ES2958091A2 - FOLDING SHELL PACKER FOR METAL TO METAL SEALING - Google Patents

Abstract

Folding shell packer for metal to metal sealing. Folding shell packers and methods of use. An example method introduces a collapsible casing packer into a well, the collapsible casing packer comprising a hollow, collapsible metal casing. The method further includes folding the hollow, foldable metal casing by compressing the hollow, foldable metal casing axially to expand the hollow, foldable metal casing radially, wherein the hollow, foldable metal casing is folded until a portion of the casing hollow, foldable metal comes into contact with an adjacent surface, thus isolating an area.

Description

DESCRIPTION

FOLDING SHELL PACKER FOR METAL TO METAL SEALING

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to the use of packers, and more particularly, to the use of folding shell packers to provide zonal insulation with metal-to-metal sealing and anchoring.

Background

Packers can be used, among other reasons, to anchor and form annular seals in and around conduits in wellbore environments. Packers can be used to anchor a conduit concentrically within another conduit or well. Packers can also seal an area within a conduit or well. The seal may restrict all or a portion of fluid and/or pressure communication at the seal interface. Seal formation can be an important part of well operations at all stages of drilling, completion and production. In some operations, isolation and anchoring functionality may require separate mechanisms with many moving parts in some packer designs. These complications can increase costs, as well as cases of mechanical failure.

Additionally, some packers can expand radially by stretching the packer material in the axial direction. The greater the expansion, the lower the sealing capacity may be, as the material is subjected to increased stress due to the reduction in cross section caused by stretching of the material. This can lead to sealing warranty issues in some well environments. Improved apparatus and methods are provided for packers used to provide zonal insulation with metal-to-metal sealing and anchoring.

Brief description of the figures

Illustrative examples of the present description are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of an example of a folding shell packer according to the examples described herein;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example folding shell packer of Figure 1 according to the examples described herein;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional illustration of the foldable shell packer example of Figures 1 and 2 as used in a conduit when in an unfolded state in accordance with the examples described herein;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer of Figure 3 when in the folded state according to the examples described herein;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional illustration of another example of a foldable shell packer disposed in a chute in an unfolded state according to the examples described herein;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer of Figure 5 when in the folded state according to the examples described herein;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional illustration of another example of a foldable shell packer disposed in a chute in an unfolded state according to the examples described herein;

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross section of the folding shell packer of Figure 7 according to the examples described herein;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer of Figure 7 when in a folded state according to the examples described herein;

Figure 10 is a cross section of an optional locking mechanism for the folding case packer of Figure 7 according to the examples described herein; Figure 11 is a cross section of the optional locking mechanism of Figure 10 once engaged according to the examples described herein;

Figure 12 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer of Figures 7-11 with a sealing element attached over the tip according to the examples described herein;

Figure 13 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer of Figures 7-11 with two sealing elements attached to each side of the tip according to the examples described herein; and

Figure 14 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer of Figure 13 in the folded state according to the examples described herein.

The illustrated figures are examples only and are not intended to state or imply any limitations regarding the environment, architecture, design or process in which different examples may be implemented.

Detailed description

The present disclosure relates to the use of packers, and more particularly, to the use of folding shell packers to provide zonal insulation with metal-to-metal sealing and anchoring.

In the following detailed description of several illustrative examples, reference is made to the attached drawings that form part of this document, and in which examples that can be carried out are shown by way of example. These examples are described in sufficient detail to permit those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is understood that other examples may be used, and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the examples. revealed examples. To avoid unnecessary details to allow those skilled in the art to practice the examples described herein, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description should not be construed restrictively, and the scope of the illustrative examples is defined solely by the appended claims.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts of ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions, and so on used in the present description and associated claims should be understood as modified in all cases by the term "approximately ". Consequently, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters established in the following description and in the attached claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by means of the examples of the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claim, each numerical parameter should be interpreted at least taking into account the number of significant digits reported and applying ordinary rounding techniques. It should be noted that when "about" is at the beginning of a numerical list, "about" modifies each number in the numerical list. Additionally, in some numerical lists of ranges, some listed lower limits may be greater than some listed upper limits. One skilled in the art will recognize that the selected subset will require the selection of an upper limit that exceeds the selected lower limit.

