Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EXPANSION SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to wellbore casings, and in
particular to wellbore
casings that are formed using expandable tubing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] Figure ] is an illustration of a conventional method for drilling a
borehole in a subterranean
formation;
[0003] Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a device for coupling
an expandable tubular
member to an existing tubular member;
[0004] Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a hardenable fluidic
sealing material being
pumped down the device of Figure 2;
[0005] Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the expansion of an
expandable tubular
member using the expansion device of Figure 2.;
[0006] Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the completion of the
radial expansion and
plastic deformation of an expandable tubular member;
[0007] Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of an expandable tubular member
expanded by a fixed
expansion cone into contact with a casing with surface anomalies;
[0008] Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of an expansion device
with roller expansion
elements;
[0009] Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of an expandable tubular member
expanded by roller
expansion elements;
[0010] Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a connection joint
expanded by roller
expansion elements;
[0011] Figure 10 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an expansion
device with an
expansion cone and roller expansion elements;
[0012] Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of the expansion device of Figure
10;
[0013] Figure 12 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the expansion
device of Figure 10;
[0014] Figure 13 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the operation of the
expansion device
during the operation of the method of Figure 12;
[0015] Figure 14 is a cross sectional view of the expansion of an expandable
tubular member into
contact with a surrounding casing during the operation of the method of Figure
12;
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100161 Figure 15 is another fragmentary cross sectional view of the operation
of the expansion
device during the operation of the method of Figure 12;
[00171 Figure 16 is a cross sectional view of the expansion of an expandable
tubular member solely
with the expansion cone of the expansion device during the operation of the
method of Figure 12;
[00181 Figure 17 is another fragmentary cross sectional of the expansion of an
expandable tubular
member during the operation of the method of Figure 12;
[00191 Figure 18 is a cross sectional view of the connection joint expanded in
Figure 17;
[00201 Figure 19 is another fragmentary cross sectional view of the operation
of the expansion
device during the operation of the method of Figure 12;
[00211 Figure 20 is a cross sectional view of the expansion of an expandable
tubular member with
the combination of the expansion cone and the partially retracted roller
expansion elements of the
expansion device during the operation of the method of Figure 12;
[0022] Figure 21 is a cross sectional view of the connection joint expanded in
Figure 19;
[00231 Figure 22 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an expansion
device with roller
expansion elements and a flexible shell;
[00241 Figure 23 is a cross sectional view of the expansion device of Figure
22;
[00251 Figure 24 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the expansion of an
expandable tubular
member with the combination of roller expansion elements and a flexible shell
of the expansion
device of Figure 22;
[00261 Figure 25 is a cross sectional view of the expansion of an expandable
tubular member with
the combination of roller expansion elements and a flexible shell of the
expansion device of Figure
22; and
[00271 Figure 26 is a graphical illustration of the rate of increase of strain
versus the rate of increase
in stress.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00281 Referring initially to Figure 1, a conventional device 100 for drilling
a borehole 102 in a
subterranean formation 104 is shown. The borehole 102 may be lined with a
casing 106 at the top
portion of its length. An annulus 108 formed between the casing 106 and the
formation 104 may be
filled with a sealing material 110, such as, for example, cement. In an
exemplary embodiment, the
device 100 may be operated in a conventional manner to extend the length of
the borehole 102
beyond the casing 106.
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[00291 Referring now to Figure 2, a device 200 for coupling an expandable
tubular member 202 to
an existing tubular member, such as, for example, the existing casing 106, is
shown. The device 200
includes a shoe 206 that defines a centrally positioned valveable passage 206a
adapted to receive, for
example, a ball, plug or other similar device for closing the passage. An end
of the shoe 206b is
coupled to a lower tubular end 208a of a tubular launcher assembly 208 that
includes the lower
tubular end, an upper tubular end 208b, and a tapered tubular transition
member 208c. The lower
tubular end 208a of the tubular launcher assembly 208 has a greater inside
diameter than the inside
diameter of the upper tubular end 208b. The tapered tubular transition member
208c connects the
lower tubular end 208a and the upper tubular end 208b. The upper tubular end
208b of the tubular
launcher assembly 208 is coupled to an end of the expandable tubular member
202. One or more
seals 210 are coupled to the outside surface of the other end of the
expandable tubular member 202.
