Expandable Liner With Porous Non-Memory Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current expandable liners for sand control in oil exploitation face challenges such as high manufacturing and operating costs, complex operations, clogging, and damage when bending, which affect their sand-control performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An expandable liner design featuring a base pipe with a porous non-memory formed and compressible expandable layer made of materials like hardened polyurethane, attached via a degradable binder, and a degradable constraining sleeve that decomposes downhole, allowing for improved sand control and reduced costs, along with a water-controlling valve and plate for efficient fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If shape memory polymer layer is used to create expandable liner, then expandability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable liner is divided into multiple independent layers: a base pipe layer, a screen pipe layer, and a porous expandable layer. Each layer performs a specific function, and the porous expandable layer uses simpler compressible material rather than expensive shape memory polymer, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining expandability functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses compressible porous material for the expandable layer instead of expensive shape memory polymer. This cheaper material achieves the same expandable function through compression and release mechanisms, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining the necessary adaptability.
2Reliability
If gravel pack is used with liner for sand control, then sand-control effect is improved, but operation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sand control function and the liner structure are merged into a single integrated device. The porous expandable layer itself provides sand control capability through its porous structure, eliminating the need for separate gravel pack operations and reducing operational complexity while maintaining effective sand control.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable liner serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, enables sand control through its porous expandable layer, and allows fluid flow. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate gravel pack systems, reducing operational complexity while maintaining reliable sand control.
3Reliability
If expandable liner outer wall is pressed against casing pipe inner wall, then sand production is reduced, but flow area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The liner applies contact pressure locally at the interface with the casing pipe through the porous expandable layer, providing sand control where needed. The base pipe and screen pipe maintain larger cross-sectional areas for fluid flow, achieving both sand control and adequate flow area through differentiated local properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous expandable layer provides sand control through its porous structure that filters sand particles while allowing fluid passage. This eliminates the need to press the outer wall tightly against the casing pipe, maintaining larger flow areas while still achieving effective sand production control.
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 design significantly reduces manufacturing and operating costs while maintaining effective sand-control performance and wellbore support, with the water-controlling features enhancing oil exploitation efficiency by minimizing water content during pumping.
Implementation Method 1
a degradable binder, which allows separating the base pipe from the porous expandable layer after operating for a period of time
Implementation Method 2
a degradable constraining sleeve is provided at an exterior of the porous expandable layer, wherein the degradable constraining sleeve has an inner diameter smaller than a maximum outer diameter of the porous expandable layer when the porous expandable layer is not constrained. The degradable constraining sleeve constrains the porous expandable layer until it is decomposed downhole.
Implementation Method 3
the porous expandable layer is configured to allow a fluid to pass radially through the porous expandable layer to enter the base pipe
Implementation Method 4
the porous expandable layer can be compressed under an external force and expanded once the external force is removed
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable liner and a method for running the same including a base pipe, wherein the base pipe is provided with a passage extending through an axial direction of the base pipe, a connection structure disposed at both ends of the base pipe, and screen openings on a wall of the base pipe; a porous expandable layer is fixedly attached to an exterior of the base pipe and made of a non-memory formed and compressible material. The expandable liner and the method, by adopting a non-memory porous expandable layer, realize a sand-control performance and a wellbore-supporting capability of a technology where memory materials are used in manufacturing, operating and running.