Xpandable Steel Packer technology

The development of Xpandable Steel Packer has opened new horizons. The basic concept of attaching an expandable steel sheath to the outside of the casing by welding (cost effective) or crimping (high anchoring and pressure ratings without impacting the base casing characteristics) opens up a wide range of products and applications.…

Xpandable Steel Packer

The Xpandable Steel Packer is slid onto the casing, and sealed by welding or crimping. Through an inflation port, hydraulic pressure expands the metallic sleeves in the completion casing until they are in contact with the formation or casing. The stainless steel sleeves plastic deformation creates a solid and permanent annulus seal. Robust to run, set quickly, with a high pressure life of well seal, hence, this is the ideal solution for annular zonal isolation.

Xpandable Steel Packers seal boreholes with bonded elastomers on the exterior of a metallic sleeve. It enhances the sealing efficiency and reliability, while minimizing formation stress at the packer/borehole interface. Adding dynamic seals to steel rings increases sealing capacity and temperature range. The end fittings protect the expandable sleeve while running in the well.

Pressure compensation systems incorporated in certain Xpandable Steel Packer versions, provide very high differential pressure ratings. Well, above anything else available in the industry. With increasing success rates and a steel barrier between casing and borehole proving most effective for annulus integrity. Soon, expandable steel packers will become the industry standard. The oil industry may be about to undergo a revolution as a steel barrier could replace cement for annulus isolation!

Annulus Zonal Isolation Packers (AZIP)

Annulus Zonal Isolation Packers (AZIP) are slid onto the completion casing and sealed by welding or crimping. It is necessary to apply hydraulic pressure in the casing of the completion. The hydraulic pressure expands the metallic sleeves through an inflation port, and the sleeves plastically deform until contact with the borehole or the casing. The deformation creates a robust and permanent seal in the annulus. The Saltel Xpandable AZIP is a zonal isolation packer with an open hole design.

Saltel Expandable Steel Annulus Zonal Isolation Packers are robust to run, set quickly, and ensure high-pressure life of the well seal. So, these packers are the ideal solution for annulus zonal isolation. The expandable steel zonal isolation packer seals effectively, including in oval, out-of-gauge, and irregular boreholes. It provides a cost-effective solution for the life of the well. The packer seals reliably through thermal cycling and temperature fluctuations. It minimizes cost with no special well fluid requirements for the expansion and saves time with on-demand deformation and immediate sealing.

Characteristics

Saltel Zonal Isolation Packer uses proprietary expandable stainless steel technology and a patented thin layer of bonded elastomer to achieve zonal isolation during injection, production, and cementing operations as a Xpandable Steel Packer technology. Each Zonal Isolation Packer displays specific features and performances depending on the application and the well configuration.

Saltel Zonal Isolation Packer is made up of a casing string, which is run into an open or cased hole. A plug seals the lower end of the string, while pumping from the surface increases its internal pressure. The expansion port transfers this pressure to the packers’ stainless steel sleeve. The sleeve expands out into the annulus between the casing and borehole or outer casing string, conforming to the shape of the wellbore or casing and isolating the annulus below the Zonal Isolation Packer from the annulus above. Alternatively, one or more packers can be used for:

  • selective multizonal production
  • preventing zonal crossflow
  • conducting multizonal acidizing
  • sealing off a water zone
  • performing other remedial operations.