초록 ▼

A seal assembly ( 60 ) for controlling the flow of fluids in an annulus ( 68 ) between a continuous tubular ( 62 ) and a cased wellbore ( 64 ) is disclosed. The seal assembly ( 60 ) includes anchor slips ( 72 ) and a seal element ( 78 ). The seal assembly ( 60 ) is actuated by communicating hydrauli

A seal assembly ( 60 ) for controlling the flow of fluids in an annulus ( 68 ) between a continuous tubular ( 62 ) and a cased wellbore ( 64 ) is disclosed. The seal assembly ( 60 ) includes anchor slips ( 72 ) and a seal element ( 78 ). The seal assembly ( 60 ) is actuated by communicating hydraulic fluid to a setting assembly ( 82 ) via an operating fluid conduit integral with the tubular ( 62 ). Upon actuation, the setting assembly ( 82 ) axially shifts a pair of slip ramps ( 74, 76 ) which radially expands the anchor slips ( 72 ) into gripping engagement with the wellbore ( 64 ) and radially expands the seal element ( 78 ) into sealing engagement with the wellbore ( 64 ).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A seal assembly for controlling the flow of fluids in a wellbore comprising:a nonjointed tubular having a fluid passageway therethrough, the nonjointed tubular forming an annulus with the wellbore;a seal element positioned externally around the nonjointed tubular, the seal element operable to blo