Unless otherwise specified, any use in any form of the terms "connect", "engage", "dock", "join" or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not intended to limit the interaction to a direct interaction. between the elements and may also include an indirect interaction between the described elements. Furthermore, any use in any form of the terms "connect", "mesh", "couple", "join" or any other term describing an interaction between elements includes elements formed integrally together without the aid of external fasteners or joining devices. . In the following discussion and claims, the terms "including" and "comprising" are used openly, therefore, they should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to." Unless otherwise noted, as used throughout this document, “or” does not require mutual exclusivity.

The terms "top of hole" and "downhole" can be used to refer to the location of various components relative to the bottom or end of a well. For example, a first component described as located above a second component may be further from the end of the wellbore than the second component. Similarly, a first component described as being downstream of a second component may be located closer to the end of the wellbore than the second component.

Examples of the apparatus and methods described herein relate to the use of collapsible shell packers to provide zonal insulation with metal-to-metal sealing and anchoring. Advantageously, collapsible shell packers comprise metal shells that allow for metal-to-metal sealing and/or anchoring within conduits. Because collapsible shell packers are metal, they can be more durable in some well environments than other types of packers such as elastomeric swell packers. Another additional mechanical advantage is that folding shell packers expand radially by folding the hollow shells in the axial direction, folding shell packers are subjected to compressive stress rather than tensile stress, making them more durable than the type of bladder packer. An additional advantage is that collapsible shell packers do not rely on inflatable fluid or gas bladders, nor the use of fluid or gas control lines to power collapsible shell packers. Packers that rely on bladders become thinner as they expand and may have reduced temperature and pressure ratings. An even greater advantage is that folding shell packers can be manufactured using additive manufacturing, allowing some examples to possess completely sealed shells with no openings while remaining hollow. Another advantage is that folding shell balers have very few moving parts and may not be subject to the same mechanical problems as other more complex balers. Additionally, lower demand for components can also reduce costs. An additional advantage is that collapsible shell packers, although metal, are elastically deformable and can be released and recoverable upon removal of the axial load. In some examples, folding shell packers may be plastically deformable. In these examples, folding shell packers may not be recoverable in some operations.

Folding shell packers comprise a hollow shell comprising a metal. A specific example of a metal is the metallic alloy of steel, which can provide corrosion resistance in some cases. Other examples of metals may include titanium alloys, or combinations of titanium, steel and other metals or alloys.

Folding casing packers can be used to form a seal at the interface of the folding casing and an adjacent surface. The adjacent surface may be a metal surface of a well casing, a casing surface, a wall of a cement sleeve, the wall of the formation itself, or any other well surface. In some examples, the adjacent surface may have profile variations, a rough finish, etc. These surfaces are not smooth, uniform and/or consistent in the area where sealing will occur. These surfaces may have any type of indentation or projection, for example, cuts, gaps, marks, pits, holes, dimples and the like. An example of a surface that may comprise these indentations or projections is a wellbore wall, such as a casing wall or formation wall.

In some examples, folding shell packers are produced using additive manufacturing, for example, 3D printing metal shells. Additive manufactured components may not require precision machining and, in some cases, may have a rough surface finish that can help texture the exteriors of the housing for anchoring. In alternative examples, the casings may be finished to provide a smooth surface. In some examples, metal casings may be composed of different materials (e.g., different grades of steel, different alloys, combinations of alloys such as titanium and steel, etc.) arranged in layers throughout the casing to provide different properties. of material in different parts of the casing. For example, the vertices of the shells can be made more elastically deformable to assist in bending for expansion of the shells, while the walls of foldable shells can be made more rigid to improve strength and support. An additional advantage of additive manufacturing is that folding shell packers can be manufactured completely sealed unopened and still retain a hollow core. A configuration like this can improve the overall strength of the material. In some examples, the deformable parts of folding shell packers may be plastically deformable if desired, and may not return to their original shape. These specific examples of folding case packers can be used in operations where retrieval of the folding case packer is not desirable. It is understood that although foldable shell packers are described as a possible additive manufacturing product, foldable shell packers can also be manufactured by other techniques as desired.

