RADIALLY EXPANDING CASING AND DRILLING A WELLBORE

APPAREIL ET PROCEDE D'EXPANSION RADIALE D'UN GAINAGE DE PUITS ET DE FORAGE D'UN PUITS

English Abstract

A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing (18) and drilling a wellbore
(48).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé d'expansion radiale d'un gainage de puits et de forage d'un puits.

Claims

CLAIMS


1. An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation, comprising:
an expandable tubular member:
an expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to
radially
expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the
wellbore comprising:
a tubular expansion mandrel; and
a tubular expansion mandrel launcher for housing the tubular expansion
mandrel coupled to the expandable tubular member;
a pump coupled to the expansion device adapted to pump fluidic materials
through
the tubular expansion mandrel into a portion of the tubular expansion
mandrel launcher;
a drilling device coupled to the expansion device adapted to receive the
fluidic
materials pumped into the portion of the tubular expansion mandrel launcher
and drill the wellbore within the subterranean formation comprising:
one or more flow control elements for controlling the flow of the received
fluidic materials;
a motor coupled to the flow control elements adapted to be operated by the
fluidic materials; and
a drill coupled to the motor adapted to be driven by the motor; and
a controller coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is
programmed to control the expansion device and the drilling device to operate
in one of the following modes of operation; (a) drilling the wellbore using
the
drilling device or expanding the tubular member using the expansion device;
or {b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device and expanding the
tubular
member using the expansion device simultaneously.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operational characteristics of the
flow control
elements vary as a function of the operational characteristics of the pumped
fluidic materials.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operational characteristics of the
flow control
elements comprise a resistance to flow of the fluidic materials.



34



4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operational characteristics of the
pumped
fluidic materials comprise a frequency dependent component.

5. (Canceled)

6. A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore; and
operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a method
comprising:
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the
following
in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then simultaneously performing the
following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device;
wherein the expansion device comprises an expansion mandrel.

7. A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore; and
operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a method
comprising:
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the
following
in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then simultaneously performing the
following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device;


35


wherein the expansion device comprises a rotating expansion device.

8. A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable Casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore; and
operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a method
comprising:
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the
following
in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then simultaneously performing the
following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
varying the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and the
expansion device as a function of the operational characteristics of pumped
fluidic materials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the operational characteristics of at least
one of the
drilling device and the expansion device comprise a resistance to flow of the
fluidic
materials.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the operational characteristics of at least
one of the
drilling device and the expansion device comprise a frequency dependent
component.

11. (Canceled)

12. A system for radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
means for positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially
expanding the expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the
wellbore within the wellbore; and
means for operating the expansion device and the drilling device comprising:
means for selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;


36



if drilling or expanding is selected, then means for sequentially performing
the
following in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then means for simultaneously
performing the following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
means for varying the operational characteristics of at least one of the
drilling device and
the expansion device as a function of the operational characteristics of the
pumped fluidic materials.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operational characteristics of at
least one of the
drilling device and the expansion device comprise a resistance to flow of the
fluidic
materials.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operational characteristics of at
least one of the
drilling device and the expansion device comprise a frequency dependent
component.

15. An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation, comprising:
an expandable tubular member;
an expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to
radially
expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the
wellbore;
a drilling device coupled to the expansion device adapted to drill the
wellbore within
the subterranean formation; and
a controller coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is
programmed to control the expansion device and the drilling device to operate
in one of the following modes of operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using
the
drilling device or expanding the tubular member using the expansion device;
or (b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device and expanding the
tubular
member using the expansion device simultaneously.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the expansion device comprises an
expansion
mandrel.



37



17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the expansion device comprises a
rotating
expansion device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises one or more
flow control
elements whose operational characteristics are frequency dependent.

19. An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation, comprising:
an expandable tubular member;
an expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to
radially
expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the
wellbore comprising:
a tubular expansion mandrel; and
a tubular expansion mandrel launcher for housing the tubular expansion
mandrel coupled to the expandable tubular member;
a pump coupled to the expansion device adapted to pump fluidic materials
through
the tubular expansion mandrel into a portion of the tubular expansion
mandrel launcher;
a drilling device coupled to the expansion device adapted to receive the
fluidic
materials pumped into the portion of the tubular expansion mandrel launcher
and drill the wellbore within the subterranean formation comprising:
one or more flow control elements for controlling the flow of the received
fluidic materials;
a motor coupled to the flow control elements adapted to be operated by the
fluidic materials; and
a drill coupled to the motor adapted to be driven by the motor; and
a controller coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is
programmed to control the expansion device and the drilling device to operate
in one of the following modes of operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using
the
drilling device or expanding the tubular member using the expansion device;
or (b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device and expanding the
tubular
member using the expansion device simultaneously;
wherein the operational characteristics of the flow control elements vary as a
function
of the operational characteristics of the pumped fluidic materials;
wherein the operational characteristics of the flow control elements comprise
a
resistance to flow of the fluidic materials; and
wherein the operational characteristics of the pumped fluidic materials
comprise a


38


frequency component.

20. A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore; and
operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a method
comprising:
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the
following
in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device;
if drilling and expanding is selected, then simultaneously performing the
following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
varying the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and
the expansion device as a function of the operational characteristics of
pumped fluidic materials;
wherein the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and the
expansion device comprise a resistance to flow of the fluidic materials; and
wherein the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and the
expansion device comprise a frequency dependent component.

21. A system for radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
means for positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially
expanding the expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the
wellbore within the wellbore;
means for operating the expansion device and the drilling device comprising'
means for selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then means for sequentially performing
the
following in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then means for simultaneously


39




performing the following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
means for varying the operational characteristics of at least one of the
drilling device
and the expansion device as a function of the operational characteristics of
pumped fluidic materials;
wherein the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and the
expansion device comprise a resistance to flow of the fluidic materials; and
wherein the operational characteristics of at least one of the drilling device
and the
expansion device comprise a frequency dependent component.

22. An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation, comprising:
an expandable tubular member,
an expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to
radially
expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the
wellbore;
a drilling device coupled to the expansion device adapted to drill the
wellbore within
the subterranean formation; and
a controller coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is
programmed to control the expansion device and the drilling device to operate
in one of the following modes of operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using
the
drilling device or expanding the tubular member using the expansion device;
or (b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device and expanding the
tubular
member using the expansion device simultaneously;
wherein the controller comprises one or more flow control elements whose
operational characteristics are frequency dependent.

23. A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore; and
operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a method
comprising:
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the
following
in any order:



40



extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then simultaneously performing the
following
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device;
wherein the casing is expanded in a direction toward a top of the casing.

24. A system for radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation, comprising:
means for positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially
expanding the expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the
wellbore within the wellbore; and
means for operating the expansion device and the drilling device using a
method
comprising:
means for selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding;
if drilling or expanding is selected, then means for sequentially performing
the
following in any order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device; and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then means for simultaneously
performing the following:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device; and
expanding the casing using the expansion device;
wherein the casing is expanded in a direction toward a top of the casing.


41

Description

CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RADIALLY EXPANDING A WELLBORE CASING AND
DRILLING A WELLBORE
Cross Reference To Related Applications
[001] The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/462,750, attorney docket no. 25791.193, filed on
April 14, 2003, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[002] This application is a continuation-in-part of one or more of the
following: 1) U.S. utility
patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02,
filed on March
10,2000, 2) U.S. utility patent application serial no. 09/962,469, attorney
docket no.
25791.62, filed on 9/25/2001, 3) U.S. utility patent application serial no.
09/962,470, attorney
docket no. 25791.63, filed on 9/25/2001, 4) U.S. utility patent application
serial no.
09/962,471, attorney docket no. 25791.64, filed on 9/25/2001, 5l U.S. utility
patent
application serial no. 09/962,467, attorney docket no. 25791.65, filed on
9/25/2001, 6) U.S.
utility patent application serial no. 09/962,468, attorney docket no.
25791.66, filed on
9/25/2001, 7) U.S. utility patent application serial no. 10/421,682, attorney
docket no.
25791.256, filed on 4/23/2003, and 8) U.S. utility patent application serial
no. 10/418,688,
attorney docket no. 25791.257, filed on 4/18/2003, the disclosures of which
are incorporated
herein by reference.
(003] The present application is related to the following: (1) U.S. Patent
Number 6,497,289,
which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney
docket no.
25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (2) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/510,913, attorney
docket no. 25791.7.02, filed on 2/23/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/121,702, filed on 2/25/99, (3) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/502,350, attorney
docket no. 25791.8.02, filed on 2/10/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/119,611, filed on 2/11/99, (4) U.S. patent no. 6,328,113, which was filed
as U.S. Patent
Application serial number 09/440,338, attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed
on
11/15/99, which claims priority from provisional application 60/108,558, filed
on 11/16/98, (5)
U.S. patent application serial no. 10/169,434, attorney docket no.
25791.10.04, filed on
7/1/02, which claims priority from provisional application 60/183,546, filed
on 2/18/00, (6)
U.S. patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no.
25791.11.02, filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99, (7)
U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/512,895,
attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (8) U.S. patent number 6,575,240,
which was filed
as patent application serial no. 09/511,941, attorney docket no. 25791.16.02,
filed on
2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/121,907,
filed on 2/26/99, (9)
1



