Abstract:
Disclosed is an improved apparatus and method for completing a wellbore using radially expandable tubing. An expanding tool is used with sets of rollers positioned to progressively expand the tubing by rolling along the interior of the tubing.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present inventions relate to improvements in methods and apparatus used to install tubing in a wellbore. More particularly the present inventions relate to methods and apparatus for using and installing radially expandable tubular members including production liners and screens in subterranean well locations.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS  
         [0002]    Radially expandable tubular members are typically moved into the well through the existing well tubing and then expanded radially to a larger diameter. Radial enlargement is accomplished by forcing an expanding die axially through the length of tubing. An example of this prior art procedure is described in the United States Patent to Lohbeck U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,012 issued Nov. 22, 1994 entitled Method of Completing an Uncased Section of a Borehole. According to the Lohbeck patent, a tapered expansion mandrel  15  connected to drill string  16  is forced through the tubular member to deform it into larger diameter. The mandrel had a largest diameter greater than the internal diameter of the tubular member. In the United States Patent to Kinley U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,677 entitled Method and Apparatus For Setting Liners in Tubing a pall shaped expander is used. In the United States Patent to Kinlay et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,193 issued Jan. 15, 1974 entitled Liner Expanding Apparatus, a tubing expander device is disclosed which is positioned in the well in a retracted condition and once in position is expanded to engage the tubing. Using expansion mandrels and dies requires large axial forces and creates large friction forces, which can cause damage to the tubular member. Rotating mandrels with off set rollers thereon have been attempted but require rotational power sources.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS  
         [0003]    The present inventions contemplate an improved apparatus and methods of expanding tubular members in wellbores that overcome the problems associated with forcing expanding dies through lengths of tubing and failures caused by the large frictional forces encountered during expansion.  
           [0004]    According to the present invention a plurality of sets of rollers carried on a tool body are moved axially through the tubular member. The roller sets define an effective cross section that is larger than the cross section of the internal diameter of the tubular member. The rollers rotate during the expansion process by engaging and rolling along the interior wall of the tubular member. The rolling action reduces friction and damage to the tubular member caused thereby.  
           [0005]    In one embodiment, the roller sets are arranged with increasingly larger effective cross sections to progressively expand the tubular member. In one embodiment the rollers are retracted when the tool is moved into the well and extended to engage and expand the tubular member. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present inventions. These drawings together with the description serve to explain the principals of the inventions. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative examples of how the inventions can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the inventions to only the illustrated and described examples. The various advantages and features of the present inventions will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings in which:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a subterranean location in a wellbore, illustrating an expandable tubular member being lowered into position;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the tubing installed and after it is expanded in the wellbore using the apparatus and methods of the present inventions;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a side elevation view partially in section illustrating an embodiment of the tubing expander apparatus of the present inventions expanding a section of tubing;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tool of FIG. 3;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a section view taken on line  5 - 5  of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a detail view illustrating an embodiment of roller assembly configuration in the tool according to the present inventions;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a schematic section view of the tool illustrating the effective cross section formed by a set of rollers;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating another roller configuration according to the present inventions;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating yet another roller configuration according to the present inventions;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating a further roller configuration according to the present inventions;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is a schematic elevation view of one configuration for a set of rollers according to the present inventions;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 12 is a schematic elevation view of another configuration for a set of rollers according to the present inventions;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 13 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating a tool embodiment according to the present inventions for retracting and expanding the rollers with the rollers illustrated in the expanded position;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 14 is a partial enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the a roller assembly in the retracted position according to the present inventions;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 13 illustrating the rollers in the expanded position;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line  16 - 16  of FIG. 15 looking in the direction of the arrows;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 17 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating another tool embodiment according to the present inventions for retracting and expanding the rollers with the rollers illustrated in the expanded position; and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 18 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating a further tool embodiment according to the present inventions for retracting and expanding the rollers with the rollers illustrated in the expanded position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    The present inventions are described by reference to drawings showing one or more examples of how the inventions can be made and used. In these drawings, reference characters are used throughout the several views to indicate like or corresponding parts.  