100301 An expansion device 212 is centrally positioned within and mates with
the tubular launcher
assembly 208. The expansion device 212 defines a centrally positioned fluid
pathway 212a, and
includes a lower section 212b, a middle section 212c, and an upper section
212d. The lower section
212b of the expansion device 212 defines an inclined expansion surface 212ba
that supports the
tubular launcher assembly 208 by mating with the tapered tubular transition
member 208c of the
tubular launcher assembly. The upper section 212d of the expansion device 212
is coupled to an end
of a tubular member 218 that defines a fluid pathway 218a. The fluid pathway
218a of the tubular
member 218 is fluidicly coupled to the fluid pathway 212a defined by the
expansion device 212.
One or more spaced apart cup seals 220 and 222 are coupled to the outside
surface of the tubular
member 218 for sealing against the interior surface of the expandable tubular
member 202. In an
exemplary embodiment, cup seal 222 is positioned near a top end of the
expandable tubular member
202. A top fluid valve 224 is coupled to the tubular member 218 above the cup
seal 222 and defines
a fluid pathway 226 that is fluidicly coupled to the fluid pathway 218a.
[00311 During operation of the device 200, as illustrated in Figure 2, the
device 200 is initially
lowered into the borehole 102. In an exemplary embodiment, during the lowering
of the device 200
into the borehole 102, a fluid 228 within the borehole 102 passes upwardly
through the device 200
through the valveable passage 206a into the fluid pathway 212a and 218a and
out of the device 200
through the fluid pathway 226 defined by the top fluid valve 224.
[00321 Referring now to Figure 3, in an exemplary embodiment, a hardenable
fluidic sealing
material 300, such as, for example, cement, is then pumped down the fluid
pathway 218a and 212a
and out through the valveable passage 206a into the borehole 102 with the top
fluid valve 224 in a
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closed position. The hardenable fluidic sealing material 300 thereby fills an
annular space 302
between the borehole 102 and the outside diameter of the expandable tubular
member 202.
100331 Refemng now to Figure 4, a plug 402 is then injected with a fluidic
material 404. The plug
thereby fits into and closes the valveable passage 206a to further fluidic
flow. Continued injection of
the fluidic material 404 then pressurizes a chamber 406 defined by the shoe
206, the bottom of the
expansion device 212, and the walls of the launcher assembly 208 and the
expandable tubular
member 202. Continued pressurization of the chamber 406 then displaces the
expansion device 212
in an upward direction 408 relative to the expandable tubular member 202
thereby causing radial
expansion and plastic deformation of the launcher assembly 208 and the
expandable tubular member.
[0034] Referring now to Figure 5, the radial expansion and plastic deformation
of the expandable
tubular member 202 is then completed and the expandable tubular member is
coupled to the existing
casing 106. The hardenable fluidic sealing material 300, such as, for example,
cement fills the
annulus 302 between the expandable tubular member 202 and the borehole 102.
The device 200 has
been withdrawn from the borehole and a conventional device 100 for drilling
the borehole 102 may
then be utilized to drill out the shoe 206 and continue drilling the borehole
102, if desired.
[0035] Referring now to Figure 6, the use of a fixed diameter expansion cone
with device 200 may
not accommodate surface anomalies 600 on a casing 602 or wellbore and may
leave one or more
gaps 604 between the outside diameter 606 of an expandable tubular member 608
and the inside
diameter 610 of the casing 602 or wel]bore.
[0036] Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, in an exemplary embodiment, a
conventional expansion
device 700 includes roller expansion elements 702 that radially expand and
plastically deform an
expandable tubular member 704 upon the rotation in a direction 706 of the
expansion device within
the expandable tubular member. The expansion device 700 may be rotated in the
direction 706 with
the use of a mud motor 708 or by rotation of the drill string 710, or rotated
in another conventional
manner. The roller expansion elements 702 may be displaced in a radial
direction using hydraulic
pressure in an conventional manner, such as, for example, in the commercially
available products of
Weatherford. In another exemplary embodiment, the roller expansion elements
702 may be tapered.