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/588,946,
attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (10) U.S. patent application serial
no. 09/981,916,
attorney docket no. 25791.18, filed on 10/18/01 as a continuation-in-part
application of U.S.
patent no. 6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338,
attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (11) U.S. patent number 6,604,763,
which was
filed as application serial no. 09/559,122, attorney docket no. 25791.23.02,
filed on
4/26/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/131,106,
filed on 4/26/99,
(12) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/030,593, attorney docket no.
25791.25.08, filed on
1/8/02, which claims priority from provisional application 60/146,203, filed
on 7/29/99, (13)
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/143,039, attorney docket no.
25791.26, filed
on 7/9/99, (14) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/111,982, attorney docket
no.
25791.27.08, filed on 4/30/02, which claims priority from provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/162,671, attorney docket no. 25791.27, filed on 11/1/1999, (15) U.S.
provisional
patent application serial no. 60/154,047, attorney docket no. 25791.29, filed
on 9/16/1999,
(16) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/438,828, attorney
docket no. 25791.31,
filed on 1/9/03, (17) U.S. patent number 6,564,875, which was filed as
application serial no.
09/679,907, attorney docket no. 25791.34.02, on 10/5/00, which claims priority
from
provisional patent application serial no. 60/159,082, attorney docket no.
25791.34, filed on
10/12/1999, (18) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/089,419, filed on
3/27/02, attorney
docket no. 25791.36.03, which claims priority from provisional patent
application serial no.
60/159,039, attorney docket no. 25791.36, filed on 10/12/1999, (19) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 09/679,906, filed on 10/5/00, attorney docket no. 25791.37.02,
which claims
priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/159,033, attorney
docket no.
25791.37, filed on 10/12/1999, (20) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/303,992, filed on
11/22/02, attorney docket no. 25791.38.07, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/212,359, attorney docket no. 25791.38, filed on
6/19/2000, (21) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/165,228, attorney docket no.
25791.39, filed on
11/12/1999, (22) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/455,051,
attorney docket
no. 25791.40, filed on 3/14/03, (23) PCT application US02/2477, filed on
6/26/02, attorney
docket no. 25791.44.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/303,711, attorney docket no. 25791.44, filed on 7/6/01, (24) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 10/311,412, filed on 12/12/02, attorney docket no. 25791.45.07,
which claims
priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/221,443, attorney
docket no.
25791.45, filed on 7/28/2000, (25) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/,
filed on 12/18/02,
attorney docket no. 25791.46.07, which claims priority from provisional patent
application
2



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
serial no. 60/221,645, attorney docket no. 25791.46, filed on 7/28/2000, (26)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10!322,947, filed on 1/22/03, attorney docket no.
25791.47.03, which
claims priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/233,638,
attorney docket no.
25791.47, filed on 9/18/2000, (27) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/406,648, filed on
3/31/03, attorney docket no. 25791.48.06, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/237,334, attorney docket no. 25791.48, filed on
10/2/2000, (28) PCT
application US02/04353, filed on 2/14/02, attorney docket no. 25791.50.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/270,007,
attorney docket no.
25791.50, filed on 2/20/2001, (29) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/465,835, filed on
6/13/03, attorney docket no. 25791.51.06, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/262,434, attorney docket no. 25791.51, filed on
1/17/2001, (30) U.S.
patent application serial no. 10/465,831, filed on 6/13/03, attorney docket
no. 25791.52.06,
which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/259,486, attorney
docket no. 25791.52, filed on 1/3/2001, (31) U.S. provisional patent
application serial no.
60/452,303, filed on 3/5/03, attorney docket no. 25791.53, (32) U.S. patent
number
6,470,966, which was filed as patent application serial number 09/850,093,
filed on 5/7/01,
attorney docket no. 25791.55, as a divisional application of U.S. Patent
Number 6,497,289,
which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney
docket no.
25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (33) U.S. patent number 6,561,227, which was
filed as patent
application serial number 09/852,026 , filed on 5/9/01, attorney docket no.
25791.56, as a
divisional application of U.S. Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as
U.S. Patent
Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on
12/3/1999, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98,
(34) U.S. patent
application serial number 09/852,027, filed on 5/9/01, attorney docket no.
25791.57, as a
divisional application of U.S. Patent Number 6,497289, which was filed as U.S.
Patent
Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on
12/3/1999, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98,
(35) PCT Application
US02/25608, attorney docket no. 25791.58.02, filed on 8/13/02, which claims
priority from
provisional application 60/318,021, filed on 9/7/01, attorney docket no.
25791.58, (36) PCT
Application US02/24399, attorney docket no. 25791.59.02, filed on 8/1/02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/313,453,
attorney docket no.
25791.59, filed on 8/20/2001, (37) PCT Application US02/29856, attorney docket
no.
25791.60.02, filed on 9/19/02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent application
serial no. 60/326,886, attorney docket no. 25791.60, filed on 10/3/2001, (38)
PCT
Application US02/20256, attorney docket no. 25791.61.02, filed on 6/26/02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/303,740,
attorney docket no.
3



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
25791.61, filed on 7/6/2001, (39) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/962,469, filed on
9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.62, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (40) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/962,470, filed on 9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.63, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02,
filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99,
(41) U.S. patent application serial no. 09/962,471, filed on 9/25/01, attorney
docket no.
25791.64, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application serial no.
09/523,468, attorney
docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (42) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/962,467, filed on
9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.65, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (43) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/962,468, filed on 9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.66, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02,
filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99,
(44) PCT application US 02/25727, filed on 8/14/02, attorney docket no.
25791.67.03, which
claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/317,985, attorney docket
no. 25791.67, filed on 9/6/2001, and U.S. provisional patent application
serial no.
60/318,386, attorney docket no. 25791.67.02, filed on 9/10/2001, (45) PCT
application US
02/39425, filed on 12/10/02, attorney docket no. 25791.68.02, which claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/343,674 , attorney docket
no. 25791.68,
filed on 12/27/2001, (46) U.S. utility patent application serial no.
09/969,922, attorney docket
no. 25791.69, filed on 10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application
of U.S. patent
no. 6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338,
attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (47) U.S. utility patent
application serial no.
10/516,467, attorney docket no. 25791.70, filed on 12/10/01, which is a
continuation
application of U.S. utility patent application serial no. 09/969,922, attorney
docket no.
25791.69, filed on 10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. patent no.
6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338, attorney
docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (48) PCT application US 03/00609,
filed on 1/9/03,
attorney docket no. 25791.71.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/357,372 , attorney docket no. 25791.71, filed on
2/15/02, (49) U.S.
patent application serial no. 10/074,703, attorney docket no. 25791.74, filed
on 2/12/02,
4



