Downhole Slip Member Overlap for Wellbore Seal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional downhole anchoring systems face challenges in maintaining a secure seal and engagement with the wellbore inner surface due to radial expansion of slip members, which often results in gaps at the upper ends, compromising the anchoring and sealing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The anchoring system employs slip members with specifically shaped upper ends that overlap each other, both in the run-in and set positions, featuring projections and detents to maintain contact and prevent gaps, along with a swage actuator for radial expansion, ensuring continuous engagement and sealing with the wellbore surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If slip members are radially expanded to engage with the wellbore inner surface, then anchoring strength is improved, but gaps form at the upper ends compromising seal integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The upper ends of slip members are segmented into multiple slip surfaces arranged radially. Each slip surface can independently engage with the wellbore inner surface, allowing the system to maintain both anchoring strength and seal integrity through distributed contact points rather than relying on a single continuous surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The slip surfaces are positioned asymmetrically at different radial distances from the central axis. This asymmetric arrangement allows the outermost slip surfaces to contact the wellbore inner surface first during expansion, establishing the seal before the anchoring engagement, thereby preventing gap formation while maintaining both functions.
2Reliability
If slip members are designed with overlapping upper ends, then gap prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping upper ends of adjacent slip members are merged to form a continuous seal surface. This merging eliminates gaps between slip members while maintaining the individual functionality of each slip member, achieving gap prevention without requiring complex additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlapping upper end design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents gap formation for sealing, provides structural continuity for load distribution, and maintains the radial expansion capability for anchoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in 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
This design enhances the anchoring system's ability to maintain a secure seal and engagement with the wellbore, preventing gaps and ensuring effective anchoring and sealing, even during radial expansion, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the downhole anchoring system.
Implementation Method 1
the actuator comprises a swage member which is pushed into a bore of the tubular member causing the slips to move radially outward
Data Source
AI summary
Anchoring systems for disposition in wellbores and tubular devices comprise a tubular member defined by two or more radially expandable slip members. The upper ends of the slip members are shaped such that when the slip members are in their respective run-in positions and in their respective set positions, a portion of an upper end of one slip member overlaps a portion of an upper end of another slip member so that the longitudinal space between each slip member that is created when the slip members are in their set position are blocked by the upper end of at least one of the slip members. Thus, in their set position, the upper end of at least one of the slip members provides a back-up to a sealing element that can be disposed adjacent to and in contact with the upper ends of the slip members when in their set positions.