[0037] Referring now to Figure 9, the radial expansion and plastic deformation
of expandable
tubular member 704 at a connection joint 712 by the roller expansion elements
702 of the expansion
device 700 can cause the connection joint to lose connection strength and
sealing ability. As a result,
the connection joint 712 may not provide a metal to metal seal and/or a fluid
tight seal.
[0038] Referring now to Figure 10, in an exemplary embodiment, an expansion
device 1000
includes an expansion cone 1002, a central roller section 1004,
circumferentially spaced apart roller
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expansion elements 1006, and a]ower tubular end 1008. The expansion cone 1002
has a leading
surface 1010 and an outer inclined surface 1012 that defines an angle al. The
outer inclined surface
1012 and roller expansion elements 1006 together form the expansion surfaces
1014 that upon
displacement of the expansion device 1000 relative to an expandable tubular
member radially expand
and plastically deform the expandable tubular member. The central roller
section 1004 may be
rotated in a direction 1016 by use of a mud motor 1018, rotation of the drill
string 1020, or by
rotation in another conventional manner. The roller expansion elements 1006
are displaced in a
radial direction using hydraulic pressure in an conventional manner, such as,
for example, in the
commercially available products of Weatherford.
[0039] The expansion device 1000 includes a sensor 1022 that detects
connection joints of an
expandable tubular member and sends a signal to a controller 1024. In an
exemplary embodiment,
the sensor 1022 may, for example, be a conventional acoustic and/or magnetic
sensor. The controller
1024 receives the signal from the sensor 1022 and retracts the roller
expansion elements 1006 when
the roller expansion elements are near the connection joints of an expandable
tubular member. In
this manner, an expandable tubular member is radially expanded and plastically
deformed by the
expansion cone 1002 and not by the roller expansion elements 1006 near the
vicinity of the
connection joints. Furthermore, the expandable tubular member between the
connection joints and
outside the vicinity of the connection joints is radially expanded and
plastically deforrned by both the
expansion cone 1002 and the roller expansion elements 1006. In another
exemplary embodiment, the
expansion cone 1002 has an adjustable diameter.
[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the expansion device 212 consists of one or
more of the
expansion devices 700 and 1000.
[0041] Referring now to Figure 11, in an exemplary embodiment, the expansion
device 1000
displaces the roller expansion elements 1006 in an outer radial direction from
the central roller
section 1004 using hydraulic pressure.
[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, a strain controlled expansion device may be
substituted for the
expansion cone 1002. A strain controlled expansion device is an expansion
device in which the
shape of the expansion device controls the amount of strain in the material
that is expanded. In an
exemplary embodiment, a stress controlled expansion device may be substituted
for the roller
expansion elements 1006. A stress controlled expansion device is an expansion
device in which the
contact pressure applied to the inside surface of the material to be expanded
is controlled, thereby
controlling the stress in the material to be expanded.
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(0043] Referring now to Figures 12, 13, and 14, in an exemplary embodiment,
during the operation
of the system 1000, the system implements a method 1200 in which in 1202
expansion of the
expandable tubular member 1304 by the system is initiated by the expansion
device 1000 being
displaced in an upward direction 1300, by the injection of a fluidic material
1302, relative to the
expandable tubular member 1304 thereby causing radial expansion and plastic
deformation of the
expandable tubular member into intimate contact with an outer casing member
1306. In an
exemplary embodiment, in the initial expansion 1202, the expansion device 1000
is rotated in a
direction 1016 by the use of a mud motor 1018, rotation of the drill string
1020, or other
conventional manner of providing rotation, thereby causing radial expansion
and plastic deformation
of the expandable tubular member 1304 by the expansion cone 1002 and the
roller expansion
elements 1006. In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable tubular member 1304
may be
comprised of individual sections coupled together with one or more connection
joints 1308. In an
exemplary embodiment, the connection joints 1308 include threaded connections.
[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, operation of the expansion device 1000 with
roller expansion
elements 1006 radially expands and plastically deforms the expandable tubing
member 1304 into
intimate contact with the outer casing member 1306 or wellbore and thereby may
accommodate
surface anomalies 1402 on the casing or wellbore and may also fill in any gaps
between the outside
diameter 1404 of the expandable tubing member and the inside diameter 1406 of
the casing or
wellbore.