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as
patent application
serial no. 09/512,895, attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (50) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 10/074,244, attorney docket no. 25791.75, filed on 2/12/02, which
is a divisional of
U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/512,895,
attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (51) U.S. patent application serial
no. 10/076,660,
attorney docket no. 25791.76, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S.
patent number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (52) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/076,661, attorney
docket no. 25791.77, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (53) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/076,659, attorney
docket no. 25791.78, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2124/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (54) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,928, attorney
docket no. 25791.79, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (55) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,922, attorney
docket no. 25791.80, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (56} U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,921, attorney
docket no. 25791.81, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (57) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/261,928, attorney
docket no. 25791.82, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946,
attorney docket no.
25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/137,998,
filed on 6/7/99, (58) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/079,276 , attorney
docket no.
25791.83, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number
6,568,471, which was
filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895, attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/121,841,
filed on 2/26/99,
(59) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/262,009, attorney docket no.
25791.84, filed on
10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (60)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/092,481, attorney docket no. 25791.85, filed on
3/7/02, which is a
divisional of U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent
application serial no.
09/512,895, attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims
priority from
provisional application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (61) U.S. patent
application serial no.
10/261,926, attorney docket no. 25791.86, filed on 10/1/02, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/588,946,
attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (62) PCT application US 02/36157,
filed on 11/12/02,
attorney docket no. 25791.87.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/338,996, attorney docket no. 25791.87, filed on
11/12/01, (63) PCT
application US 02/36267, filed on 11/12/02, attorney docket no. 25791.88.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/339,013,
attorney docket no.
25791.88, filed on 11/12/01, (64) PCT application US 03/11765, filed on
4/16/03, attorney
docket no. 25791.89.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/383,917, attorney docket no. 25791.89, filed on 5/29102, (65) PCT
application US
03/15020, filed on 5/12/03, attorney docket no. 25791.90.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/391,703, attorney docket no.
25791.90, filed on
6/26/02, (66) PCT application US 02/39418, filed on 12/10/02,.attorney docket
no.
25791.92.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application
serial no.
60/346,309, attorney docket no. 25791.92, filed on 1/7/02, (67) PCT
application US-
03/06544, filed on 3/4/03, attorney docket no. 25791.93.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/372,048, attorney docket no.
25791.93, filed on
4112/02, (68) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/331,718, attorney docket
no. 25791.94,
filed on 12/30/02, which is a divisional U.S. patent application serial no.
09/679,906, filed on
10/5/00, attorney docket no. 25791.37.02, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/159,033, attorney docket no. 25791.37, filed on
10/12/1999, (69)
PCT application US 03/04837, filed on 2/29/03, attorney docket no.
25791.95.02, which
claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/363,829, attorney
docket no. 25791.95, filed on 3/13/02, (70) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/261,927,
attorney docket no. 25791.97, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S.
patent number
6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946,
attorney docket no.
25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/137,998,
6



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
filed on 6/7/99, (71) U.S, patent application serial no. 10/262,008, attorney
docket no.
25791.98, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number
6,557,640, which was
filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no.
25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed
on 6/7/99, (72}
U.S. patent application serial no. 10/261,925, attorney docket no. 25791.99,
filed on
10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (73)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/199,524, attorney docket no. 25791.100, filed on
7119/02, which is
a continuation of U.S. Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as U.S. Patent
Application
serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (74) PCT
application US
03/10144, filed on 3/28/03, attorney docket no. 25791.101.02, which claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/372,632, attorney docket no.
25791.101,
filed on 4/15/02, (75) U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/412,542, attorney
docket no. 25791.102, filed on 9/20/02, (76) PCT application US 03/14153,
filed on 5/6/03,
attorney docket no. 25791.104.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/380,147, attorney docket no. 25791.104, filed on
5/6/02, (77) PCT
application US 03/19993, filed on 6/24/03, attorney docket no. 25791.106.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/397,284,
attorney docket no.
25791.106, filed on 7/19/02, (78) PCT application US 03/13787, filed on
5/5/03, attorney
docket no. 25791.107.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/387,486 , attorney docket no. 25791.107, filed on 6/10/02, (79)
PCT application
US 03/18530, filed on 6/11/03, attorney docket no. 25791.108.02, which claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/387,961, attorney docket no.
25791.108,
filed on 6/12/02, (80) PCT application US 03/20694, filed on 7/1/03, attorney
docket no.
25791.110.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application
serial no.
60/398,061, attorney docket no. 25791.110, filed on 7/24/02, (81) PCT
application US
03/20870, filed on 7/2/03, attorney docket no. 25791.111.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/399,240, attorney docket no.
25791.111, filed on
7/29/02, (82) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/412,487,
attorney docket no.
25791.112, filed on 9/20/02, (83) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,488,
attorney docket no. 25791.114, filed on 9/20/02, (84) U.S. patent application
serial no.
10/280,356, attorney docket no. 25791.115, filed on 10/25/02, which is a
continuation of
U.S. patent number 6,470,966, which was filed as patent application serial
number
09/850,093, filed on 5/7/01, attorney docket no. 25791.55, as a divisional
application of U.S.
Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no.
09/454,139,
7



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (85) U.S. provisional patent
application serial no.
60/412,177, attorney docket no. 25791.117, filed on 9/20/02, (86) U.S.
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/412,653, attorney docket no. 25791.118, filed on
9/20/02, (87) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/405,610, attorney docket no.
25791.119, filed on
8/23/02, (88) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/405,394,
attorney docket no.
25791.120, filed on 8/23/02, (89) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,544,
attorney docket no. 25791.121, filed on 9/20/02, (90) PCT application US
03/24779, filed on
8/8/03, attorney docket no. 25791.125.02, which claims priority from U.S.
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/407,442, attorney docket no. 25791.125, filed on
8/30/02, (91) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/423,363, attorney docket no.
25791.126, filed on
12/10/02, (92) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/412,196,
attorney docket no.
25791.127, filed on 9/20/02, (93) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,187,
attorney docket no. 25791.128, filed on 9/20/02, (94) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/412,371, attorney docket no. 25791.129, filed on 9/20/02, (95)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/382,325, attorney docket no. 25791.145, filed on
3/5/03, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent
application serial
no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (96) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 10/624,842, attorney docket no. 25791.151, filed on 7/22/03, which is a
divisional of
U.S. patent application serial no. 09/502,350, attorney docket no. 25791.8.02,
filed on
2/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/119,611,
filed on 2/11/99,
(97) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/431,184, attorney
docket no.
25791.157, filed on 12/5/02, (98) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/448,526,
attorney docket no. 25791.185, filed on 2/18/03, (99) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/461 X539, attorney docket no. 25791.186, filed on 4/9/03, (100)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/462,750, attorney docket no. 25791.193, filed
on 4/14/03,
(101) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/436,106, attorney
docket no.
25791.200, filed on 12/23/02, (102) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/442,942,
attorney docket no. 25791.213, filed on 1/27/03, (103) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/442,938, attorney docket no. 25791.225, filed on 1/27/03, (104)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/418,687, attorney docket no. 25791.228, filed
on 4/18/03,
(105) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/454,896, attorney
docket no.
25791.236, filed on 3/14/03, (106) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/450,504,
attorney docket no. 25791.238, filed on 2/26/03, (107) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/451,152, attorney docket no. 25791.239, filed on 3/9/03, (108)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/455,124, attorney docket no. 25791.241, filed
on 3/17/03,
8



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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(109) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/453,678, attorney
docket no.
25791.253, filed on 3/11/03, (110) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/421,682, attorney
docket no. 25791.256, filed on 4/23/03, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application
serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (111) U.S.
provisional
patent application serial no. 60/457,965, attorney docket no. 25791.260, filed
on 3/27/03,
(112) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/455,718, attorney
docket no.
25791.262, filed on 3/18/03, (113) U.S. patent number 6,550,821, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/811,734, filed on 3/19/01, (114) U.S. patent
application serial no.
10/436,467, attorney docket no. 25791.268, filed on 5/12/03, which is a
continuation of U.S.
patent number 6,604,763, which was filed as application serial no. 09/559,122,
attorney
docket no. 25791.23.02, filed on 4/26/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/131,106, filed on 4/26/99, (115} U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/459,776,
attorney docket no. 25791.270, filed on 4/2/03, (116) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/461,094, attorney docket no. 25791.272, filed on 4/8/03, (117)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/461,038, attorney docket no. 25791.273, filed
on 4/7/03,
(118) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/463,586, attorney
docket no.
25791.277, filed on 4/17/03, (119) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/472,240,
attorney docket no. 25791.286, filed on 5/20/03, (120) U.S. patent application
serial no.
10/619,285, attorney docket no. 25791.292, filed on 7/14/03, which is a
continuation-in-part
of U.S. utility patent application serial no. 09/969,922, attorney docket no.
25791.69, filed on
10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent no.
6,328,113, which
was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number 09/440,338, attorney docket
number
25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/108,558,
filed on 11/16/98, (121) U.S. utility patent application serial no.
10/418,688, attorney docket
no. 25791.257, which was filed on 4/18/03, as a division of U.S. utility
patent application
serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (122) PCT
patent
application serial no. PCT/US04/06246, attorney docket no. 25791.238.02, filed
on
2/26/2004, (123) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/08170 ,
attorney docket
number 25791.40.02, filed on 3/15/04, (124) PCT patent application serial
number
PCT/US04/08171, attorney docket number 25791.236.02, filed on 3/15/04, (125)
PCT patent
application serial number PCT/US04/08073, attorney docket number 25791.262.02,
filed on
3/18/04, (126) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/07711, attorney
docket
number 25791.253.02, filed on 3/11/2004, (127) PCT patent application serial
number
PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number 25791.260.02, filed on 3/26/2004, (128)
PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number
9