Collapsible casing packers can be used to form a seal between adjacent surfaces in the wellbore. Without limitation, the collapsible casing packer can be used to form seals in conduits, forming surfaces, cement pods, downhole tools and the like. For example, a collapsible casing packer can be used to form a seal between the outside diameter of a conduit and an underground formation surface. Alternatively, a collapsible shell packer can be used to form a seal between the outside diameter of a conduit and a cement sleeve (e.g., liner). As another example, a collapsible shell packer can be used to form a seal between the outside diameter of one conduit and the inside diameter of another conduit (which may be the same or different). Additionally, multiple collapsible casing packers can be used to form seals between multiple ropes of conduit (e.g., oilfield tubulars). In a specific example, a collapsible shell packer can form a seal on the inner diameter of a conduit to restrict fluid flow through the inner diameter of the conduit, functioning similarly to a bridge plug. It is understood that the collapsible casing packer may be used to form a seal between any adjacent surface in the wellbore, and the description is not limited to the explicit examples disclosed herein.

Collapsible casing packers can be used in high temperature formations (for example, in formations with zones that have temperatures equal to or greater than 350° F). In these high temperature formations, the use of elastomeric packers or other species of swellable packers may be affected. Advantageously, the collapsible shell packers of the present disclosure are not affected by use in high temperature formations. In some examples, the collapsible shell packers of the present disclosure can be used in both high temperature formations and exposure to high salinity brines. In a specific example, a collapsible shell packer may be used to form a seal after contact with a brine with a salinity of 10% or greater and also while in a wellbore zone with a temperature equal to or greater than 350°. F.

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of an example of a foldable shell packer, generally 5. The foldable shell packer 5 comprises a hollow, foldable metal shell 10. The hollow, foldable metal shell 10 is folded in the direction axial to initiate expansion in the radial direction. The collapsible casing packer 5 is wrapped or slid over a conduit (not shown) with weight, grade and connection specified by the well design. Conduit can be any type of conduit used in a well, including drill pipe, rigid pipe, casing pipe, coiled pipe, etc. The collapsible shell packer 5 further comprises a corrugated design with tips 15 that contact an adjacent surface to form a seal that prevents the passage of fluids, as well as to anchor the conduit to the adjacent surface. In some optional examples, an interior 20 of the foldable shell packer 5 may form a seal with the outer surface of the conduit, even as the foldable shell packer 5 expands.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of the foldable shell packer example 5 of Figure 1. The hollow, foldable metal shell 10 comprises a cavity 25. Additionally, the hollow, foldable metal shell 10 can be manufactured with manufacturing additive to provide a hollow and foldable metal casing 10 that has no openings and whose cavity 25 is bordered on all sides by the hollow and foldable metal casing 10 itself.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example collapsible shell packer 5 of Figures 1 and 2 as used in a conduit 30 when in the unfolded state. The collapsible casing packer 5 is wrapped or slid over the conduit 30 with the weight, rating and connection specified by the well design. The conduit 30 may be any type of conduit used in a well, including drill pipe, rigid pipe, casing pipe, coiled pipe, etc. The conduit 30 is arranged in a well 35. On one side of the collapsible shell packer 5 is a fixed support 40. The fixed support 40 can be used to prevent slipping or act as an extrusion barrier that prevents the applied pressure from slide or extrude the collapsible shell packer 5 in the direction of said applied pressure. In these optional examples, the fixed support 40 may be attached to the conduit 30 using any suitable connection mechanism, such as a threaded connection. The piston 45 applies pressure to the foldable shell packer 5 to fold the hollow, foldable metal shell 10 in the axial direction. The folding of the hollow and foldable metal casing 10 in the axial direction forces the expansion of the hollow and foldable metal casing 10 in the radial direction. This expansion is elastic, and the hollow, foldable metal casing 10 returns to its illustrated unfolded state upon removal of the applied pressure from the piston 45.

