Expandable casing patch

Abstract

A system comprising a housing having an upper end in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid and a lower end releasably coupled to an expandable tubular. A piston is disposed within and sealingly engaged with the housing. An expansion cone is coupled to the piston and is operable to radially expand the expandable tubular as it moves longitudinally therethrough. A pressure chamber is disposed within the housing and defined by the piston and the expansion cone. A first pressure relief port is disposed within the housing and is operable to allow fluid communication between the pressure chamber and an annulus external to the housing. A second pressure relief port is disposed within the expansion cone and is operable to allow fluid communication between the pressure chamber and a portion of the expandable tubular below the expansion cone.

1 . A system comprising:
 a housing having an upper end in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid;   an expandable tubular releasably coupled to a lower end of said housing;   a piston disposed within and sealingly engaged with said housing;   an expansion cone coupled to said piston and operable to radially expand said expandable tubular as it moves longitudinally therethrough;   a pressure chamber disposed within said housing and defined by said piston and said expansion cone;   a first pressure relief port disposed within said housing and operable to allow fluid communication between said pressure chamber and an annulus external to said housing; and   a second pressure relief port disposed within said expansion cone and operable to allow fluid communication between said pressure chamber and a portion of said expandable tubular below said expansion cone.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a mandrel coupled between said piston and said expansion cone. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a mandrel stop disposed within said housing and operable to limit longitudinal movement of said mandrel once said expandable tubular has been radially expanded. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a seal assembly coupled to an outer surface of said expandable tubular. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a connection latch coupled to said piston, wherein said connection latch is operable to release said expandable tubular from said housing. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said housing is released from said expandable tubular by rotation of said housing relative to said expandable tubular. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 an expandable tubular;   a housing coupled to said expandable tubular by a releasable connection;   a piston disposed within and sealingly engaged with said housing;   an expansion cone at least partially disposed within said expandable tubular and coupled to said piston by a mandrel;   a pressure chamber disposed within said housing and defined by said piston and said expansion cone;   a first pressure relief port disposed within said housing and operable to allow fluid communication between said pressure chamber and an annulus external to said housing; and   a second pressure relief port disposed within said expansion cone and operable to allow fluid communication between said pressure chamber and a portion of said expandable tubular below said expansion cone.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a mandrel coupled to said piston and said expansion cone. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a mandrel stop disposed within said housing and operable to limit longitudinal movement of said mandrel once said expandable tubular has been radially expanded. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a connection latch coupled to said mandrel, wherein said connection latch is operable to engage the releasable connection and release said expandable tubular from said housing. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a seal assembly coupled to an outer surface of said expandable tubular. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a connection latch coupled to said piston, wherein said connection latch is operable to engage the releasable connection and release said expandable tubular from said housing. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the releasable connection is released by rotation of said housing relative to said expandable tubular. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 constructing an expansion system by coupling an expandable tubular to a housing with a releasable coupling and disposing an expansion cone at least partially within the expandable tubular, wherein the expansion cone is coupled to a piston sealingly engaged with the housing;   disposing the expansion system in a wellbore;   applying a pressurized fluid to the piston so as to move the expansion cone longitudinally through the expandable tubular and radially expand the expandable tubular into engagement with the wellbore;   releasing the expandable tubular from the housing; and   retrieving the housing, the expansion cone, and the piston from the wellbore.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the housing includes a first pressure relief port that provides fluid communication between an annulus external to the housing and a pressure chamber formed in the housing by the piston and the expansion cone, and wherein the expansion cone includes a second pressure relief port that provides fluid communication between the pressure chamber in the housing and a portion of the expandable tubular below the expansion cone. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising stopping the longitudinal movement of the expansion cone once the expandable tubular is fully expanded. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the longitudinal movement of the expansion cone is stopped by the piston engaging a mandrel stop disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the longitudinal movement of the expansion cone is stopped when a connection latch coupled to the expansion cone engages the releasable coupling. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the expandable tubular is released from the housing by rotating the housing relative to the expandable tubular. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the expandable tubular is released from the housing by a connection latch engaging with the releasable coupling.