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25791.270.02, filed on 4/2/2004, (129) PCT patent application serial number
PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number 25791.272.02, filed on 4/7/2004, and
(130) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number
25791.273.02, filed on 4/6/2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated
herein by
reference.
Background of the Invention
[004] This invention relates generally to oil and gas exploration, and in
particular to forming
and repairing wellbore casings to facilitate oil and gas exploration.
[005] Conventionally, when a wellbore is created, a number of casings are
installed in the
borehole to prevent collapse of the borehole wall and to prevent undesired
outflow of drilling
fluid into the formation or inflow of fluid from the formation into the
borehole. The borehole is
drilled in intervals whereby a casing which is to be installed in a lower
borehole interval is
lowered through a previously installed casing of an upper borehole interval.
As a
consequence of this procedure the casing of the lower interval is of smaller
diameter than
the casing of the upper interval. Thus, the casings are in a nested
arrangement with casing
diameters decreasing in downward direction. Cement annuli are provided between
the outer
surfaces of the casings and the borehole wall to seal the casings from the
borehole~wall. As
a consequence of this nested arrangement a relatively large borehole diameter
is required at
the upper part of the wellbore. Such a large borehole diameter involves
increased costs due
to heavy casing handling equipment, large drill bits and increased volumes of
drilling fluid
and drill cuttings. Moreover, increased drilling rig time is involved due to
required cement
pumping, cement hardening, required equipment changes due to large variations
in hole
diameters drilled in the course of the well, and the large volume of cuttings
drilled and
removed.
[006] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the
limitations of the
existing procedures for forming and/or repairing wellbore casings.
Summary of the Invention
[007] According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for
radially expanding
a tubular member and drilling a wellbore within a subterranean formation is
provided that
includes an expandable tubular member, an expansion device coupled to the
expandable
tubular member adapted to radially expand and plastically deform the
expandable tubular
member within the wellbore including: a tubular expansion mandrel, and a
tubular expansion
mandrel launcher for housing the tubular expansion mandrel coupled to the
expandable
tubular member, a pump coupled to the expansion device adapted to pump fluidic
materials
through the tubular expansion mandrel into a portion of the tubular expansion
mandrel
launcher, a drilling device coupled to the expansion device adapted to receive
the fluidic
materials pumped into the portion of the tubular expansion mandrel launcher
and drill the



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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wellbore within the subterranean formation including: one or more flow control
elements for
controlling the flow of the received fluidic materials, a motor coupled to the
flow control
elements adapted to be operated by the fluidic materials, and a drill coupled
to the motor
adapted to be driven by the motor, and a controller coupled to the expansion
device and the
drilling device that is programmed to control the expansion device and the
drilling device to
operate in one of the following modes of operation: (a) drilling the wellbore
using the drilling
device or expanding the tubular member using the expansion device, or (b)
drilling the
wellbore using the drilling device and expanding the tubular member using the
expansion
device simultaneously.
[008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of
radially expanding
a wellbore casing within a wellbore and drilling the wellbore through a
subterranean
formation is provided that includes positioning an expandable casing, an
expansion device
for radially expanding the expandable casing, and a drilling device for
extending the wellbore
within the wellbore, and operating the expansion device and the drilling
device using a
method including: selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding,
if drilling or
expanding is selected, then sequentially performing the following steps in any
order:
extending the wellbore using the drilling device, and expanding the casing
using the
expansion device, and if drilling and expanding is selected, then
simultaneously performing
the following steps: extending the wellbore using the drilling device, and
expanding the
casing using the expansion device.
[009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a system for
radially expanding
a wellbore casing within a wellbore and drilling the wellbore through a
subterranean
formation is provided that includes means for positioning an expandable
casing, an
expansion device for radially expanding the expandable casing, and a drilling
device for
extending the wellbore within the wellbore, and means for operating the
expansion device
and the drilling device including: means for selecting drilling or expanding
or drilling and
expanding, if drilling or expanding is selected, then means for sequentially
performing the
following steps in any order: extending the wellbore using the drilling
device, and expanding
the casing using the expansion device, and if drilling and expanding is
selected, then means
for simultaneously performing the following steps: extending the wellbore
using the drilling
device, and expanding the casing using the expansion device.
[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for
radially
expanding a tubular member and drilling a wellbore within a subterranean
formation is
provided that includes an expandable tubular member, an expansion device
coupled to the
expandable tubular member adapted to radially expand and plastically deform
the
expandable tubular member within the wellbore, a drilling device coupled to
the expansion
device adapted to drill the wellbore within the subterranean formation, and a
controller
11



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coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is programmed to
control the
expansion device and the drilling device to operate in one of the following
modes of
operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device or expanding
the tubular member
using the expansion device; or (b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling
device and
expanding the tubular member using the expansion device simultaneously.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0011] Figs. 1 a, 1 ba, 1 bb, 1 bc, 1 bd, 1 be, 1 bf, 1 c, and 1 d are
fragmentary cross sectional
illustrations of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for radially
expanding a wellbore
casing and drilling a borehole within a subterranean formation.
(0012] Fig. 1 a is a schematic illustration of the apparatus of Figs. 1 a, 1
ba, 1 bb, 1 bc, 1 bd,
1 be, 1 bf, 1 c, and 1 d.
[0013] Figs. 2a, 2b, and 2c are an exemplary embodiment of a method of
operating the
apparatus of Figs. 1 a, 1 ba, 1 bb, 1 bc, 1 bd, 1 be, 1 bf, 1 c, and 1 d.
Detailed Description of the Illustrative Embodiments
(0014] Referring to Figs. 1 a, 1 b, 1 ca, 1 cb, 1 cc, 1 cd, 1 ce, 1 cf, and 1
d, an exemplary
embodiment of a system 10 for radially expanding a casing and drilling a
wellbore includes a
casing expansion assembly 12 that is coupled to a wellbore drilling assembly
14.
(0015] The casing expansion assembly 12 includes a tubular expansion mandrel
launcher
16 and an expandable tubular casing 18 that is coupled to an upper end of the
tubular
expansion mandrel launcher, and a lower end of the tubular expansion mandrel
launcher 16
is coupled to an upper end of the drilling assembly 14. In an exemplary
embodiment, the
tubular expansion mandrel launcher 16 includes a lower portion 16a, an upper
portion 16b,
and an intermediate tapered portion 16c that is coupled to and positioned
between ends of
the lower and upper portions.
[0016] A tubular expansion mandrel 20 that defines a passage 20a and includes
an outer
tapered expansion surface 20b is positioned within the tubular expansion
mandrel launcher
16, and an end of a tubular support member 22 that defines a passage 22a is
coupled to an
upper end of the tubular expansion mandrel 20.
[0017] The drilling assembly 14 includes a funnel cross over 24 that defines a
passage 24a
and includes an upper tubular portion 24b that coupled to the lower tubular
portion 16a of the
tubular expansion mandrel launcher 16, a lower tubular portion 24c, and an
intermediate
tapered tubular portion 24e that is coupled to and positioned between the
upper and lower
tubular portions. In an exemplary embodiment, a flow element 26 that defines a
passage
26a may be positioned within and coupled to the lower tubular portion 24c of
the funnel
cross over 24. The flow element 26 may further include one or more of the
following types of
flow elements: orifices 26b, nozzles 26c, passive flow elements 26d, and/or
active flow
elements 26e for controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the passage
26a.
12