The piston 45 can be driven through any sufficient mechanism, including the activation of the motor with gears to create axial movement, hydraulic pressure from the ring through an annular fluid or a bottom fluid with pressure applied from the surface, a system internal hydraulic, or any combination of these. As the folding shell packer 5 is not inflatable, it does not require a control line for inflation of a bladder with liquid or gas to initiate deployment.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer 5 of Figure 3 when in the folded state. The piston 45 has moved in the direction illustrated by arrow 50 to apply pressure in the axial direction to the foldable shell packer 5. The applied pressure folds the hollow, foldable metal shell 10 in the axial direction, initiating expansion in the radial direction. As the hollow, foldable metal casing 10 expands in the radial direction, the tips 15 come into contact with an adjacent surface 55. The adjacent surface 55 may be the surface of the conduit 30, such as a casing, pipe, etc. , or may be the surface of a well wall 35. When the tips 15 contact the adjacent surface 55, a seal is formed at the interface, and the collapsible casing packer 5 anchors the conduit 30 to the adjacent surface 55. The support Optional fixed 40 prevents slipping of folding casing packer 5 while piston 45 applies pressure. In some examples, actuation of the piston 45 may be stopped and pressure applied to the collapsible casing packer 5 may be released. Since the foldable shell packer 5 is elastically deformable, the foldable shell packer 5 returns to the unfolded state of Figure 3 upon removal of the applied pressure. This reversal allows the seal and anchor of the folding shell packer 5 to be removed as desired, as well as the folding shell packer 5 to be retrieved as desired.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional illustration of another example of a collapsible shell packer, generally 100, disposed in a chute 110 in the unfolded state. The foldable shell packer 100 comprises a hollow, foldable metal shell 105. The hollow, foldable metal shell 105 is folded in the axial direction to initiate expansion in the radial direction. The collapsible casing packer 100 is wrapped or slid over the conduit 110 with the weight, rating and connection specified by the well design. The conduit 110 may be any type of conduit used in a well, including drill pipe, rigid pipe, casing pipe, coiled pipe, etc. The foldable shell packer 100 further comprises a flat trapezoidal design with a flat contact surface 115 that contacts an adjacent surface 120 when in the folded state to form a seal that prevents the passage of fluids and also to anchor the conduit 110 to the surface. adjacent 120. In some optional examples, an interior 125 of the collapsible shell packer 100 may seal to an exterior surface of the conduit 110, including during expansion of the foldable shell packer 100.

The hollow, foldable metal casing 105 comprises a cavity 130. Additionally, the hollow, foldable metal casing 105 can be manufactured with additive manufacturing to provide a hollow, foldable metal casing 105 that has no openings and whose cavity 130 is bordered on all sides by the hollow, foldable metal shell itself 105.

With continued reference to Figure 5, the conduit 110 is disposed in a well 135. On one side of the folding shell packer 100 is a fixed support 140. The fixed support 140 is an optional component and is shown in all examples as Strictly optional. The fixed support 140 may be used to prevent slippage or act as an extrusion barrier that prevents applied pressure from sliding or extruding the foldable shell packer 100 in the direction of said applied pressure. In these optional examples, the fixed support 140 may be attached to the conduit 110 using any suitable connection mechanism, such as a threaded connection. Additionally, or alternatively, the collapsible shell packer 100 may be attached to the conduit 110 with a threaded connection. The piston 145 applies pressure to the foldable shell packer 100 to fold the hollow, foldable metal shell 105 in the axial direction. Folding of the hollow and foldable metal casing 105 in the axial direction forces the expansion of the hollow and foldable metal casing 105 in the radial direction. This expansion is elastic, and the hollow, foldable metal casing 105 returns to its illustrated unfolded state upon removal of applied pressure from the piston 145.

