compressive assembly movably mounted to said outer surface of said mandrel on opposed ends of a sealing element assembly to retain said sealing element assembly while longitudinally compressing said sealing element assembly into sealing contact with the wellbore; a selectively actuated heat source located adjacent said sealing element assembly; said sealing element assembly further comprising a unitary sealing element made of a predetermined material mounted on said mandrel said element having a consistent stiffness therethrough and structurally capable of sealing a wellbore when compressed, said heat source actuated when said element is compressed to temporarily reduce the stiffness of said element and reduce the force required of said compressive assembly to bring said sealing element into initial wellbore sealing contact; said heat source selectively deactivated with said sealing element in a sealing position in the wellbore to allow the stiffness of the sealing element to increase when in the sealing position to enhance the sealing contact in the wellbore.