Active control and/or monitoring of expandable tubular devices

Abstract

An expandable swage including a swage body, at least one swage segment in operable communication with the swage body, and a position indicator in operable communication with the at least one swage segment; the position indicator capable of providing information related to an outside dimension of the at least one swage segment. An expandable tubing system for use in a wellbore including an expandable swage, a stroker in operable communication with the expandable swage, an anchor capable of anchoring the stroker, and a position indicator in operable communication with the expandable swage; the position indicator capable of providing information related to an outside dimension of the expandable swage. A method for determining a shape of an expanded tubular.

1 . An expandable swage comprising:
 a swage body;   at least one swage segment in operable communication with the swage body;   a position indicator in operable communication with the at least one swage segment, the position indicator capable of providing information related to an outside dimension of the at least one swage segment.   
   
   
       2 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the swage further includes a drive system. 
   
   
       3 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the drive system includes a motor, lead screw, nut follower and a drive housing operably connected to impart longitudinal movement to the at least one swage segment. 
   
   
       4 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the drive system is at least one energizer. 
   
   
       5 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the at least one energizer is a biasing member. 
   
   
       6 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the biasing member is at least one spring. 
   
   
       7 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator is a hall effect sensor. 
   
   
       8 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator is a potentiometer. 
   
   
       9 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator includes a magnetostrictive element. 
   
   
       10 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator operates continuously. 
   
   
       11 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator operates intermittently. 
   
   
       12 . The expandable swage as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the position indicator operates upon a threshold compressive strain on the swage. 
   
   
       13 . An expandable tubing system for use in a wellbore comprising:
 an expandable swage;   a stroker in operable communication with the expandable swage;   an anchor capable of anchoring the stroker;   a position indicator in operable communication with the expandable swage, the position indicator capable of providing information related to an outside dimension of the expandable swage.   
   
   
       14 . The system as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the position indicator indicates longitudinal position of a drive housing relative to a swage body. 
   
   
       15 . A method for determining a shape of an expanded tubular comprising:
 expanding an expandable swage;   urging the expandable swage though an expandable tubular;   determining an outside dimension of at least one segment of the expandable swage.   
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the urging includes:
 anchoring an anchor; and   extending a stroker connected between the anchor and the expandable swage to urge the swage through the expandable tubular.   
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the determining is in real time. 
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the determining is continuous. 
   
   
       19 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the determining is intermittent. 
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the determining is based upon a threshold compressive strain on the expandable swage. 
   
   
       21 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising:
 communicating the outside dimension of the at least one segment to a remote location.   
   
   
       22 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising recording the outside dimension of the at least one segment over a time consonant with an expanding operation. 
   
   
       23 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising building a database of dimensions of the expandable swage during passage through the expandable tubular.