The piston 145 can be driven through any sufficient mechanism, including the activation of the motor with gears to create axial movement, hydraulic pressure from the ring through an annular fluid or a bottom fluid with pressure applied from the surface, a system internal hydraulic, or any combination of these. Because the collapsible shell packer 100 is not inflatable, it does not require a control line for inflation of a bladder with liquid or gas to initiate deployment.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer 100 of Figure 5 when in the folded state. Piston 145 has moved in the direction illustrated by arrow 150 to apply pressure in the axial direction to the foldable shell packer 100. The applied pressure folds the hollow, foldable metal shell 105 in the axial direction, initiating expansion. in the radial direction. As the hollow, foldable metal casing 105 expands in the radial direction, the flat contact surface 115 comes into contact with the adjacent surface 120. The adjacent surface 120 may be the surface of the conduit 110, such as a casing, pipe , etc., or it may be the surface of a wellbore wall 135. When the flat contact surface 115 contacts the adjacent surface 120, a seal is formed at the interface, and the collapsible casing packer 100 anchors the pipe 110 to the adjacent surface 120. The fixed support 140 prevents sliding of the folding casing packer 100 while the piston 145 applies pressure. In some examples, actuation of the piston 145 may be stopped and pressure applied to the collapsible casing packer 100 may be released. Since the foldable shell packer 100 is elastically deformable, the foldable shell packer 100 returns to the unfolded state of Figure 5 upon removal of the applied pressure. This reversal allows the seal and anchor of the folding shell packer 100 to be removed as desired, as well as the folding shell packer 100 to be retrieved as desired.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional illustration of another example of a collapsible shell packer, generally 200, disposed in a chute 210 in the unfolded state. Illustrated are multiple collapsible shell packers 200 interconnected in series. The foldable shell packers 200 comprise hollow, foldable metal shells 205. The hollow, foldable metal shells 205 fold in the axial direction to initiate expansion in the radial direction. Collapsible casing packers 200 are wrapped or slid over conduit 210 with the weight, rating and connection specified by the well design. The conduit 210 may be any type of conduit used in a well, including drill pipe, rigid pipe, casing pipe, coiled pipe, etc. The foldable shell packers 200 further comprise a pointed design with a single tip 215 that contacts an adjacent surface 220 when in the folded state to form a seal to prevent the passage of fluids and also to anchor the conduit 210 to the adjacent surface 220. In some optional examples, an interior 225 of the foldable shell packers 200 may include threads or other connecting mechanisms to secure the foldable shell packers 200 to the conduit 210. The hollow, foldable metal shells 205 comprise a cavity 230. This specific example of collapsible shell packers 200 has an opening adjacent to conduit 210 in the hollow, collapsible metal shells 205, and therefore, cavity 230 is exposed on the side of conduit 210 toward the surface of the conduit. 210. However, in some alternative examples, the hollow, foldable metal housings 205 may be manufactured with additive manufacturing to provide a hollow, foldable metal housing 205 that has no openings and whose cavity 230 is bordered on all sides by the own hollow and foldable metal shell 205.

With continued reference to Figure 7, the conduit 210 is disposed in a well 235. One of the sides of the collapsible casing packers 200 comprises a piston casing 240. The piston casing 240 is used to house the piston 245. The Piston 245 is a component on the opposite side of the folding shell packers 200, as is the piston shell 240. As the piston 245 is located on the opposite side of the folding shell packers 200 compared to the piston shell 240 , the folding case packers 200 are designed to fit together in series, as illustrated. As such, the piston housing 240 of a folding shell packer 200 serves as the piston housing 240 of the piston 245 of the adjacent folding shell packer 200. This modular design allows the folding shell packers 200 to be applied as needed to provide the desired amount of sealing and anchoring.

The piston 245 applies pressure to the foldable shell packer 200 to fold the hollow, foldable metal shell 205 in the axial direction. Folding of the hollow and foldable metal casing 205 in the axial direction forces the expansion of the hollow and foldable metal casing 205 in the radial direction. This expansion may be elastic, and the hollow, foldable metal casing 205 may return to the illustrated unfolded state upon removal of applied pressure from the piston 245. Alternatively, the expansion may be plastic in some examples and the hollow, foldable metal casing 205 may not return to the illustrated unfolded state upon removing applied pressure from the piston 245. In some examples, the piston housing 240 may be secured to the passage 210 to control uniformity in the compression rate of all hollow and foldable housings. metal 205.

