Claims
- 1. A method for sealing a connection between adjoining tubular bodies comprising: threadably engaging a threaded axial end of a first tubular body within a threaded axial end opening of a second tubular body whereby an annular chamber is defined between the first and the second tubular bodies; disposing a sealing component in the annular chamber between the first and second tubular bodies; and radially expanding the first and the second tubular bodies to compress the sealing component between the first and second tubular bodies to seal the annular chamber between the first and second tubular bodies.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealing component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular chamber during the radial expansion.
- 3. A method for forming a seal between telescopically and threadably engaged, tubular bodies comprising: disposing a seal component in an overlapping annular area between first and second telescopically and threadedly engaged tubular bodies; and radially expanding the first and the second tubular bodies to compress the seal component for forming a seal between said first and second tubular bodies in the overlapping annular area.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the seal component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular area during the radial expansion
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the seal component is carried in an annular groove formed in one of said first and said second tubular bodies in the overlapping annular area.
- 6. A method for sealing telescopically engaged tubular bodies comprising: threadably engaging a threaded axial end of a first tubular body into a threaded axial end of a second, larger diameter tubular body whereby the second body overlaps the first body in an axially extending threaded annular area adjacent the axial ends of the first and the second tubular bodies; disposing a deformable sealing component in the axially extending threaded annular area between the first and second tubular bodies; radially expanding the first and the second tubular bodies; and compressing the deformable sealing component during the expanding for forming a seal between the first and the second tubular bodies in the axially extending threaded annular area.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sealing component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular area during the radial expansion.
- 8. A method of sealing an engaged threaded connection between a threaded tubular pin member and a threaded tubular box member comprising the steps of: disposing a sealing component in an annular area defined between the threaded tubular pin member and the threaded tubular box member; and radially expanding the pin member and the box member to compress the sealing component to form a seal in the annular area whereby fluids are prevented from moving axially across the annular area.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sealing component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular area during the radial expansion.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the sealing component is carried in an annular groove formed in one of the members in the annular area.
- 11. A radially expanded, sealed connection between a threaded pipe pin and a threaded pipe box made by the process of: threadably engaging a threaded pipe pin into a threaded pipe box to form an annular engaged area between the threaded pipe pin and the threaded pipe box; disposing an annular sealing component in the annular engaged area between the threaded pipe pin and the threaded pipe box; and radially expanding the threaded pipe pin and the threaded pipe box in the engaged area to compress the annular sealing component in the engaged area for forming a seal preventing axial fluid travel across the engaged area.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sealing component is carried in an annular groove in the threaded pipe pin or the threaded pipe box.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the sealing component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular area during the radial expansion.
- 14. A method for sealing a connection between adjoining tubular pipe bodies in a string of well pipe for use in a wellbore, comprising: disposing a sealing component on one or both of a first axial end of a first tubular pipe body and a second axial end of a second tubular pipe body; engaging the first axial end of the first tubular pipe body within the second axial end of the second tubular pipe body whereby an annular area containing the sealing component is defined between the first and the second axial ends; disposing the string of well pipe in a surrounding well bore; and radially expanding the first and the second axial ends toward the surrounding well bore to compress the sealing component between the first tubular pipe body and the second tubular pipe body to seal the annular area between the first tubular pipe body and the second tubular pipe body.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the string of well pipe is comprised of multiple adjoining tubular pipe bodies and further comprising radially expanding the multiple adjoining tubular pipe bodies in the string of well pipe.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the seal component is carried in an annular groove formed in one of the first and second axial ends within the annular area.
- 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the seal component expands at least about 20 percent in the axial direction within the annular area during the radial expansion.
- 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second axial end comprises a threaded box connection the annular groove is formed in an internal surface of the box connection.
- 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first axial end comprises an externally threaded pin connection and the second axial end comprises an internally threaded box connection and wherein the pin connection and the box connection are threadedly engaged together.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the seal component is carried in an annular groove formed in an internal surface of the internally threaded box connection and wherein the sealing component comprises an elastomeric seal ring and a separate spacer ring.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 09/559,122, attorney docket number 25791.23.02, filed on Apr. 26, 2000, which claimed the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application serial number 60/131,106, filed on Apr. 26, 1999, attorney docket number 25791.23, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] This application is related to the following co-pending applications: U.S. provisional patent application number 60/108,558, filed Nov. 16, 1998, U.S. provisional patent application number 60/111,293, filed Dec. 7, 1998, U.S. provisional patent application number 60/119,611, filed Feb. 11, 1999, U.S. provisional patent application number 60/121,702, filed Feb. 25, 1999, U.S. provisional patent application number 60/121,907, filed Feb. 26, 1999, and U.S. provisional patent application number 60/124,042, filed Mar. 11, 1999, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60131106 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09559122 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10436467 |
May 2003 |
US |