Bi-directional Metal-to-Metal Wellbore Sealing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wellbore sealing systems provide unidirectional sealing capabilities, which are inadequate for handling pressure scenarios such as poor installation, formation collapse, leaks, and tubing and casing annulus pressures.
Innovation Solution
The development of bi-directional metal to metal (MTM) sealing systems and methods, which include a mandrel hanger body with a recessed portion and associated tool components, forming primary and secondary seals to resist pressures from both radially inward and outward directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unidirectional sealing arrangements are used, then the sealing system is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot resist pressure from multiple directions (tubing and casing annulus pressures)
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing elements: a first sealing surface for resisting borehole pressure and a second sealing surface for resisting tubing and casing annulus pressure. Each sealing surface is independently configured to handle specific pressure directions, allowing the system to address multi-directional pressure challenges while maintaining manageable complexity through functional segmentation.
2Reliability
If bi-directional sealing surfaces are added to resist multiple pressure directions, then the sealing reliability improves, but the installation torque and removal torque requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different sealing surfaces are optimized with distinct geometric characteristics tailored to their specific functions. The first sealing surface is configured with parameters optimized for resisting borehole pressure, while the second sealing surface has different geometric parameters optimized for resisting tubing and casing annulus pressure. This localized optimization allows each sealing interface to achieve high reliability without requiring excessive torque, as each surface is specifically designed for its pressure direction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sealing surfaces are configured for bi-directional pressure resistance, then the system can handle poor installation and formation collapse scenarios, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing component is designed as a multi-functional element that can resist pressures from multiple directions (borehole pressure and tubing/casing annulus pressure) simultaneously. By integrating multiple sealing surfaces into a single component structure, the system achieves versatility in handling various pressure scenarios including poor installation and formation collapse, while avoiding the need for multiple separate sealing devices, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A wellbore system includes a hanger body with a recessed portion, a primary sealing surface, a secondary sealing surface, and a retaining skirt. The recessed portion receives a nose of an associated tool component to form at least two metal to metal seals between the hanger body and the associated tool component. The primary sealing surface may be formed at a radially outward position to resist bore pressure and the secondary sealing surface may be formed between the recessed portion and a face of associated tool component to resist a radially inward pressure.