The piston 245 is shown as being actuated by a fluid pumped through the double-layered wall of the conduit 210. The fluid exits through the ports 250 into a piston adjustment chamber 255 to push the piston 245 and fold the casings. hollow and foldable metal 205 in the axial direction. The piston setting chamber 255 is defined by the boundary of the outermost outer wall of the piston 245 and the piston housing 240. In some alternative examples, the piston 245 may be actuated by other mechanisms such as motors or through the application of hydraulic pressure using annular or downhole fluids that can enter the piston adjustment chamber 255 through an alternative inlet port. Because the collapsible shell packer 200 is not inflatable, it does not require a control line for inflation of a bladder with liquid or gas to initiate deployment. The use of hydraulic pressure will generate a greater contact force than the inflation of a bladder for zonal isolation, thus providing better performance than the latter. The hydraulic pressure may be high enough to provide anchoring capability in some examples.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross section of the collapsible casing packer 200 of Figure 7 to better illustrate the piston casing 240, piston 245, port 250, and piston adjustment chamber 255. As discussed above, the actuation The piston 245 folds the hollow and foldable metal casing 205 in the axial direction, which initiates expansion in the radial direction.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional illustration of the example foldable shell packer 200 of Figure 7 when in the folded state. The piston 245 has moved in the direction illustrated by the arrow 260 to apply pressure in the axial direction to the hollow and foldable metal casing 205. The actuation of the piston 245 was carried out by a fluid pumped through the double wall of the conduit 210. Fluid exited conduit 210 through ports 250 to enter piston setting chamber 255 and apply pressure to piston 245. The applied pressure folds the hollow, foldable metal casing 205 in the axial direction, which begins expansion in the radial direction. As the hollow, foldable metal casing 205 expands in the radial direction, the tip 215 contacts the adjacent surface 220. The adjacent surface 220 may be the surface of a conduit such as a casing, pipe, etc. or it may be the surface of a wellbore wall 235. When the tip 215 contacts the adjacent surface 220, a seal is formed at the interface, and the collapsible casing packer 200 anchors the pipe 210 to the adjacent surface 220. In some examples, actuation of the piston 245 may be stopped and pressure applied to the hollow, foldable metal casing 205 may be released. Since the hollow, foldable metal shell 205 may be elastically deformable, the foldable shell packer 200 may return to the unfolded state of Figure 5 upon removal of applied pressure. Alternatively, the hollow, foldable metal shell 205 may be plastically deformable, and the foldable shell packer 200 may not return to the unfolded state of Figure 5 upon removal of applied pressure. Reverting to the unfolded state allows the sealing and anchoring of the folding shell packer 200 to be removed as desired, as well as the folding shell packer 200 to be recovered as desired.

Figure 10 is a cross section of an optional locking mechanism for the folding shell packer of Figure 7. In some examples, it may be desirable to lock the folding shell packer 200 in the folded orientation. This can be achieved by maintaining fluid pressure in piston 245 or by sealing port 250 (as illustrated in Figures 7-9) once piston 245 has set. If these methods are not preferred, a groove 270 may be provided on the outside of the passage 210. A corresponding locking ring 275 may be disposed within the piston 245. Once activation of the piston 245 begins, the piston 245 and the ring The locking mechanism 275 will move in the axial direction toward the slot 270. Figure 10 illustrates this arrangement when the folding shell packer 200 is in the unfolded state.

Figure 11 is a cross section of the optional locking mechanism of Figure 10 once engaged. As illustrated, the activation of the piston 245 has been completed and the piston 245 and the lock ring 275 moved in the axial direction until the lock ring 275 contacted the groove 270. The hollow and foldable metal casing 205 is has been folded and remains locked in the folded state due to the locking ring 275 which prevents movement of the hollow, foldable metal housing 205, even if the fluid pressure within the adjustment chamber 255 is removed.

Figure 12 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer 200 of Figures 7-11 with a sealing element 280 secured over the tip 215. The sealing element 280 may be an elastomeric sealing element and may be used to complement the sealing capability of the collapsible shell packer 200. In some examples, the sealing element may be a swellable elastomer and may swell upon contact with aqueous and/or oleaginous fluids.

Figure 13 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer 200 of Figures 7-11 with two sealing elements 280 attached to each side of the tip 215. The sealing elements 280 may be elastomeric sealing elements and may be used to complement the sealing capability of the folding shell packer 200. In some examples, the sealing element may be a swellable elastomer and may swell upon contact with aqueous and/or oleaginous fluids. The sealing elements 280 of Figure 13 are the same sealing elements 280 of Figure 12, but are positioned in a different orientation as illustrated.

Figure 14 is a cross section illustrating the folding shell packer 200 of Figure 13 in a folded state. The two sealing elements 280 have been pressed against the adjacent surface 220 to complement the seal formed on the tip 215.

The sealing elements 280 may be adhered to the hollow, foldable metal housing 205 using any sufficient mechanism, including adhesives, fusion, etc. Furthermore, although the sealing elements 280 are illustrated as used with the folding case packer 200 of the Figures. 7-14, it is understood that the sealing elements 280 may be used with any example of a folding shell packer as described herein.