         [0026]    In FIGS. 1 and 2, a subterranean portion of a well  10 , illustrated in section, has a cemented casing  12  terminating above an open hole  14 . Tubing connector  16  is illustrated at the casing end for supporting a tubing assembly  20 . A suitable collar  22  on the assembly  20  is designed to mate with the connector  16 . Although one system is illustrated for supporting the tubing assembly there are many other systems well known in the industry suitable for use with these inventions such as tubing hangers and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the tubing assembly  20  comprises a tubular member  24  coupled at  26  to a tubular screen or perforated liner section.  28 . The illustrated tubing assembly is merely illustrative of many configurations of tubular members and the terms tubing assembly when used herein are generic an not intended to be limited to any particular assembly or types of tubular members and include combinations or pipe, screen, liners and the like with cylindrical, corrugated and other wall shapes.  
         [0027]    In FIG. 1, tubing assembly  20  is illustrated being lowered through the casing  12  into the well  10  on a drill string (not shown). In FIG. 2 the tubing assembly is expanded to a full bore diameter using an expander tool constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present inventions.  
         [0028]    In FIGS.  3 - 6  an embodiment of the expander tool  40  of the present invention is illustrated. In FIG. 3, the tool  40  is illustrated expanding a portion of tubing assembly  20 . Tool  40  has an elongated central body  42  connected to a drill string  44  by threads or the like. A plurality of tubing expander elements are longitudinally spaced on the body  42 . These expander elements include a guide head  50  and four sets of rollers  60 ,  70 ,  80 , and  90 . The tool  40  is designed to be forced down hole (in the direction of arrow “d”) by the weight of the drill string  44 . Alternatively, the expander could be pulled through the tubing assembly in the uphole direction.  
         [0029]    Guide head  50  is sized to fit in the tubing assembly  20 . A plurality of axially extending ribs  52  engages the internal surface of the tubing assembly and centrally align the tool body  40  in the tubing. The downhole facing ends  54  of these ribs  52  are tapered to guide the head into the open end of the tubing. Since the roller sets perform the expansion steps, head  50  is preferably sized to act only as a guide with a small clearance with the internal surface of the tubing assembly. However, an interference fit is acceptable with some tubing deformation occurring before roller engagement. Although one guide head is shown in front of a roller set, it is envisioned that one or more guide heads could be used behind one or more roller sets to shape the tubing cross section. In addition, it is anticipated that a large number of smaller closely spaced roller assemblies could be used shape the tubing cross section after or during expansion.  
         [0030]    Each of the roller sets  60 ,  70 ,  80  and  90  are typical in construction. Each has a plurality of roller assemblies  100  mounted to pivot about axis transverse to the length of the tubing assembly  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, each roller assembly comprises a shaft portion  102  and at least one endless tubing member contact surface  104 . In FIG. 6 the details of an embodiment of the roller assembly  100  are shown. Roller assembly  100  has a central shaft portion  102  and two spaced endless tubing contact surfaces  104 . Assembly  100  is symmetrical and designed to rotate about axis  106 . Axis  106  is aligned to be transverse to the tool and in a plane perpendicular to the center line  112  of the tubing assembly  20 . A lubrication fitting  108  connected to internal lubrication passageways  110  can be provided to supply lubrication to the surface of shaft  102 .  
         [0031]    Contact surfaces  104  are profiled to match the expanded internal surface of tubing assembly  20 . This relationship is illustrated with surface  104  conforming to a cylindrical surface with a radius R measured from the tubing center line  112 , with the value of R being selected to match the expanded tubing member internal diameter. Alternatively, the roller assembly could be made with a single contact surface with a shaft on each side.  
         [0032]    As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and  5  each roller set contains a plurality of roller assemblies  100  spaced circumferentially about the tool body  42  with their out most surfaces arranged in a circle with a radius R larger than the unexpanded tubing assembly. For example, the roller set  60  could have a radius R an incremental amount larger than the internal diameter of the tubing assembly to be expanded. Roller sets  70 ,  80  and  90  could each have a radius R slightly larger than the adjacent downhole roller set (to the left in the drawings) and would progressively expand the tubing as the tool  40  is forced through it by the string  44 . The endless contact surfaces  104  roll along the interior of the tubing preventing damage caused by friction forces generated using conventional expansion mandrels.  
