Wellbore Sealing Tool with Expandable Seal Seat Extender
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wellbore sealing tools often struggle to maintain effective sealing in compromised casing or during re-frac operations due to insufficient expansion capabilities, leading to issues with pressure containment and tool anchoring.
Innovation Solution
A high-expansion well sealing tool featuring a seal seat with a tapered outer profile and a radially expandable seal seat extender, which increases the expansion of an annular packing element to enhance sealing force and maintain run-in-hole requirements, combined with an anchoring system for secure placement within the wellbore.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wellbore sealing tools are used, then the tool can be run into the wellbore, but the sealing effectiveness is insufficient in compromised casing or re-frac operations
Solution Approach 1:
The seal seat extender is designed to be radially expandable from an initial outer diameter to a larger expanded outer diameter. This dynamic expansion capability allows the tool to adapt to different casing conditions and achieve reliable sealing in compromised casing or re-frac operations where conventional fixed-diameter tools would fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool changes the critical parameter of seal seat outer diameter through expansion. By transitioning from an initial outer diameter to an expanded outer diameter, the seal seat increases the outer diameter of the annular packing element, thereby increasing sealing effectiveness and enabling use in previously unsuitable conditions.
2Reliability
If the seal seat extender is expanded to increase sealing force, then sealing efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal seat extender is positioned between the seal seat and the annular packing element, creating a nested arrangement. The extender itself can have expansion slots or be composed of separate sections that allow radial expansion while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. This nested configuration enables the expansion function without significantly increasing device complexity.
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 tool achieves increased sealing efficiency and pressure containment, allowing operations to continue even in conditions where standard tools are no longer viable, by expanding up to 44% more than conventional plugs, effectively sealing larger diametrical differences between the tool and casing.
Implementation Method 1
the seal seat extender expandable against the seal seat in response to an axial setting force
Implementation Method 2
a compliant annular packing element disposed against the seal seat extender, the annular packing element deformable outwardly into sealing engagement with the wellbore
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing tool, system and method for sealing a wellbore achieves increased expansion with the use of a seal seat extender. In one example, a seal seat (e.g., a ball seat) defines an axial flow bore in fluid communication with the wellbore to be sealed, a sealing profile for receiving a loose sealing element (e.g., a ball or dart) to close the axial flow bore, and a tapered outer profile. The seal seat extender is initially disposed against the seal seat and is expandable against the seal seat in response to an axial setting force, such as by sliding up the tapered outer profile of the seal seat and/or buckling outwardly, in response to a setting force. A compliant annular packing element disposed against the seal seat extender is deformable outwardly into sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to the axial setting force.