Patent ID: 8555987

Claim:
A method of creating a wellbore system, the method comprising: a) arranging an expandable tubular element in a wellbore formed in an earth formation whereby the tubular element extends from the surface downwardly into the wellbore and a lower end portion of a wall of the tubular element extends radially outward and in an axially reverse direction so as to form an expanded tubular section extending around a remaining tubular section of the expandable tubular element; b) axially extending the expanded tubular section by applying a downward force to the remaining tubular section at the surface thereby moving the remaining tubular section downward relative to the expanded tubular section so that the lower end portion of the wall bends radially outward and in an axially reverse direction, whereby an annulus is defined between the expanded and remaining tubular sections, the annulus containing a fluid; c) replacing a volume of the fluid by pumping a stream of a replacement fluid into the annulus and discharging the volume of the fluid from the annulus whereby at least one of the volume of the fluid and the stream of the replacement fluid flows through a conduit extending into the annulus, wherein the replacement fluid and the fluid have mutually different densities; and d) arranging sealing means in the annulus so as to seal the replacement fluid from the fluid.