[0045] Referring now to Figures 12, 15, and 16, in an exemplary embodiment,
during continued
operation of the system 1000, the sensor 1022 of the system continually
determines if the roller
expansion elements 1006 are within the vicinity of the connection joints 1308
in 1204. If the sensor
1022 of the system 1000 determines that the roller expansion elements 1006 are
within the vicinity of
the connection joints 1308 in 1204, then the system retracts the roller
expansion elements 1006
within the central roller section 1004 in 1206. As a result, the continued
operation of the system
1000 to radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular member
1304 is provided
solely by the engagement of the expansion cone 1002 with the expandable
tubular member during the
relative displacement of the expansion cone with the expandable tubular
member. No rotation of the
drill string 1020 or operation of the mud motor 1018 is required when the
roller expansion elements
1006 are allowed to fully retract within the central roller section 1004.
[0046] Referring now to Figures 12, 17 and 18, in an exemplary embodiment,
during continued
operation of the system 1000, the sensor 1022 of the system continually
determines if the roller
expansion elements 1006 are outside the vicinity of the connection joints 1308
in 1208. If the sensor
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1022 of the system 1000 determines that the roller expansion elements 1006 are
outside the vicinity
of the connection joints 1308 in 1208, then the system extends the roller
expansion elements in a
radially outward direction in 1210. As a result, the continued radial
expansion and plastic
deformation of the expandable tubular member 1304 is provided by the
combination of the expansion
cone 1002 and the roller expansion elements 1006 engaging the expandable
tubular member 1304
during the relative displacement of the expansion cone and the roller
expansion elements with the
expandable tubular member.
[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, during operation of the system 1000 in
accordance with the
method 1200, as illustrated in Figure 18, the integrity of the connection
joints 1308 may be
maintained due to the expansion of the connection joints 1308 solely by the
expansion cone 1002 in
1206. As a result, in an exemplary embodiment, the connection joint 1308,
following the radial
expansion and plastic deformation of the expandable tubular member 1304,
provides a metal to metal
and/or fluid tight seal.
[0048] Referring now to Figures 12, 19, 20, and 21, in an exemplary
embodiment, during continued
operation of the system 1000, the sensor 1022 of the system 1000 continually
determines if the roller
expansion elements 1006 are within the vicinity of the connection joints 1308
in 1204. If the sensor
1022 of the system 1000 determines that the roller expansion elements 1006 are
within the vicinity of
the connection joints 1308 in 1204, then the system retracts the roller
expansion elements 1006
partially within the central roller section 1004 in 1206. As a result, the
continued operation of the
system 1000 to radially expand and plastically deform the expandable tubular
member 1304 is
provided by the combination of the expansion cone 1002 and the partially
retracted roller expansion
elements 1006 engaging the expandable tubular member 1304 during the relative
displacement of the
expansion cone and the roller expansion elements with the expandable tubular
member. In an
exemplary embodiment, the extent to which the roller expansion elements 1006
may be retracted in
1206 in order to maintain the integrity of the connection joints 1308 during
and following the radial
expansion and plastic deformation of the connection joints, may be determined
using experimental
empirical methods.
[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the determination that the roller expansion
elements 1006 are
within the vicinity of the connection joints 1308, may be determined using
empirical methods. The
determination that the roller expansion elements 1006 are within the vicinity
of the connection joints
1308 may be a function of, among other things, the type of connection joint,
the metallurgy of the
expandable tubular member, the geometry of the expansion device, the wall
thickness of the
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expandable tubular member, and the amount the expandable tubular member is to
be radially
expanded and plastically deformed.
[0050] Referring now to Figure 22 and 23, in an exemplary embodiment, an
expansion device 2200
is substantially identical to expansion device 1000, however a flexible shell
2202 is positioned
around the outer circumference formed by the exterior surfaces of the roller
expansion elements 1006
and the central roller section 1004. The flexible shell 2202 is attached at
opposite ends of the upper
and lower portions of the central roller section 1004.