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WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
[0018] An upper end of a conventional pup joint 28 that defines a passage 28a
is coupled to
the lower tubular portion 24c of the funnel cross over 24. A lower end of the
conventional
pup joint 28 is coupled to an upper end of a bi-pressure sub 30 that defines a
passage 30a
and includes a flow control element 30b for controlling the flow of fluidic
materials through
the passage 30a. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow control element 30b is
coupled to a
controller 32 and is adapted to permit anywhere from 0 to 100% flow through
the passage
30a under the control of the controller. In an exemplary embodiment, the bi-
pressure sub is
provided by modifying a conventional adjustable gauge stabilizer in accordance
with the
teachings of the present disclosure.
[0019] An upper end of a conventional shock tool 34 that defines a passage 34a
is coupled
to a lower end of the bi-pressure sub 30, and a lower end of the conventional
shock tool is
coupled to an upper end of a conventional mud motor 36 that defines a passage
36a. A
lower end of the conventional mud motor 36 is coupled to an upper end of a
conventional
cross-over 38 that defines a passage 38a, and a lower end of the conventional
cross-over is
coupled to an upper end of a conventional underreamer 40 that defines a
passage 40a. A
lower end of the conventional underreamer is coupled to an upper end of a
conventional
string stabilizer 42 that defines a passage 42a, and a lower end of the string
stabilizer is
coupled to an upper end of a near bit stabilizer 44 that defines a passage
44a. A lower end
of the near bit stabilizer is coupled to an upper end of a conventional drill
bit 46 that defines
a passage 46a.
[0020] The design and operation of the pup joint 28, the shock tool 34, mud
motor 36, the
cross over 38, the underreamer 40, the string stabilizer 42, the near bit
stabilizer 44, and the
bit 46 are considered well known to persons having ordinary skill in the art.
Furthermore, the
connectivity and cooperative functionality of the pup joint 28, the shock tool
34, mud motor
36, the cross over 38, the underreamer 40, the string stabilizer 42, the near
bit stabilizer 44,
and the bit 46 are also considered to be well known to persons having ordinary
skill in the
art. In several exemplary embodiments, the underreamer 40 and/or the drill bit
46 are at
least partially operated in a conventional manner by the fluid pressure within
the passages
40a and/or 46a.
[0021] As illustrated in Fig. 1e, in an exemplary embodiment, the pump 23 is
operably
coupled to the interior portion of the launcher 16 below the expansion mandrel
20. In this
manner, the pump 23 may pressurize the interior portion of the launcher 16
and/or casing .18
below the expansion mandrel 20. The mud motor 36 is controllably coupled to
the pump 23
by the flow elements 26 and the flow control valve 30b. In this manner, the
mud motor 36,
the underreamer 40, and the drill bit 46 may be controllably operated during
the operation of
the pump 23. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow elements 26 are selected to
define the
operational characteristics of the system 10 such as, for example, the
frequency response
13



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WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
characteristics of the system. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow control
valve 30b may
be controllably positioned by the controller 32 to any position from fully
open to fully closed.
[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, the operating pressure within the interior
portion of the
launcher 16 and/or casing 18 below the expansion mandrel 20 may be increased
by
decreasing the flow rate of fluidic materials through the flow elements 26
and/or the flow
control valve 30b. As a result, the back pressure in the system 10 is
increased. The
decreased flow rate through the flow elements 26 may, for example, be caused
by the
selected frequency response, or other operational, characteristics of the flow
elements. For
example, the pump 23 may be operated to generate a pressure or flow signal
that causes
the resistance to flow of the flow elements 26 to increase, or the active flow
elements 26d of
the flow elements may be operated to increase the resistance to flow. The
decreased flow
rate through the flow control valve 30b may be caused by operating the
controller,32 to
decrease the opening position of the flow control valve. The resulting
decreased flow rate of
fluidic materials through the flow elements 26 and/or the flow control valve
30b in turn will
increase the operating pressure in the flow passages and pressure chambers
upstream of
the flow elements 26 and/or control valve 30b within the system 10. As a
result, the
expansion mandrel 20 may be displaced upwardly relative to the launcher 16
and/or casing
18 thereby causing the expansion mandrel to radially expand and plastically
deform the
launcher and/or casing.
[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, the operating pressure within the interior
portion of the
launcher 16 and/or casing 18 below the expansion mandrel 20 may be decreased
by
increasing the flow rate of fluidic materials through the flow elements 26
and/or the flow
control valve 30b. As a result, the back pressure in the system 10 is
decreased. The
increased flow rate through the flow elements 26 may, for example, be caused
by the
frequency response, or other operational, characteristics of the flow
elements. For example,
the pump 23 may be operated to generate a pressure or flow signal that causes
the
resistance to flow of the flow elements to decrease, or the active flow
elements 26d of the
flow elements may be operated to decrease the resistance to flow. The
increased flow rate
through the flow control valve 30b may be caused by operating the controller
32 to increase
the opening position of the flow control valve. The resulting increased flow
rate of fluidic
materials through the flow elements 26 and/or the flow control valve 30b in
turn will decrease
the operating pressure in the flow passages and pressure chambers upstream of
the flow
elements 26 and/or control valve 30b within the system 10. As a result, the
expansion
mandrel 20 may not be displaced upwardly relative to the launcher 16 and/or
casing 18
thereby the radial expansion and plastic deformation of the launcher and/or
casing caused
by the expansion mandrel may be decreased or stopped.
14



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, increasing the flow rate of fluidic
materials through the
flow elements 26 and/or the flow control valve 30b will increase the operation
of the mud
motor 36, the underreamer 40, and the drill bit 46. Alternatively, in an
exemplary
embodiment, decreasing the flow rate of fluidic materials through the flow
elements 26
and/or the flow control valve 30b will decrease the operation of the mud motor
36, the
underreamer 40, and the drill bit 46.
[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 is initially positioned
within a wellbore
48 that traverses a subterranean formation 50. Referring to Fig. 2a, 2b, and
2c, in an
exemplary embodiment, the system 10 then implements a method of operation 200
in which
the operator of the system 10 may select one of the following .modes of
operation in step
202: (a) drilling or expansion operation; or (b) drilling and expansion
operation. In an
exemplary embodiment, the drilling or expansion operation permits the system
10 to drill the
wellbore 48 or radially expand and plastically deform the casing 18, and the
drilling and
expansion operation permits the system 10 to simultaneously drill the wellbore
and radially
expand and plastically deform the casing.
[0026] If the operator selects the drilling or expansion operation in step
202, then the
operator may then select drilling or expansion in step 204. If the operator
selects drilling in
step 204, then fluidic materials are injected into the system 10 through the
passages 20a,
22a, 24a, 28a, 30a, 32a, 34a, 36a, 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a in step 206,
and the
controller 32 then operates the flow control element 30b to decrease the back
pressure in
the passage 30a sufficiently to operate the underreamer 40 and/or the drill
bit 46 in a
conventional manner and thereby permit the extension of the wellbore 48 in
step 208. If the
operator does not want to continue drilling in step 210, then the injection of
fluidic materials
into the system 10 through the passages through the passages 20a, 22a, 24a,
28a, 30a,
32a, 34a, 36a, 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a is stopped in step 212.
[0027] If the operator does not want to continue the drilling or expansion
operation in step
214, then the operation of the system 10 is stopped. Alternatively, if the
operator does want
to continue the drilling or expansion operation in step 214, the operator may
then select
drilling or expansion in step 204.
[0028] If the operator selects expansion in step 204, then fluidic materials
are injected into
the system 10 through the passages 20a, 22a, 24a, 28a, 30a, 32a, 34a, 36a,
38a, 40a, 42a,
44a, and 46a in step 216, and the controller 32 then operates the flow control
element 30b to
increase the back pressure in the passage 30a sufficiently to pressurize the
interior portion
of the portion of the expansion mandrel launcher 16 and/or the casing 18 below
the
expansion mandrel 20 to displace the expansion mandrel upwardly relative to
the launcher
and/or casing to thereby permit the radial expansion and plastic deformation
of the launcher
and/or casing in step 218. If the operator does not want to continue expansion
in step 220,