         [0033]    In FIG. 3, the typical mounting of one of the roller assemblies  100  of roller set  90  is shown. Shaft portion  102  engages a bearing portion  120  of a bracket  122 . Lifting tool  40  causes shaft  102  to retract out of contact with the tubing section and down ramp  124  of bracket  122 . Although, in this illustrated embodiment all roller assemblies utilize the ramp mounting to allow the roller to retract when the tool is lifted out of the well, it is envisioned that in some well configurations only the largest roller assembles would have the ability to retract.  
         [0034]    In FIG. 7, a roller set is shown expanding a section of tubing  20 . As can be seen the expanded tubing  20  does not exactly conform to a circle, in that, the roller surfaces  104  contacting the interior of the tubing are spaced apart and are not a continuous circle. Effective cross section refers to the cross section shape of the interior of the tubing. The effective cross section has an effective radius R, effective cross sectional area A and effective circumference C. Unexpanded cylindrical tubing&#39;s effective cross section is circular. The effective cross section of expanded tubing is not necessarily completely circular.  
         [0035]    As is illustrated in FIGS.  8 - 10 , the number of roller surfaces and their spacing has an effect on the shape of the effective cross section of the tubing  20 . In addition, the tubing material, thickness and amount of expansion would change the cross section shape. Preferably, the rollers are positioned so that their highest contact point is in a circle in the plane P-P as shown in FIG. 11. Plane P-P is transverse to the tool length and perpendicular to the tubing axis. In FIG. 12 another configuration is illustrated with the adjacent rollers  100  axially offset. In this configuration the roller contact points do not conform to a circle.  
         [0036]    In the tool embodiment  140  illustrated in FIGS.  13 - 16 , the roller, assemblies can be retracted during run in and extended for the expansion step. In FIG. 13 tubing, assembly  20  is being expanded by tool assembly  140  as it is forced (pushed in downhole direction of arrow d by drill string  44 ) through the tubing from right to left in the figure. When using the retractable tool assembly  140  the drill string could also be connected to the tool  140  at the guide head  150  to force or pull the tool through the tubing assembly  20  in an up hole direction.  
         [0037]    Tool assembly  140  (like tool  40 ) has a body  142  with a guide head  150 , and a plurality of roller sets  160 ,  170  (not shown),  180 , and  190  carried thereon. The guide head and roller sets on tool assembly  140  function in the same manner as described with regard to tool  40 .  
         [0038]    Tool  140  has cylindrical outer portion  146  defining a chamber  148  in which is mounted the means for extending and retracting the roller assemblies. Cylindrical portion  146  is illustrated as a single piece but it is fabricated (as is well known in the industry) in multiple pieces connected together by threads, pins, welding and the like. These connections are not shown for simplicity purposes.  
         [0039]    A chamber  156  and piston  158  in portion  146  define a variable volume in fluid communication with the drill string through port  162 . By varying the fluid pressure in drill string  44 , piston  158  can be reciprocated axially in chamber  156 . In FIG. 13 pressure has been raised in chamber  156  causing piston  158  to move axially in the direction of arrow d against stop  164 .  
         [0040]    An actuating rod  172  is mounted to axially reciprocate in a second chamber  174  in portion  146 . Rod  172  is connected to and is moved axially by piston  158 . When fluid pressure in chamber  156  moves piston  158  against stop  164 , coil spring  174  is compressed against wall  176  and rod  172  is moved into the chamber  156 . When pressure in chamber  156  is reduced spring  174  moves piston  158  toward the drill string  44  while moving rod  172  in the same direction. Rod  172  has a plurality of cam surfaces  178  which engage and move the roller assemblies into and out of the retracted and extended positions.  
         [0041]    In FIGS.  13 - 16 , the interaction between the cam surface  178  on rod  172  and roller assemblies will be described. Roller assembly  200  is mounted on a bracket  222  similar to the non-retractable embodiment but with the roller shaft portion supported from a surface  224  which may be without the ramp, as illustrated, or may be ramped (see ramp surface  124  in FIG. 3). Cylindrical portion  146  has a plurality of axially extending slots  182  in its wall for receiving roller brackets  222 . Brackets  222  are designed to be movable with respect to portion  146  in and out of the slots  182 . A flange  184  (See FIG. 16) is larger in cross section than slot  182  and is connected to bracket  222  to restrict outward movement of the bracket  222 .  