[0051] Referring now to Figures 24 and 25, in an exemplary embodiment, during
operation of the
expansion device 2200, the roller expansion elements 1006 are displaced in an
outward direction and
the expansion device is rotated in a direction 1016, thereby causing radial
expansion and plastic
deformation of the expandable tubular member 1304 by the expansion cone 1002
and the flexible
shell 2202. During operation, in an exemplary embodiment, the flexible shell
2202 positioned
around the exterior circumference of the roller expansion elements 1006 and
the central roller section
1004 distributes the stress applied by the roller expansion elements to the
interior surface of
expandable tubular member 1304. As a result, the use of the flexible shell
2202 decreases the stress
concentrations in the connection joints 1308 of the expandable tubular member
1304 caused by the
roller expansion elements and allows radial expansion and plastic deformation
of the connection
joints without loss of connection strength or sealing ability. As a result,
the connection joint 1308
provides a metal to metal seal andlor a fluid tight seal during and after
radial expansion and plastic
deformation of the connection joint. In an exemplary embodiment, during
operation of the
expansion device 2200, the flexible shell 2202 is not plastically deformed by
the roller expansion
elements 1006 and conforms around the exterior of the central roller section
1004 when the roller
expansion elements 1006 are fully retracted.
[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the roller expansion elements 1006 may be
displaced in a
radially outwardly direction with the use of a variable compressibility fluid.
Variable compressibility
can be achieved, for example, by the insertion into the fluid of frangible
ceramic spheres that
collapse above a certain pressure. The compressibility of the fluid may also
be varied by the use of
gaseous bubbles in the fluid. In an exemplary embodiment, the variable
compressibility of the fluid
used to displace the roller expansion elements 1006 into engagement with the
expandable tubular
member 1304 mitigates damage to the connection joint 1308. For example, the
compressibility of
the variable compressibility fluid may be controlled such that as the rate of
strain of the tubular
member increases, due to operation of the rollers, the contact stresses may
not increase as fast, may
be stable, or may decrease. Furthermore, for example, since the yield point of
the connection joint
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1308 is typically different from the yield point of the remaining portions of
the expandable tubular
member 1304, the variable compressibility of the fluid may be designed using
empirically
experimental methods to provide a relationship as shown in Figure 26.
Referring to Figure 26, the
graph 2600 indicates that as the rate of strain increases, the rate of
increase in stress is designed to go
down. The variable compressibility fluid is designed to account for this and
permits the roller
expansion elements 1006 to adjust to the connections joints 1308 and radially
expand and plastically
deform the connection joints and provide a metal to metal seal and/or a fluid
tight seal during and
after radial expansion and plastic deformation of the connection joint.
[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, during operation of the system 1000, the
radial expansion and
plastic deformation of the expandable tubular member 1304 may be provided by
displacing the
system 1000 in a top down or bottoms up configuration, pushing down or pulling
up on a drillstring,
or a combination of these methods.
[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable tubular member 202 consists
of one or more of
the expandable tubular members 704 and 1304.
[0055] An expansion device for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface to radially expand and plastically deform the mechanical joints of the
tubular member
assembly; and a second expansion device comprising one or more roller
expansion elements to
radially expand and plastically deform the non-mechanical joint portion of the
tubular member
assembly.
[0056] An expansion device for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface for engaging an interior surface of the tubular member; and a second
expansion device
operably coupled to the first expansion device comprising one or more roller
expansion elements for
engaging the interior surface of the tubular member.
[0057] An expansion device for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface for engaging an interior surface of the tubular member assembly; a
second expansion device
operably coupled to the first expansion device comprising one or more roller
expansion elements for
engaging the interior surface of the tubular member assembly; one or more
sensors to sense
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connection joints of the tubular member assembly; and a controller operably
coupled to the sensor
and the second expansion device; wherein the controller retracts the roller
expansion elements based
on the vicinity of the expansion device to a connection joint of the tubular
member assembly; and
wherein the mechanical joints are threaded connections.
[0058] A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular
member assembly
comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical joint has
been described that
includes controllably straining the mechanical joint of the tubular member
assembly; and
controllably stressing and straining the non-mechanical joint portion of the
tubular member
assembly.
[0059] A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular
member assembly
comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical joint has
been described that
includes operating a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface to radially expand and plastically deform the mechanical joints of the
tubular member
assembly; and operating a second expansion device comprising one or more
roller expansion
elements to radially expand and plastically deform the non-mechanical joint
portion of the tubular
member assembly.