It should be clearly understood that the examples illustrated by Figures 1-14 are simply general applications of the principles of this description in practice, and a wide variety of other examples are possible. Therefore, the scope of this description is in no way limited to the details of any of the FIGURES described herein.

It should also be recognized that revealed collapsible casing packers may directly or indirectly affect various downhole equipment and tools that may come into contact with collapsible casing packers during operation. Such equipment and tools may include, but are not limited to, well casing, well casing, completion set, insertion ropes, drill pipe, coiled tubing, smooth line, wire line, drill pipe, collars. drilling, mud motors, downhole motors and/or pumps, surface mounted motors and/or pumps, centerers, turbolyzers, scrapers, floats (e.g. shoes, collars, valves, etc.), logging tools and related telemetry equipment, actuators (e.g., electromechanical devices, hydromechanical devices, etc.), sliding sleeves, production sleeves, plugs, screens, filters, flow control devices (e.g., inlet control devices, independent input control devices, output control devices, etc.), couplings (e.g., electro-hydraulic wet coupler, dry coupling, inductive coupler, etc.), control lines (e.g., electrical, fiber optic, hydraulic, etc.), monitoring lines, drill bits and reamers, sensors or distributed sensors, downhole heat exchangers, valves and corresponding actuation devices, tool seals, packers, cement plugs, bridge plugs and other isolation devices well, or similar components. Any of these components can be included in the systems generally described above and represented in any of the FIGURES.

Methods for performing zonal isolation are provided in accordance with the description and the illustrated FIGURES. An example method comprises introducing a collapsible casing packer into a well; wherein the collapsible shell packer comprises a hollow, collapsible metal shell. The method further comprises folding the hollow and foldable metal shell by axially compressing the hollow and foldable metal shell to expand the hollow and foldable metal shell radially, wherein the hollow and foldable metal shell is folded until a portion of the hollow, foldable metal casing comes into contact with an adjacent surface, thereby isolating an area.

Additionally or alternatively, the method may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. Folding of the metal foldable hollow shell can be performed by compressing the metal foldable hollow shell axially by applying pressure to the metal foldable hollow shell with a piston in the axial direction. The folding shell packer may comprise a pointed end contact surface. The folding shell packer may be trapezoidal in shape and comprises a flat contact surface. The foldable shell packer can be in corrugated shape. The hollow, foldable metal shell can be hollow without openings. The collapsible shell packer may further comprise a piston at one end and a piston shell at the opposite end. There may be a plurality of collapsible shell packers interconnected such that the piston of one collapsible shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent shell packer. The foldable shell packer may further comprise a sealing element disposed on a contact surface of the foldable shell packer.

Collapsible shell packers are provided to form a seal and provide anchorage in a well in accordance with the description and the illustrated FIGURES. An example of a collapsible shell packer comprises a hollow, collapsible metal shell configured to fold in the axial direction and expand in the radial direction.

Additionally or alternatively, the folding shell packer may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. Folding of the metal foldable hollow shell can be performed by compressing the metal foldable hollow shell axially by applying pressure to the metal foldable hollow shell with a piston in the axial direction. The folding shell packer may comprise a pointed end contact surface. The folding shell packer may be trapezoidal in shape and comprises a flat contact surface. The foldable shell packer can be in corrugated shape. The hollow, foldable metal shell can be hollow without openings. The collapsible shell packer may further comprise a piston at one end and a piston shell at the opposite end. There may be a plurality of collapsible shell packers interconnected such that the piston of one collapsible shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent shell packer. The foldable shell packer may further comprise a sealing element disposed on a contact surface of the foldable shell packer.

Systems are provided for performing zonal isolation in a well in accordance with the description and the illustrated FIGURES. An exemplary system comprises a foldable shell packer comprising a hollow, foldable metal shell, and a piston for folding the foldable metal shell in the axial direction, thereby expanding the foldable metal shell in the radial direction.

