Patent ID: 8201635

Claim:
A method of expanding a tubular element suitable for installation in a well, comprising: installing an expander tool in the tubular element, the tubular element having an interior and an inner diameter, the expander tool comprising: a flexible sleeve having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the tubular element, and being made from a flexible elastic material of predetermined thickness; a cone expander section on which the sleeve is mounted, the cone expander section including a first cone having a first narrow end that fits inside the sleeve and having a diameter that increases from the first narrow end to a maximum at a base that is greater than the inner diameter of the sleeve but less than the inner diameter of the tubular element; and a first elongate mandrel extending from an end of the cone expander section on the opposite side to the first narrow end; positioning the expander tool at a first predetermined location in the tubular element to be expanded; fixing the position of the flexible sleeve at the first predetermined location; urging the cone expander section through the flexible sleeve from one end to the other so as to expand the flexible sleeve against the interior of the tubular element and cause the tubular element in turn to expand, the expander tool being urged through the sleeve until it exits the other end of the flexible sleeve; allowing the flexible sleeve to contract around the first mandrel such that the outer diameter of the sleeve is less than the unexpanded inner diameter of the tubular element; and moving the expander tool with the flexible sleeve located around the first mandrel away from the expanded location.