Expandable Packer With Guard Drains for Sealing and Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dual and quad packer designs in the oil field services market face challenges due to excessive weight, length, and expense, making them difficult to deploy, and they lack effective sealing efficiency and resistance to foreign contaminants.

Innovation Solution

A packer system with expandable body ends, guard drains, sample drains, swivel connections, and a sealing element around the periphery, designed to establish fluid flow and create a seal with downhole formations, while minimizing contamination through strategically placed guard and sample inlets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dual or quad packer designs are used, then sealing efficiency is improved, but weight and length increase excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing efficiencyVSAvoidpacker weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The packer body is divided into multiple expandable segments or cells that can be inflated independently or together. This segmentation allows the packer to achieve effective sealing through distributed contact with the wellbore wall, reducing the need for excessive overall weight while maintaining reliable sealing across the isolation zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packer transitions from a linear weight/length burden to a radially expanding structure. By deploying the packer in an expanded radial configuration rather than relying on heavy axial structures, the design achieves superior sealing efficiency through increased surface area contact with the wellbore wall without proportionally increasing the deployed weight and length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If dual or quad packer designs are used, then sealing efficiency is improved, but device complexity and deployment difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing efficiencyVSAvoidpacker structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple sealing functions and structural support roles are merged into a single integrated packer body design. The expandable body simultaneously provides structural support, creates the sealing interface with the wellbore wall, and defines the isolation zone, eliminating the need for separate dual or quad packer assemblies and their associated complex deployment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If conventional packer designs are used, then fluid isolation is achieved, but resistance to plugging from foreign contaminants is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid isolationVSAvoidcontaminant plugging

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A filter screen or mesh structure is introduced as an intermediary element within the packer body or at the inlet ports. This intermediary structure allows fluid to pass through while physically blocking foreign contaminants such as sand, rock fragments, and debris, preventing plugging of the internal fluid pathways while maintaining effective fluid isolation across the seal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If packer surface area is increased for better sealing, then sealing efficiency is improved, but weight and expense increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The packer utilizes flexible thin-walled expandable cells or membranes that can be inflated to create a large effective sealing surface area. These thin-film structures provide the necessary compliance and surface area for effective sealing against the wellbore wall while requiring minimal material, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and weight compared to rigid thick-walled structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 packer system provides superior sealing efficiency, resistance to contamination, and efficient fluid sampling by expanding to seal against downhole formations, allowing for effective fluid collection and minimizing contamination, even in high-pressure and high-temperature environments.

Implementation Method 1

at least a portion of the body is configured to expand from a first unexpanded configuration to a second expanded configuration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the sealing element configured to create a seal between the sealing element and a downhole geological formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

at least one guard drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least one guard drain

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure Gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS9291027B2Packer and packer outer layer

Publication Date: 2016.03.22 SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP

AI summary

A packer is disclosed comprising a body with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are configured to establish a connection with downhole equipment and wherein at least one of the first end and the second end is configured to establish a fluid flow between the downhole equipment, at least one guard drain, at least one sample drain, at least one guard drain flow line, at least one sample drain flow line configured to transport fluid flow from and to the at least one sample drain and one of the first end and the second end of the body, two swivel connections and a sealing element.