Swellable Energizer Seals for Damaged Wellbores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard seals, including non-swellable and swellable o-rings, fail to perform effectively in damaged well bores and gas applications, leading to leakage and blowouts in oil and gas wells.
Innovation Solution
A seal stack incorporating an annular sealing element with a groove containing a swellable energizer that expands upon solvent exposure, accompanied by annular back-ups and a cup seal sub-assembly with a swellable energizer, which extends the sealing projection and finger outward upon swelling, ensuring effective sealing in damaged areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard seals (non-swellable or swellable) are used in damaged bores and gas applications, then the seal structure is simple and easy to install, but the sealing performance deteriorates leading to leakage and blowouts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines a seal ring with a groove containing a swellable energizer into a single integrated sealing assembly. The energizer is embedded within the groove of the seal ring, merging the sealing function and the swelling actuation function into one component that works together to provide reliable sealing in damaged bores
Solution Approach 2:
The seal ring material parameters are changed to include swellable properties, allowing the seal to change its physical dimensions (expand) in response to solvent exposure. This parameter change enables the seal to adapt to damaged bore surfaces and maintain sealing effectiveness under varying well conditions
2Reliability
If seals are used in damaged well bores and gas applications, then sealing coverage is needed, but standard seals fail to maintain integrity under challenging well conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system transitions from a static seal ring to a dynamic system where the swellable energizer actively responds to solvent exposure by expanding. This dynamic behavior allows the seal to adapt to damaged bore surfaces and maintain sealing integrity under challenging well conditions including gas applications and pressure variations
3Reliability
If swellable energizer is added to enhance sealing in damaged areas, then sealing effectiveness improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the seal ring, the groove structure, and the swellable energizer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized and manufactured separately using appropriate processes, then assembled into the complete sealing assembly, making the complex device more manufacturable
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 swellable energizer expands up to 300% of its initial volume, effectively sealing damaged surfaces and maintaining seal integrity in challenging well conditions, reducing leakage and blowouts.
Implementation Method 1
A swellable energizer is disposed in the groove, wherein the swellable energizer expands upon exposure to a solvent causing the annual seal ring to expand
Implementation Method 2
a swellable energizer positioned between the leg portion of the carriage and the cup seal, wherein upon swelling the swellable actuator extends the sealing projection and finger outward from the carriage
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
A seal stack including a sealing element including an annular seal ring having a diameter and an axis defined therethrough perpendicular to the diameter, a groove defined in the seal ring, wherein the groove has an opening at a first end of the seal ring, and a swellable energizer disposed in the groove, wherein the swellable energizer swells upon exposure to a solvent causing the seal ring to expand. The seal stack also includes a first annular back-up and a second annular back-up provided at opposing ends of the sealing element, wherein said first back-up includes an interior surface that receives a second end of the sealing element.