Anchoring Module with Compliant Rings for Borehole Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing devices in oil and gas exploration, such as packers, are prone to extrusion under increased axial pressures and temperatures, limiting their effectiveness in maintaining a seal within boreholes.
Innovation Solution
An expandable anchoring module comprising compliant rings and an inflatable bladder that radially expands to securely anchor within boreholes, capable of conforming to varying cross-sectional topologies and diameters, and includes a support module to transfer loads and prevent extrusion of sealing elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packers with inflatable elements are used to seal off the borehole, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the sealing element is subject to extrusion through the reinforcing material under increased axial pressures and temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The packer is divided into multiple segments including a leading segment, trailing segment, and intermediate segments. Each segment can independently expand and seal, distributing the sealing load and preventing extrusion through the reinforcing material. The segments are connected by allowables that permit relative movement, enabling the packer to conform to the borehole while maintaining seal integrity under axial pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The packer incorporates movable elements including allowables between segments that permit relative axial movement. This dynamic structure allows the packer to adjust its configuration under load, with segments able to shift axially to maintain sealing contact without being extruded through the reinforcing material, thereby maintaining reliability under varying pressure and temperature conditions.
2Strength
If the anchoring module expands to interface with the borehole structure, then anchoring strength is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple compliant rings and interconnecting portions
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple compliant rings with interconnecting portions are combined to form an integrated anchoring structure. The compliant rings are arranged in series along the axial direction and connected through interconnecting portions, creating a unified structure that provides enhanced anchoring strength while maintaining compliance with the borehole geometry through the inherent flexibility of the combined elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring module uses compliant rings made of flexible materials that can deform and conform to the borehole structure. These flexible elements expand radially to interface with the borehole wall, providing anchoring strength through friction and mechanical interlocking while the material flexibility accommodates variations in borehole geometry without requiring complex rigid structures.
3Manufacturing precision
If the compliant ring is designed to expand to a fixed diameter ratio, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to varying borehole diameters and geometries is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant rings are designed with dynamic expansion capability where the diameter ratio can vary during operation. The rings expand from a collapsed configuration during deployment to a expanded configuration when anchoring, with the ability to adjust their diameter based on the borehole geometry encountered, thereby maintaining both manufacturing precision for the base structure and adaptability for varying applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring module utilizes parameter changes in the compliant rings, specifically the ability to change their radial dimension from a relaxed state to an expanded state. This parameter change allows the rings to adapt to different borehole diameters while maintaining controlled manufacturing tolerances for the ring structure itself, achieving both precision and versatility through the expandable mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anchoring module effectively secures within boreholes, resisting axial forces and maintaining a seal across varying diameters and geometries, while allowing for self-retraction and adaptation to different borehole profiles, enhancing operational reliability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an inflatable bladder to expand the at least one compliant ring from its substantially relaxed position to an expanded position
Implementation Method 2
the system can also collapse by itself due its capacity to store potential energy when it is expanded
Data Source
AI summary
An anchoring module capable of being secured within a structure includes at least one compliant ring configured to radially expand and an expandable device positioned within the compliant ring to expand the compliant ring from a relaxed state to interface with the structure. The anchoring module is part of a modular system used to harvest fluid, such as oil or natural gas from a structure, such as a pipe or well. Another module of the system, sometimes referred to as a support or back-up module, employs an expandable surface that is capable of expanding to the diameter of the interior of the borehole. These modules may be combined in a variety of configurations to support a sealing element, such as an inflatable sealing element. The self-conforming nature of the system obviates the need for prior knowledge of the structure or complex sensor systems to chart the structure. The anchoring module can also be utilized in a crawling system to convey tools inside a structure.