Retaining Shoe Configurations for Downhole Packer Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Downhole packers face premature expansion of seal elements due to low pressure regions created by high fluid circulation rates in wellbores, leading to premature setting issues during deployment in adverse environments.

Innovation Solution

A retaining shoe configuration is introduced, where a packer element covers at least a portion of the retaining shoe's distal surface in the unset position, and the shoe is designed with an inner and outer shoe configuration to prevent premature expansion, allowing for higher fluid flow rates during deployment without affecting the packer's setting mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high fluid circulation rates are used during deployment, then productivity is improved, but the low pressure region causes premature expansion of seal elements leading to premature setting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid circulation rateVSAvoidpremature setting

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The retaining shoe acts as an intermediary mechanical barrier between the packer element and the adverse fluid flow environment. It physically blocks the low pressure region created by high fluid circulation from reaching the packer element, thereby preventing premature expansion while allowing high fluid rates to continue during deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If the packer element is exposed to high fluid flow rates, then deployment speed is improved, but the seal element expands prematurely due to low pressure region

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidseal element stability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The retaining shoe is pre-positioned adjacent to the packer element before deployment begins. This preliminary positioning creates immediate protection against the adverse effects of fluid circulation, allowing the packer to be deployed at high speeds without risking premature seal element expansion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If high fluid circulation rates are maintained during deployment, then operational efficiency is improved, but the packer setting mechanism is triggered prematurely

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidpremature setting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The retaining shoe extracts or removes the harmful low pressure effect from the system by providing a physical barrier. This allows high fluid circulation rates to be maintained for operational efficiency without the detrimental side effect of triggering premature packer setting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8875799B2Covered retaining shoe configurations for use in a downhole tool

Publication Date: 2014.11.04 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

A downhole apparatus suitable for downhole application may include a mandrel; a packer element assembly disposed about the mandrel that comprises at least one packer element disposed about the mandrel; and a retaining shoe disposed about the mandrel and adjacent to a first packer element of the packer element assembly. The retaining shoe may be configured such that in an unset position at least a portion of the first packer element covers at least a portion of a retaining shoe distal surface.