[0060] A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular
member assembly
comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical joint has
been described that
includes operating a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member assembly
as a function of
sensed operating conditions; and operating a second expansion device
comprising one or more roller
expansion elements to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular
member assembly as a
function of sensed operating conditions.
[0061] A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular
member assembly
comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical joint has
been described that
includes: operating a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member assembly
as a function of
sensed operating conditions; operating a second expansion device comprising
one or more roller
expansion elements to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular
member assembly as a
function of sensed operating conditions; operating one or more sensors to
sense connection joints of
the tubular member assembly; and operating a controller coupled to the sensor
and the second
expansion device. The controller retracts the roller expansion elements based
on the vicinity of the
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expansion device to a connection joint of the tubular member assembly; and the
mechanical joints are
threaded connections.
100621 A method of radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular
member assembly
comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical joint has
been described that
includes: operating a first expansion device comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered
surface to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member assembly
as a function of
sensed operating conditions; operating a second expansion device comprising
one or more roller
expansion elements to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular
member assembly as a
function of sensed operating conditions; operating one or more sensors to
sense connection joints of
the tubular member assembly; and operating a controller coupled to the sensor
and the second
expansion device. The controller retracts the roller expansion elements based
on the vicinity of the
expansion device to a connection joint of the tubular member assembly; wherein
the mechanical
joints are threaded connections; and determining the amount the roller
expansion elements are
retracted by empirical methods.
[00631 An expansion system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes means for controllably straining the mechanical joint
of the tubular member
assembly; and means for controllably stressing and straining the non-
mechanical joint portion of the
tubular member assembly.
100641 An expansion system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes means for operating a first expansion device
comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered surface to radially expand and plastically deform the
mechanical joints of
the tubular member assembly; and means for operating a second expansion device
comprising one or
more roller expansion elements to radially expand and plastically deform the
non-mechanical joint
portion of the tubular member assembly.
[00651 An expansion system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes: means for operating a first expansion device
comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered surface to radially expand and plastically deform the
tubular member
assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions; and means for operating
a second expansion
device comprising one or more roller expansion elements to radially expand and
plastically deform
the tubular member assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions.
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[0066] An expansion system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes: means for operating a first expansion device
comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered surface to radially expand and plastically deform the
tubular member
assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions; means for operating a
second expansion
device comprising one or more roller expansion elements to radially expand and
plastically deform
the tubular member assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions;
means for operating one
or more sensors to sense connection joints of the tubular member assembly;
means for operating a
controller coupled to the sensor and the second expansion device; wherein the
controller retracts the
roller expansion elements based on the vicinity of the expansion device to a
connection joint of the
tubular member assembly; and wherein the mechanical joints are threaded
connections.
[0067] An expansion system for radially expanding and plastically deforming a
tubular member
assembly comprising tubular members connected end to end with a mechanical
joint has been
described that includes: means for operating a first expansion device
comprising a substantially
continuous outer tapered surface to radially expand and plastically deform the
tubular member
assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions; means for operating a
second expansion
device comprising one or more roller expansion elements to radially expand and
plastically deform
the tubular member assembly as a function of sensed operating conditions;
means for operating one
or more sensors to sense connection joints of the tubular member assembly;
means for operating a
controller coupled to the sensor and the second expansion device; wherein the
controller retracts the
roller expansion elements based on the vicinity of the expansion device to a
connection joint of the
tubular member assembly; wherein the mechanical joints are threaded
connections; and determining
the amount the roller expansion elements are retracted by empirical methods.
[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, other forms of strain controlled expansion
devices may be used
instead of or in addition to the expansion cone. In an exemplary embodiment,
other forms of stress
controlled expansion processes may be used instead of or in addition to the
roller cones.
[0069] 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, and some steps of the present invention may be executed
without a corresponding
execution of other steps. In some instances, some features of the present
invention may be employed
with a corresponding use of other features, and some steps of the present
invention may be executed
with a corresponding execution of other steps. Accordingly, all such
modifications, changes and
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CA 02624405 2008-03-06
substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of this invention
as defined in the
following claims, and it is appropriate that the claims be construed broadly
and in a manner
consistent with the scope of the invention. In the claims, means-plus-function
clauses are intended to
cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and
not only structural
equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
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