Packer With Pivotable Anti-Extrusion Petals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Open-hole packers face challenges in maintaining seal integrity due to axial forces causing deformation and extrusion of sealing members, especially in high-pressure and high-expansion situations, where traditional back-up rings are prone to failure.

Innovation Solution

A packer design featuring a sealing element with axial gage rings and pivotally coupled petals that expand radially to prevent extrusion, providing a robust seal by applying axial force and pivoting to maintain contact with the wellbore wall.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional metal back-up rings are used to prevent extrusion, then extrusion resistance is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to bending and breaking under axial load and high radial expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveextrusion resistanceVSAvoidback-up ring reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The back-up ring is divided into multiple petal elements that are pivotally coupled together, allowing each petal to independently respond to radial expansion forces while maintaining collective extrusion resistance. This segmentation prevents the structural failures experienced with continuous metal rings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The petal elements are designed to pivot dynamically in response to radial expansion, transforming from a static rigid structure to a dynamic adaptive system. This allows the back-up ring to accommodate high radial expansion without generating excessive stresses that would cause bending or breaking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the sealing element is highly expandable to seal in washed-out sections, then sealing capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to extrusion through the annulus under high axial forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing adaptabilityVSAvoidseal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The petal elements are pre-positioned to provide preliminary protection against extrusion before high axial forces are applied. As radial expansion begins, the petals immediately pivot to establish extrusion resistance, preventing the sealing element from being forced into the annulus during the expansion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The dynamic pivoting capability of the petal elements allows the system to adapt to varying expansion levels while maintaining extrusion resistance throughout the expansion process, ensuring seal integrity across different wellbore conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If relatively thin back-up rings are used, then device complexity is reduced, but strength deteriorates under axial load and high radial expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveback-up ring complexityVSAvoidback-up ring strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Dividing the back-up ring into petal segments allows each individual petal to be thin and simple in structure, yet the collective arrangement of multiple petals provides the necessary strength and flexibility to withstand axial loads and high radial expansion without requiring complex thick-walled construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 effectively prevents sealing element extrusion and maintains seal integrity even in high-expansion applications, enhancing the reliability of the packer's sealing performance.

Implementation Method 1

the gage ring applies an axial force to the sealing element to expand the sealing element radially outwards

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadial expansion:

Implementation Method 2

the plurality of petals are configured to pivot radially outwards when the sealing element radially expands

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPivoting motion: Hinge

Data Source

PatentUS10718178B2Packer with pivotable anti-extrusion elements

Publication Date: 2020.07.21 INNOVEX DOWNHOLE SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

A packer includes a sealing element positioned at least partially around a tubular, the sealing element having an axial end, a gage ring positioned at least partially around the tubular and adjacent to the axial end of the sealing element, and a plurality of petals pivotally coupled to the gage ring, extending at least partially axially therefrom toward the sealing element, and positioned radially outwards of the axial end of the sealing element. The gage ring is movable axially along the tubular, towards the sealing element, such that the gage ring applies an axial force to the sealing element to expand the sealing element radially outwards, and the plurality of petals are configured to pivot radially outwards when the sealing element radially expands.