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
then the injection of fluidic materials into the system 10 through the
passages through the
passages 20a, 22a, 24a, 28a, 30a, 32a, 34a, 36a, 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a
is stopped in
step 222.
[0029] If the operator selects the drilling and expansion operation in step
202, then fluidic
materials are injected into the system 10 through the passages 20a, 22a, 24a,
28a, 30a,
32a, 34a, 36a, 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a, and 46a in step 224, and the controller 32
then operates
the flow control element 30b to adjust the back pressure in the passage 30a to
simultaneously (a) operate the underreamer 40 and/or the drill bit 46 is a
conventional
manner and thereby permit the extension of the wellbore 48; and (b) pressurize
the interior
portion of the portion of the expansion mandrel launcher 16 and/or casing 18
below the
expansion mandrel 20 to displace the expansion mandrel upwardly relative to
the launcher
and/or casing to thereby permit the radial expansion and plastic deformation
of the launcher
and/or casing in step 228.
[0030] If the operator does not want to continue the drilling and expansion
operation in step
228, then the injection of fluidic materials into the system 10 through the
passages through
the passages 20a, 22a, 24a, 28a, 30a, 32a, 34a, 36a, 38a, 40a, 42a, 44a,. and
46a is
stopped in step 230 and the operation of the system 10 is stopped.
[0031] In several alternative embodiments, the exemplary embodiments of Figs.
1a, 1ba,
1 bb, 1 bc, 1 bd, 1 be, 1 bf, 1 c, 1 d, 1 e, 2a, 2b, and 2c are implemented
using the methods
and/or apparatus disclosed one or more of the following: (1 ) U.S. Patent
Number 6,497,289,
which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney
docket no..
25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (2) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/510,913, attorney
docket no. 25791.7.02, filed on 2/23/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/121,702, filed on 2/25/99, (3) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/502,350, attorney
docket no. 25791.8.02, filed on 2/10/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/119,611, filed on 2/11/99, (4) U.S. patent no. 6,328,113, which was filed
as U.S. Patent
Application serial number 09/440,338, attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed
on
11/15/99, which claims priority from provisional application 60/108,558, filed
on 11/16/98, (5)
U.S. patent application serial no. 10/169,434, attorney docket no.
25791.10.04, filed on
7/1/02, which claims priority from provisional application 60/183,546, filed
on 2/18/00, (6)
U.S. patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no.
25791.11.02, filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99, (7)
U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/512,895,
attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (8) U.S. patent number 6,575,240,
which was filed
as patent application serial no. 09/511,941, attorney docket no. 25791.16.02,
filed on
16



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/121,907,
filed on 2/26/99, (9)
U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/588,946,
attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (10) U.S. patent application serial
no. 09/981,916,
attorney docket no. 25791.18, filed on 10/18/01 as a continuation-in-part
application of U.S.
patent no. 6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338,
attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (11) U.S. patent number 6,604,763,
which was
filed as application serial no. 09/559,122, attorney docket no. 25791.23.02,
filed on
4/26/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/131,106,
filed on 4/26/99,
(12) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/030,593, attorney docket no.
25791.25.08, filed on
1/8/02, which claims priority from provisional application 60/146,203, filed
on 7/29/99, (13)
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/143,039, attorney docket no.
25791.26, filed
on 7/9/99, (14) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/111,982, attorney docket
no.
25791.27.08, filed on 4/30/02, which claims priority from provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/162,671, attorney docket no. 25791.27, filed on 11/1/1999, (15) U.S.
provisional
patent application serial no. 60/154,047, attorney docket no. 25791.29, filed
on 9/16/1999, .
(16) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/438,828, attorney
docket no. 25791.31,
filed on 1/9/03, (17) U.S. patent number 6,564,875, which was filed as
application serial no.
09/679,907, attorney docket no. 25791.34.02, on 10/5/00, which claims priority
from
provisional patent application serial no. 60/159,082, attorney docket no.
25791.34, filed on
10/12/1999, (18) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/089,419, filed on
3/27/02, attorney
docket no. 25791.36.03, which claims priority from provisional patent
application serial no.
60/159,039, attorney docket no. 25791.36, filed on 10/12/1999, (19) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 09/679,906, filed on 10/5/00, attorney docket no. 25791.37.02,
which claims
priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/159,033, attorney
docket no.
25791.37, filed on 10/12/1999, (20) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/303,992, filed on
11/22/02, attorney docket no. 25791.38.07, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/212,359, attorney docket no. 25791.38, filed on
6/19/2000, (21) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/165,228, attorney docket no.
25791.39, filed on
11/12/1999, (22) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/455,051,
attorney docket
no. 25791.40, filed on 3/14/03, (23} PCT application US02/2477, filed on
6/26/02, attorney
docket no. 25791.44.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/303,711, attorney docket no. 25791.44, filed on 7/6/01, (24) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 10/311,412, filed on 12/12/02, attorney docket no. 25791.45.07,
which claims
priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/221,443, attorney
docket no.
25791.45, filed on 7/28/2000, (25) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/,
filed on 12/18/02,
17



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
attorney docket no. 25791.46.07, which claims priority from provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/221,645, attorney docket no. 25791.46, filed on 7/28/2000, (26)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/322,947, filed on 1/22/03, attorney docket no.
25791.47.03, which
claims priority from provisional patent application serial no. 60/233,638,
attorney docket no.
25791.47, filed on 9/18/2000, (27) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/406,648, filed on
3/31/03, attorney docket no. 25791.48.06, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/237,334, attorney docket no. 25791.48, filed on
10/2/2000, (28) PCT
application US02/04353, filed on 2/14/02, attorney docket no. 25791.50.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/270,007,
attorney docket no.
25791.50, filed on 2/20/2001, (29) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/465,835, filed on
6/13/03, attorney docket no. 25791.51.06, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/262,434, attorney docket no. 25791.51, filed on
1/17/2001, (30) U.S.
patent application serial no. 10/465,831, filed on 6/13/03, attorney docket
no. 25791.52.06,
which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/259,486, attorney
docket no. 25791.52, filed on 1/3/2001, (31) U.S. provisional patent
application serial no.
60/452,303, filed on 3/5/03, attorney docket no. 25791.53, (32) U.S. patent
number
6,470,966, which was filed as patent application serial number 09/850,093,
filed on 5/7/01;
attorney docket no. 25791.55, as a divisional application of U.S. Patent
Number 6,497,289,
which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney
docket no.
25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (33) U.S. patent number 6,561,227, which was
filed as patent
application serial number 09/852,026 , filed on 5/9/01, attorney docket no.
25791.56, as a
divisional application of U.S. Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as
U.S. Patent
Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on
12/3/1999, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98,
(34) U.S. patent
application serial number 09/852,027, filed on 5/9/01, attorney docket no.
25791.57, as a
divisional application of U.S. Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as
U.S. Patent
Application serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on
12/3/1999, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98,
(35) PCT Application
US02/25608, attorney docket no. 25791.58.02, filed on 8/13/02, which claims
priority from
provisional application 60/318,021, filed on 9/7/01, attorney docket no.
25791.58, (36) PCT
Application US02/24399, attorney docket no. 25791.59.02, filed on 8/1/02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/313,453,
attorney docket no.
25791.59, filed on 8/20/2001, (37) PCT Application US02/29856, attorney docket
no.
25791.60.02, filed on 9/19/02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent application
serial no. 60/326,886, attorney docket no. 25791.60, filed on 10/3/2001, (38)
PCT
Application US02/20256, attorney docket no. 25791.61.02, filed on 6/26/02,
which claims
18



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/303,740,
attorney docket no.
25791.61, filed on 7/6/2001, (39) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/962,469, filed on
9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.62, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (40) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/962,470, filed on 9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.63, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02,
filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99,
(41) U.S. patent application serial no. 09/962,471, filed on 9/25/01, attorney
docket no.
25791.64, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application serial no.
09/523,468, attorney
docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (42) U.S. patent application serial no.
09/962,467, filed on
9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.65, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (43) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 09/962,468, filed on 9/25/01, attorney docket no. 25791.66, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent application serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02,
filed on
3/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/124,042,
filed on 3/11/99,
(44) PCT application US 02/25727, filed on 8/14/02, attorney docket no.
25791.67.03, which
claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/317,985, attorney docket
no. 25791.67, filed on 9/6/2001, and U.S. provisional.patent application
serial no.
60/318,386, attorney docket no. 25791.67.02, filed on 9/10/2001, (45) PCT
application US
02/39425, filed on 12/10/02, attorney docket no. 25791.68.02, which 'claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/343,674 , attorney docket
no. 25791.68,
filed on 12/27/2001, (46) U.S. utility patent application serial no.
09/969,922, attorney docket
no. 25791.69, filed on 10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application
of U.S. patent
no. 6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338,
attorney docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (47) U.S. utility patent
application serial no.
10/516,467, attorney docket no. 25791.70, filed on 12/10/01, which is a
continuation
application of U.S. utility patent application serial no. 09/969,922, attorney
docket no.
25791.69, filed on 10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. patent no.
6,328,113, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number
09/440,338, attorney
docket number 25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/108,558, filed on 11/16/98, (48) PCT application US 03/00609,
filed on 1/9/03,
attorney docket no. 25791.71.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/357,372 , attorney docket no. 25791.71, filed on
2/15/02, (49) U.S.
19



