Inflatable Expanded Liner Hanger Assembly with Weight Set Liner Top Packer

Abstract

An assembly and method for hanging, cementing and sealing a liner to an existing tubular uses an inflatable to set the hanger. The running tool then releases the liner string and a cement job can take place. The Cement is pushed with darts out of the liner into the surrounding annulus to set up. Displaced fluids are pushed through the liner hanger as the cement advances. The running tool is picked up to land on a setting sleeve for a liner top packer so that set down weight can be applied to set the liner top packer. The running string then pulls out the running tool out of the hole.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A borehole completion method, comprising:
 running in a liner string with a hanger and liner top packer on a running tool supported by a running string;   positioning said liner string in an overlapping relation to an existing string;   setting said hanger with an inflatable supported by said running tool;   releasing said running tool from said liner string;   setting said liner top packer with setting down weight on said running string.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 setting the entirety of said hanger without repositioning said inflatable.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 setting at least a part of said hanger with said inflatable in a run in position;   deflating and repositioning said inflatable to further expand said liner hanger.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing pressure through said running string to inflate said inflatable.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 releasing said running tool from said liner string after said setting said hanger;   deflating said inflatable.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 repositioning said running tool to allow at least one dog to extend;   landing said at least one dog on a setting sleeve for said liner top packer to enable setting said liner top packer with weight set down on said running string.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising:
 removing said inflatable with said running string.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 cementing through said running string after said releasing.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 circulating through said running string to displace completion fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 locating said liner string in open hole before said circulating.