Active control and/or monitoring of expandable tubular devices

Abstract

A method for determining a shape of an expanded tubular including expanding an expandable swage, urging the expandable swage though an expandable tubular, and determining an outside dimension of at least one segment of the expandable swage.

1 . 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.   
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  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.   
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determining is in real time. 
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determining is continuous. 
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determining is intermittent. 
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determining is based upon a threshold compressive strain on the expandable swage. 
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 communicating the outside dimension of the at least one segment to a remote location.   
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising recording the outside dimension of the at least one segment over a time consonant with an expanding operation. 
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising building a database of dimensions of the expandable swage during passage through the expandable tubular.