Additionally or alternatively, the system may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. Folding of the metal foldable hollow shell can be performed by compressing the metal foldable hollow shell axially by applying pressure to the metal foldable hollow shell with a piston in the axial direction. The folding shell packer may comprise a pointed end contact surface. The folding shell packer may be trapezoidal in shape and comprises a flat contact surface. The foldable shell packer can be in corrugated shape. The hollow, foldable metal shell can be hollow without openings. The collapsible shell packer may further comprise a piston at one end and a piston shell at the opposite end. There may be a plurality of collapsible shell packers interconnected such that the piston of one collapsible shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent shell packer. The foldable shell packer may further comprise a sealing element disposed on a contact surface of the foldable shell packer. The system may further comprise a conduit comprising a slot on the outside of the conduit; wherein the piston comprises a locking ring; and wherein the locking ring is configured to lock in the groove upon activation of the piston. The piston may be a component of the collapsible casing packer and is disposed at one end of the collapsible casing packer; wherein the collapsible shell packer further comprises a piston shell at the opposite end; and further wherein there is a plurality of foldable shell packers interconnected such that the piston of a foldable shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent foldable shell packer.

One or more illustrative examples are presented that incorporate the examples described here. Not all features of a physical implementation are described or shown in this application in order to maintain clarity. Therefore, the systems and methods described are well adapted to achieve the aforementioned objectives and advantages, as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular examples described above are illustrative only, as the teachings herein may be modified and practiced in various equivalent ways apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended on the construction or design details shown herein, except as described in the claims below. Therefore, it is evident that the particular illustrative examples described above may be altered, combined or modified, and all such variations are considered to be within the scope of the present description. The systems and methods illustratively described herein may appropriately be used in the absence of any element not specifically described herein and/or any optional element described herein.

Although the present description and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the description as defined in the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. A method for carrying out zonal isolation comprising: insert a collapsible shell packer into a well; wherein the collapsible shell packer comprises a hollow, collapsible metal shell, folding the hollow and foldable metal shell by compressing the hollow and foldable metal shell axially to expand the hollow and foldable metal shell radially, wherein the hollow and foldable metal shell is folded until a portion of the hollow and foldable metal shell metal comes into contact with an adjacent surface, thus isolating an area. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein folding the hollow and foldable metal shell by compressing the hollow and foldable metal shell axially is performed by applying pressure to the hollow and foldable metal shell with a piston in the axial direction. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the foldable shell packer comprises a pointed end contact surface. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the foldable shell packer has a trapezoidal shape and comprises a planar contact surface. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the foldable shell packer has a corrugated shape. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hollow, foldable metal casing is hollow without openings. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collapsible shell packer further comprises a piston at one end and a piston shell at the opposite end. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein there is a plurality of foldable shell packers interconnected such that the piston of a foldable shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent foldable shell packer. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the foldable shell packer further comprises a sealing element disposed on a contact surface of the foldable shell packer. 10. A folding shell packer comprising: a hollow, foldable metal casing configured to fold in the axial direction and expand in the radial direction. 11. The folding shell packer of claim 10, wherein the folding shell packer comprises a pointed end contact surface. 12. The foldable shell packer according to claim 10, wherein the foldable shell packer has a trapezoidal shape and comprises a planar contact surface. 13. The foldable shell packer according to claim 10, wherein the foldable shell packer has a corrugated shape. 14. The foldable shell packer according to claim 10, wherein the hollow, foldable metal shell is hollow without openings. 15. The foldable shell packer according to claim 10, wherein the foldable shell packer further comprises a piston at one end and a piston shell at the opposite end. 16. The foldable shell packer according to claim 10, wherein the foldable shell packer further comprises a sealing element disposed on a contact surface of the foldable shell packer. 17. A system to perform zonal isolation in a well, the system comprising: a collapsible shell packer comprising a hollow, collapsible metal shell, and a piston for folding the foldable metal casing in the axial direction, thereby expanding the foldable metal casing in the radial direction. 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a conduit including a slot on the exterior of the conduit; wherein the piston comprises a locking ring; and wherein the locking ring is configured to engage the groove upon activation of the piston. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the piston is a component of the folding shell packer and is disposed at one end of the folding shell packer; wherein the collapsible shell packer further comprises a piston shell at the opposite end; and further wherein there are a plurality of interconnected folding shell packers such that the piston of a folding shell packer is housed in the piston housing of an adjacent folding shell packer. 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the hollow, foldable metal casing is hollow without openings.