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patent application serial no. 10/074,703, attorney docket no. 25791.74, filed
on 2/12/02,
which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as
patent application
serial no. 09/512,895, attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (50) U.S.
patent application
serial no. 10/074,244, attorney docket no. 25791.75, filed on 2/12/02, which
is a divisional of
U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/512,895,
attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (51) U.S. patent application serial
no. 10/076,660,
attorney docket no. 25791.76, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S.
patent number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (52) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/076,661, attorney
docket no. 25791.77, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (53) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/076,659, attorney
docket no. 25791.78, filed on 2/15/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (54) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,928, attorney
docket no. 25791.79, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (55) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,922, attorney
docket no. 25791.80, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (56) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/078,921, attorney
docket no. 25791.81, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,568,471, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895,
attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application
60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (57) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/261.,928, attorney
docket no. 25791.82, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent
number
6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946,
attorney docket no.
25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/137,998,
filed on 6/7/99, (58) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/079,276 , attorney
docket no.
25791.83, filed on 2/20/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number
6,568,471, which was



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
filed as patent application serial no. 09/512,895, attorney docket no.
25791.12.02, filed on
2/24/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/121,841,
filed on 2/26/99,
(59) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/262,009, attorney docket no.
25791.84, filed on
10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (60)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/092,481, attorney docket no. 25791.85, filed on
3/7/02, which is a
divisional of U.S. patent number 6,568,471, which was filed as patent
application erial no.
09/512,895, attorney docket no. 25791.12.02, filed on 2/24/2000, which claims
priority from
provisional application 60/121,841, filed on 2/26/99, (61) U.S. patent
application serial no.
10/261,926, attorney docket no. 25791.86, filed on 10/1/02, which is a
divisional of U.S.
patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no.
09/588,946,
attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from
provisional
application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (62) PCT application US 02/36157,
filed on 11/12/02,
attorney docket no. 25791.87.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/338,996, attorney docket no. 25791.87, filed on
11/12/01, (63) PCT
application US 02/36267, filed on 11/12/02, attorney docket no. 25791.88.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/339,013,
attorney docket no.
25791.88, filed on 11/12/01, (64) PCT application US 03/11765, filed on
4/16/03, attorney
docket no. 25791.89.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application serial
no. 60/383,917, attorney docket no. 25791.89, filed on 5/29/02, (65) PCT
application US
03/15020, filed on 5/12/03, attorney docket no. 25791.90.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/391,703, attorney docket no.
25791.90, filed on
6/26/02, (66) PCT application US 02/39418, filed on 12/10/02, attorney docket
no.
25791.92.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application
serial no.
60/346,309, attorney docket no. 25791.92, filed on 1/7/02, (67) PCT
application US
03/06544, filed on 3/4/03, attorney docket no. 25791.93.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/372,048, attorney docket no.
25791.93, filed on
4/12/02, (68) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/331,718, attorney docket
no. 25791.94,
filed on 12/30/02, which is a divisional U.S. patent application serial no.
09/679,906, filed on
10/5/00, attorney docket no. 25791.37.02, which claims priority from
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/159,033, attorney docket no. 25791.37, filed on
10/12/1999, (69)
PCT application US 03/04837, filed on 2/29/03, attorney docket no.
25791.95.02, which
claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/363,829, attorney
docket no. 25791.95, filed on 3/13/02, (70) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/261,927,
attorney docket no. 25791.97, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S.
patent number
6,557,640, which was filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946,
attorney docket no.
21



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/137,998,
filed on 6/7/99, (71) U.S. patent application serial no. 10/262,008, attorney
docket no.
25791.98, filed on 10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number
6,557,640, which was
filed as patent application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no.
25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed
on 6/7/99, (72)
U.S. patent application serial no. 10/261,925, attorney docket no. 25791.99,
filed on
10/1/02, which is a divisional of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/588,946, attorney docket no. 25791.17.02, filed on
6/7/2000, which
claims priority from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (73)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/199,524, attorney docket no. 25791.100, filed on
7/19/02, which is
a continuation of U.S. Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as U.S. Patent
Application
serial no. 09/454,139, attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (74) PCT
application US
03/10144, filed on 3/28/03, attorney docket no. 25791.101.02, which claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/372,632, attorney docket no.
25791.101,
filed on 4/15/02, (75) U.S. provisional patent application serial no.
60/412,542, attorney
docket no. 25791.102, filed on 9/20/02, (76) PCT application US 03/14153,
filed on 5/6/03,
attorney docket no. 25791.104.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent
application serial no. 60/380,147, attorney docket no. 25791.104, filed on
5/6/02, (77) PCT
application US 03/19993, filed on 6/24/03, attorney docket no. 25791.106.02,
which claims
priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/397,284,
attorney docket no.
25791.106, filed on 7/19/02, (78) PCT application US 03/13787, filed on
5/5/03, attorney
docket no. 25791.107.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/387,486 , attorney docket no. 25791.107, filed on 6/10/02, (79)
PCT application
US 03/18530, filed on 6/11/03, attorney docket no. 25791.108.02, which claims
priority from
U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/387,961, attorney docket no.
25791.108,
filed on 6/12/02, (80) PCT application US 03/20694, filed on 7/1/03, attorney
docket no.
25791.110.02, which claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application
serial no.
60/398,061, attorney docket no. 25791.110, filed on 7/24/02, (81) PCT
application US
03/20870, filed on 7/2/03, attorney docket no. 25791.111.02, which claims
priority from U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/399,240, attorney docket no.
25791.111, filed on
7/29/02, (82) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/412,487,
attorney docket no.
25791.112, filed on 9/20/02, (83) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,488,
attorney docket no. 25791.114, filed on 9/20/02, (84) U.S. patent application
serial no.
10/280,356, attorney docket no. 25791.115, filed on 10/25/02, which is a
continuation of
U.S. patent number 6,470,966, which was filed as patent application serial
number
09/850,093, filed on 5/7/01, attorney docket no. 25791.55, as a divisional
application of U.S.
22



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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Patent Number 6,497,289, which was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial no.
09/454,139,
attorney docket no. 25791.03.02, filed on 12/3/1999, which claims priority
from provisional
application 60/111,293, filed on 12/7/98, (85) U.S. provisional patent
application serial no.
60/412,177, attorney docket no. 25791.117, filed on 9/20/02, (86) U.S.
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/412,653, attorney docket no. 25791.118, filed on
9/20/02, (87) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/405,610, attorney docket no.
25791.119, filed on
8/23/02, (88) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/405,394,
attorney docket no.
25791.120, filed on 8/23/02, (89) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,544,
attorney docket no. 25791.121, filed on 9/20/02, (90) PCT application US
03/24779, filed on
8/8/03, attorney docket no. 25791.125.02, which claims priority from U.S,
provisional patent
application serial no. 60/407,442, attorney docket no. 25791.125, filed on
8/30/02, (91) U.S.
provisional patent application serial no. 60/423,363, attorney docket no.
25791.126, filed on
12/10/02, (92) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/412,196,
attorney docket no.
25791.127, filed on 9/20/02, (93) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/412,187,
attorney docket no. 25791.128, filed on 9/20/02, (94) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/412,371, attorney docket no. 25791.129, filed on 9/20/02, (95)
U.S. patent
application serial no. 10/382,325, attorney docket no. 25791.145, filed on
3/5/03, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent number 6,557,640, which was filed as patent
application serial
no. 09/588,946, attorney docket-rio. 25791.17.02, filed on 6/7/2000, which
claims priority
from provisional application 60/137,998, filed on 6/7/99, (96) U.S. patent
application serial
no. 10/624,842, attorney docket no. 25791.151, filed on 7/22/03, which is a
divisional of
U.S. patent application serial no. 09/502,350, attorney docket no. 25791.8.02,
filed on
2/10/2000, which claims priority from provisional application 60/119,611,
filed on 2/11/99,
(97) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/431,184, attorney
docket no.
25791.157, filed on 12/5/02, (98) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/448,526,
attorney docket no. 25791.185, filed on 2/18/03, (99) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/461,539, attorney docket no. 25791.186, filed on 4/9/03, (100)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/462,750, attorney docket no. 25791.193, filed
on 4/14/03,
(101 ) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/436,106, attorney
docket no.
25791.200, filed on 12/23/02, (102) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/442,942,
attorney docket no. 25791.213, filed on 1/27/03, (103) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/442,938, attorney docket no. 25791.225, filed on 1/27/03, (104)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/418,687, attorney docket no. 25791.228, filed
on 4/18/03,
(105) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/454,896, attorney
docket no.
25791.236, filed on 3/14/03, (106) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/450,504,
attorney docket no. 25791.238, filed on 2/26/03, (107) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/451,152, attorney docket no. 25791.239, filed on 3/9/03, (108)
U.S. provisional
23



