TY - GEN
T1 - Numerical simulation of swelling elastomer seals in tubular expansion
AU - Qamar, S. Z.
AU - Pervez, T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2014 MS&T14®.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Though a relatively new development, swelling elastomers are now widely used in various difficult situations in the oil and gas industry such as water shutoff and other types of zonal isolation. Swell packers were initially used for repair of old and damaged wells, but they are now increasingly used for higher productivity and profitability through developments like slim well design and cementless completions. Current work employs finite element simulation to study tubular expansion and swelling elastomer packers in different downhole petroleum applications. This is the first study of its kind, investigating seal behavior based on material properties of expandable tubular and different swelling elastomers used in actual oil wells. Material properties of the un-expanded tubular and un-swelled elastomers are obtained through a series of tensile tests. Sealing pressure at the contact surface between elastomer and formation is studied for different parameters (elastomer material, tubular expansion ratio, seal length and thickness, formation type, etc). Higher values of elastomer stiffness, tubular expansion, and seal thickness result in higher seal contact pressure. Higher sealing pressure is also noted in the case when swell packer is expanding against a rigid rock formation. These predictions can be used for performance analysis and design improvement of solid expandable tubulars and swelling elastomer applications.
AB - Though a relatively new development, swelling elastomers are now widely used in various difficult situations in the oil and gas industry such as water shutoff and other types of zonal isolation. Swell packers were initially used for repair of old and damaged wells, but they are now increasingly used for higher productivity and profitability through developments like slim well design and cementless completions. Current work employs finite element simulation to study tubular expansion and swelling elastomer packers in different downhole petroleum applications. This is the first study of its kind, investigating seal behavior based on material properties of expandable tubular and different swelling elastomers used in actual oil wells. Material properties of the un-expanded tubular and un-swelled elastomers are obtained through a series of tensile tests. Sealing pressure at the contact surface between elastomer and formation is studied for different parameters (elastomer material, tubular expansion ratio, seal length and thickness, formation type, etc). Higher values of elastomer stiffness, tubular expansion, and seal thickness result in higher seal contact pressure. Higher sealing pressure is also noted in the case when swell packer is expanding against a rigid rock formation. These predictions can be used for performance analysis and design improvement of solid expandable tubulars and swelling elastomer applications.
KW - Contact pressure
KW - Finite element simulation
KW - Seal behavior
KW - Swelling elastomer
KW - Tubular expansion
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84925641282
T3 - Materials Science and Technology Conference and Exhibition 2014, MS and T 2014
SP - 2051
EP - 2057
BT - Materials Science and Technology Conference and Exhibition 2014, MS and T 2014
PB - Association for Iron and Steel Technology, AISTECH
T2 - Materials Science and Technology Conference and Exhibition 2014, MS and T 2014
Y2 - 12 October 2014 through 16 October 2014
ER -