1. A seal assembly for controlling the flow of fluids in a wellbore comprising:a nonjointed tubular having a fluid passageway therethrough, the nonjointed tubular forming an annulus with the wellbore;a seal element positioned externally around the nonjointed tubular, the seal element operable to block the flow of fluids through the annulus between the nonjointed tubular and the wellbore when the seal element is in a sealing position; anda setting assembly positioned externally around the nonjointed tubular operable to actuate the seal element from a non sealing position to the sealing position. 2. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonjointed tubular further comprises a composite coiled tubing. 3. The seal assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein the composite coiled tubing further comprises a plurality of composite layers, a substantially impermeable material lining an inner surface of the innermost composite layer forming the fluid passageway and a control conduit integrally positioned between two of the composite layers. 4. The seal assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the control conduit further comprises a hydraulic fluid conduit that supplies hydraulic fluid to operate the setting assembly. 5. The seal assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the control conduit further comprises an electrical conduit operable to control the petting assembly. 6. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising first and second slip ramps positioned around the nonjointed tubular and anchor slips positioned around the nonjointed tubular and between the first and second slip ramps, the anchor slips radially extendable into a gripping engagement with the wellbore in response to relative axial movement of the first and second slip ramps toward one another created by the setting assembly. 7. The seal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the seal element is actuatable into the sealing position with the wellbore in response to a compressive axial force applied to the seal element by the second slip ramp. 8. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal element further comprises an extrudable material. 9. The seal assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein the extrudable material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers and rubbers. 10. The seal assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the seal element subjected to a crosslinking reaction to increase the strength and resiliency of the extrudable material and to unitize the seal element. 11. The seal assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the crosslinking reaction is selected from the group consisting of vulcanization, a radiation crosslinking reaction, a photochemical crosslinking reaction and a chemical crosslinking reaction. 12. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal element further comprises a plurality of arc shaped segments that are positioned around the nonjointed tubular to form an annular member. 13. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal element further comprises a sheet that is wrapped around the continous section of the tubular to form a plurality of layers. 14. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal element further comprises first and second sections having a jointed slidably engageable relationship, the first and second sections each having a plurality of seal members that form a sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to the first and second sections being axially shifter toward one another. 15. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal element further comprises a spoolable member that is wound around the nonjointed tubular to form a plurality of turns. 16. A hydraulic control assembly for actuating a hydraulically controllable downhole device comprising:a nonjointed tubular having an inner surface defining a fluid passageway therethrough and an outer surface;a hydraulically controllable downhole device operably positioned around the outer surf ace of the nonjointed tubular;an operating fluid conduit positioned between the inner and outer surfaces of the nonjointed tubular, the operating fluid conduit being in fluid communication with the hydraulically controllable downhole device; anda hydraulic fluid source operably associated with the operating fluid conduit, the hydraulic fluid source providing a pressurized hydraulic fluid that selectively actuates the hydraulically controllable downhole device. 17. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein the nonjointed tubular further comprises a composite coiled tubing. 18. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein the composite coiled tubing further comprises a plurality of composite layers and a substantially impermeable material lining forming he inner surface, wherein the operating fluid conduit is integraly positioned between two of the composite layers. 19. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein the hydraulically controllable downhole device further comprises a seal assembly. 20. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein the seal assembly further comprises:first and second slip ramps positioned around the composite coiled tubing;anchor slips positioned around the composite coiled tubing between the slip ramps, the anchor slips radially extendable into a gripping engagement against a wellbore in response to relative axial movement of the first and second slip ramps toward one another;a setting assembly positioned around the section of composite coiled tubing and in fluid communication with the operating fluid conduit, the setting assembly hydraulically actuatable to axially shift the first slip ramp toward the second slip ramp; anda seal element positioned around the composite coiled tubing, the seal element radially expandable into a sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to a compressive axial force applied to the seal element by the second slip ramp after actuation of the setting assembly. 21. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein the seal element further comprises a plurality of arc shaped segments that are positioned around the composite coiled tubing to form an annular member. 22. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein the seal element further comprises a sheet that is wrapped around the composite coiled tubing to form a plurality of layers. 23. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein the seal element comprises first and second sections having a jointed slidably engagable relationship, the first and second sections each having a plurality of seal members that form a sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to the first and second sections being axially shifted toward one another. 24. The hydraulic control assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein the seal element comprises a spoolable member wound around the composite tubing to form a plurality of turns. 25. A seal assembly for controlling the flow of fluids in a wellbore comprising:a section of composite coiled tubing including a plurality of composite layers, a substantially impermeable material lining an inner surface of the innermost composite layer forming a fluid passageway and an operating fluid conduit integrally positioned between two of the composite layers;a mandrel having a flange positioned around the section of composite coiled tubing;first and second slip ramps positioned around the mandrel;anchor slips positioned around the mandrel between the first and second slip ramps, the anchor slips radially extendable into a gripping engagement against the wellbore in response to relative axial movement of the first and second slip ramps toward one another;a setting assembly positioned around the mandrel and in fluid communication with the operating fluid conduit, the setting assembly hydraulically actuatable to axially shift the first slip ramp toward the second slip ramp; anda seal element p ositioned around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp, the seal element radially expandable into a sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to a compressive axial force applied to the seal element between the second slip ramp and the flange after actuation of the setting assembly. 26. The seal assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein the seal element further comprises a plurality of arc shaped segments that are positioned around the mandrel to form an annular member. 27. The seal assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein the seal element further comprises a sheet that is wrapped around the mandrel to form a plurality of layers. 28. The seal assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein the seal element comprises first and second sections having a jointed slidably engagable relationship, the first and second sections each having a plurality of seal members that form a sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to the first and second sections being axially shifted toward one another. 29. The seal assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein the seal element further comprises a spoolable member that is wound around the mandrel to form a plurality of turns. 30. A method for assembling a seal assembly on a nonjointed tubular having an operating fluid conduit associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:positioning a mandrel having a flange around the exterior of the nonjointed tubular;disposing first and second slip ramps around the mandrel;positioning anchor slips around the mandrel between the first and second slip ramps;coupling a setting assembly around the mandrel;establishing fluid communication between the operating fluid conduit and the setting assembly; andpositioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp, such that upon hydraulic actuation of the setting assembly, the first and second slip ramps radially expand the anchor slips and the seal element is radially expanded in response to a compressive axial force applied to the seal element between the second slip ramp and the flange. 31. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of positioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp further comprises subjecting the seal element to a crosslinking reaction to increase the strength and resiliency of the seal element. 32. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of subjecting the seal element to a crosslinking reaction to increase the strength and resiliency of the seal element further comprises selecting the crosslinking reaction from the group consisting of vulcanizing, radiation crosslinking, photochemical crosslinking and chemical crosslinking. 33. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of positioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp further comprises positioning a plurality of arc shape segments around the mandrel and forming a substantially unitized annular member. 34. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of positioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp further comprises wrapping a sheet around the mandrel to form a plurality of layers and forming a substantially unitized annular member. 35. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of positioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp further comprises positioning first and second sections having a jointed slidably engagable relationship around the mandrel, the first and second sections each having a plurality of seal members that radially expand in response to the first and second sections being axially shifted toward one another. 36. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of positioning a seal element around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp further comprises winding a spoolable member around the mandrel to form a plurality of turns. 37. A method for operating a seal assembly comprising the steps of:positioning the seal assembly around a nonjointed tubular, the seal assembly comprising a mandrel having a flange positioned around the nonjointed tubular, first and second slip ramps positioned around the mandrel, anchor slips positioned round the mandrel between the first and second slip ramps, a setting assembly coupled around the mandrel and in fluid communication with an operating fluid conduit integral with the nonjointed tubular and a seal element positioned around the mandrel between the flange and the second slip ramp;disposing the seal assembly within a wellbore;communicating an operating fluid to the setting assembly through the operating fluid conduit;axially shifting the first slip ramp toward the second slip ramp with the setting assembly;radially expanding the anchor slips into gripping engagement with the wellbore in response to the relative axially movement of the first and second slip ramps; andradially expanding the seal element into sealing engagement with the wellbore in response to a compressive axial force applied to the seal element between the second slip ramp and the flange.