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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patent application serial no. 60/455,124, attorney docket no. 25791.241, filed
on 3/17/03,
(109) U.S, provisional patent application serial no. 60/453,678; attorney
docket no.
25791.253, filed on 3/11/03, (110) U.S. patent application serial no.
10/421,682, attorney
docket no. 25791.256, filed on 4/23/03, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application
serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (111) U.S.
provisional
patent application serial no. 60/457,965, attorney docket no. 25791.260, filed
on 3/27/03,
(112) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/455,718, attorney
docket no.
25791.262, filed on 3/18/03, (113) U.S. patent number 6,550,821, which was
filed as patent
application serial no. 09/811,734, filed on 3/19/01, (114) U.S. patent
application serial no.
101436,467, attorney docket no. 25791.268, filed on 5/12/03, which is a
continuation of U.S.
patent number 6,604,763, which was filed as application serial no. 09/559,122,
attorney
docket no. 25791.23.02, filed on 4/26/2000, which claims priority from
provisional application
60/131,106, filed on 4/26/99, (115} U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/459,776,
attorney docket no. 25791.270, filed on 4/2/03, '(116) U.S. provisional patent
application
serial no. 60/461,094, attorney docket no. 25791.272, filed on 4/8/03, (117)
U.S. provisional
patent application serial no. 60/461,038, attorney docket no. 25791.273, filed
on 4/7/03,
(118) U.S. provisional patent application serial no. 60/463,586, attorney
docket no.
25791.277, filed on 4/17/03, (119) U.S. provisional patent application serial
no. 60/472,240,
attorney docket no. 25791.286, filed on 5/20/03, (120) U.S. patent application
serial no.
10/619,285, attorney docket no. 25791.292, filed on 7/14103, which is a
continuation-in-part
of U.S. utility patent application serial no. 09/969,922, attorney docket no.
25791.69, filed on
10/3/2001, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent no.
6,328,113, which
was filed as U.S. Patent Application serial number 09/440,338, attorney docket
number
25791.9.02, filed on 11/15/99, which claims priority from provisional
application 60/108,558,
filed on 11/16/98, (121) U.S. utility patent application serial no.
10/418,688, attorney docket
no. 25791.257, which was filed on 4/18/03, as a division of U.S. utility
patent application
serial no. 09/523,468, attorney docket no. 25791.11.02, filed on 3/10/2000,
which claims
priority from provisional application 60/124,042, filed on 3/11/99, (122) PCT
patent
application serial no. PCT/US04/06246, attorney docket no. 25791.238.02, filed
on
2/26/2004, (123) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/08170 ,
attorney docket
number 25791.40.02, filed on 3/15/04, (124) PCT patent application serial
number
PCT/US04/08171, attorney docket number 25791.236.02, filed on 3/15/04, (125)
PCT patent .
application serial number PCT/US04/08073, attorney docket number 25791.262.02,
filed on
3/18/04, (126) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/07711, attorney
docket
number 25791.253.02, filed on 3/11/2004, (127) PCT patent application serial
number
PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number 25791.260.02, filed on 3/26/2004, (128)
24



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PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number
25791.270.02, filed on 4/2/2004, (129) PCT patent application serial number
PCT/US04/ ., attorney docket number 25791.272.02, filed on 4/7/2004, and
(130) PCT patent application serial number PCT/US04/ , attorney docket number
25791.273.02, filed on 4/6/2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated
herein by
reference.
[0032] In several alternative embodiments, the exemplary embodiments of Figs.
1 a, 1 ba,
1 bb, 1 bc, 1 bd, 1 be, 1 bf, 1 c, 1 d, 1 e, 2a, 2b, and 2c are implemented
using an expansion
mandrel 20 that includes conventional rotary and/or roller expansion elements
such as, for
example, that disclosed in WO 02/082863, U.S. 6,457,532, and/or U.S.
2002/0139540, the
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, or any one of the
commercially
available roller expansion devices available from Weatherford International.
[0033] An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation has been described that includes an expandable tubular
member, an
expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to radially
expand and
plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the wellbore
including: a tubular
expansion mandrel, and a tubular expansion mandrel launcher for housing the
tubular
expansion mandrel coupled to the expandable tubular member, a pump coupled to
the
expansion device adapted to pump fluidic materials through the tubular
expansion mandrel
into a portion of the tubular expansion mandrel launcher, a drilling device
coupled to the .
expansion device adapted to receive the fluidic materials pumped into the
portion of the
tubular expansion mandrel launcher and drill the wellbore within the
subterranean formation
including: one or more flow control elements for controlling the flow of the
received fluidic
materials, a motor coupled to the flow control elements adapted to be operated
by the fluidic
materials, and a drill coupled to the motor adapted to be driven by the motor,
and a controller
coupled to the expansion device and the drilling device that is programmed to
control the
expansion device and the drilling device to operate in one of the following
modes of
operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using the drilling device or expanding
the tubular member
using the expansion device, or (b) drilling the wellbore using the drilling
device and
expanding the tubular member using the expansion device simultaneously. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the operational characteristics of the flow control elements vary
as a function of
the operational characteristics of the pumped fluidic materials. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the operational characteristics of the flow control elements
include a resistance
to flow of the fluidic materials. In an exemplary embodiment, the operational
characteristics
of the pumped fluidic materials include a frequency component.
[0034] A method of radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation has been described that includes
positioning an



CA 02522546 2005-10-14
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expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding the expandable
casing, and
a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the wellbore, and
operating the expansion
device and the drilling device using a method including: selecting drilling or
expanding or
drilling and expanding, if drilling or expanding is selected, then
sequentially performing the
following steps in any order: extending the wellbore using the drilling
device, and expanding
the casing using the expansion device, and if drilling and expanding is
selected, then
simultaneously performing the following steps: extending the wellbore using
the drilling
device, and expanding the casing using the expansion device. In an exemplary
embodiment, the expansion device includes an expansion mandrel. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the expansion device includes a rotating expansion device.
[0035] A system for radially expanding a wellbore casing within a wellbore and
drilling the
wellbore through a subterranean formation has been described that includes
means for
positioning an expandable casing, an expansion device for radially expanding
the
expandable casing, and a drilling device for extending the wellbore within the
wellbore, and
means for operating the expansion device and the drilling device including:
means for
selecting drilling or expanding or drilling and expanding, if drilling or
expanding is selected,
then means for sequentially performing the following steps in any order:
extending the
wellbore using the drilling device, and expanding the casing using the
expansion device, and
if drilling and expanding is selected, then means for simultaneously
performing the following
steps: extending the wellbore using the drilling device, and expanding the
casing using the
expansion device.
[0036] An apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member and drilling a
wellbore within a
subterranean formation has been described that includes an expandable tubular
member, an
expansion device coupled to the expandable tubular member adapted to radially
expand and
plastically deform the expandable tubular member within the wellbore, a
drilling device
coupled to the expansion device adapted to drill the wellbore within the
subterranean
formation, and a controller coupled to the expansion device and the drilling
device that is
programmed to control the expansion device and the drilling device to operate
in one of the
following modes of operation: (a) drilling the wellbore using the drilling
device or expanding
the tubular member using the expansion device; or (b) drilling the wellbore
using the drilling
device and expanding the tubular member using the expansion device
simultaneously. In an
exemplary embodiment, the expansion device includes an expansion mandrel. In
an
exemplary embodiment, the expansion device includes an expansion mandrel. In
an
exemplary embodiment, the controller includes one or more flow control
elements whose
operational characteristics are frequency dependent.
[0037] It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without
departing from
the scope of the invention. For example, the teachings of the present
illustrative
26



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WO 2004/092530 PCT/US2004/011177
embodiments may be used to provide a wellbore casing, a pipeline, or a
structural support.
Furthermore, the underreamer 40 and/or the bit 46 may be omitted and/or
replaced by
equivalent devices.
[0038] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described,
a wide range of modification, changes and substitution is contemplated in the
foregoing
disclosure. In some instances, some features of the present invention may be
employed
without a corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, it is
appropriate that the
appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope
of the
invention.
27

Representative Drawing