         [0042]    In FIG. 14 the roller assembly  200  is shown in the retracted position with the cam surface  178  is axially spaced from the flange  184 . When piston  158  moves the rod  178  from the FIG. 14 retracted position to the FIG. 15 extended position, cam surface  178  engages the flange  184  forcing the roller assembly  200  outward to the extended position. A leaf spring  186  urges the bracket  222  toward the retracted position and when the rod  172  is moved out of contact with the flange  184 , the roller assembly will retract.  
         [0043]    In FIG. 17 another roller assembly  300  embodiment is illustrated in solid line extended and in dotted lines retracted. Roller bracket  322  is pivoted from tool body  342  on shaft  344 . The roller assembly rotates in the directions of arrow E about axis  344  from the retracted position shown in dotted lines to the extended position shown in solid lines. A slot  346  can be formed in body  342  to allow the bracket to pivot into the body  342 . A stop similar to stop  164  can be provided to limit outward rotation. An actuating rod  372  is moved axially in the direction of arrow d in body  342  by the previously described piston chamber assembly to engage the bracket with cam surface  378  to extend the bracket  322 . When the rod  372  is retracted a suitable spring  348  causes the bracket to rotate to the retracted position.  
         [0044]    In FIG. 18 a further embodiment of a retractable roller assembly  400  is illustrated in solid lines in the retracted position and in dotted lines in the extended position. In this embodiment the bracket  422  is fixed to the exterior of the body  442 . Bracket  422  has an outwardly inclined ramp surface  424  supporting roller shaft  402 . As the tool body  442  is moved down holed (arrow d) contact between the roller and the tubing assembly will tend to cause the roller shaft  402  to climb the ramp  424  and move to the extended position shown in dotted lines. However, during movement of the tool into position, a releasable latch shown here in the form of a pin  444  holding the shaft  402  in the retracted position (solid lines) at the bottom of the ramp  424 . Pin  444  is biased by compression spring  446  to move in the direction of arrow X out of the path of shaft  402 . Once tool body  442  is in position in the well, the actuating rod  472  is moved axially from under pin  444  allowing spring  446  to retract the pin down out of contact with the shaft  402 . With pin  444  retracted, downward movement (direction of arrow d) of the tool will allow shaft  402  to climb ramp  424  to the extended position to perform the tubing assembly expanding step. Once expansion is completed lifting up on the tool body  442  will cause the roller to move down ramp  424  to the retracted position. In addition, the actuating shaft  472  can be moved downward by a cylinder-piston assembly (not shown) until cam surface  478  engages pin  444  and returns it to the locking position shown in FIG. 18.  
         [0045]    According to the present inventions the wellbore is completed through a series of steps. First, a tubing assembly is provided comprising at least in part an expandable tubular member. The tubular assembly can be a continuous tubular member, or a liner with drainage openings and/or screen. Either before or after any required perforation steps, the tubing assembly is positioned in the well where it is to be expanded. Once in the desired position, the tubing assembly is radially expanded by engaging it with an expander tool having sets of rollers positioned on the tool to progressively expand the tubing assembly as the tool is moved through the tubular assembly. In the extendable tool embodiment, the tool is moved to a position adjacent the tubular member in the retracted condition and expands the tubular member while in the radially extended condition. Thereafter the tool can be retracted and moved out of the well.  
         [0046]    The embodiments shown and described above are only exemplary. Many details are often found in the art such as: actuator pistons and cylinders, expandable tubing, expandable liners, and expandable screens and the like. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. It is not claimed that all of the detail parts, elements, or steps described and shown were invented herein. It is also envisioned that a conventional chemical powered setting tool or the like could operate the extendable tool. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present inventions have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the inventions, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the inventions to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms used the attached claims.  
         [0047]    The restrictive description and drawings of the specific examples above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to provide at least one explanation of how to make and use the inventions. The limits of the inventions and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims: