End Ring Sloped Shoulder for Swell Packer Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current swell packers and frac strings often jam or stop midway in wellbores, leading to costly and dangerous operations, with a need for easy installation and prevention of explosions, while also requiring enhanced pressure resistance and smooth sliding capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The development of an end ring with a first and second ring of identical inner diameter, where the second ring is 25% thicker, connected by a shoulder with a sloped outer surface, featuring tapered flutes and multiple fastener holes, allowing for easy installation and pressure resistance, and enabling smooth sliding and reaming of wellbores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If swell packers and frac strings are run to the bottom of the well, then the desired depth is reached, but they may jam or stop midway in the wellbore
Solution Approach 1:
The end ring incorporates a sloped outer surface on the shoulder that transitions smoothly between the first and second rings. This curved/sloped geometry prevents abrupt transitions that could cause the assembly to catch on wellbore irregularities, enabling smooth sliding to the target depth while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The end ring features localized structural variations including a thicker second ring (25% thicker than the first ring) at the trailing end, and tapered flutes at specific locations. These local quality enhancements provide targeted strength where needed while maintaining overall smooth geometry for reliable deep wellbore penetration
2Reliability
If the end ring structure is made robust to prevent jamming, then reliability improves, but the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end ring is segmented into distinct functional zones: a first ring, a shoulder with sloped outer surface, and a thicker second ring. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural coherence and manageable complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The end ring serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural strength to prevent jamming, creates smooth transitions to enable easy sliding, and incorporates tapered flutes for reaming capabilities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall system while improving reliability
3Strength
If the second ring is made thicker to enhance pressure resistance, then strength improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second ring is specifically made 25% thicker than the first ring at the trailing end where it experiences the highest pressure and contact stresses during wellbore traversal. This localized thickness enhancement provides targeted strength improvement without unnecessarily increasing the thickness of the entire end ring structure
Data Source
AI summary
An end ring having a first ring with an inner diameter, a second ring with the inner diameter and a thickness 25 percent greater than the first ring; a shoulder with a sloped outer surface connecting the first ring to the second ring; a plurality of flutes formed in an outer surface of the end ring, a plurality of fastener holes formed in the first and second rings, wherein the end ring either slides over a first end of a base pipe and fastens together the base pipe and edges of a rubber tubular surrounding the base pipe; or slides over a first end of a frac tubular and fastens edges of a frac sleeve to the frac tubular. The invention includes a swell packer and a frac tubular having the end rings.