Self-Swelling Configuration
The oil- or water-swelling packer consists of a special oil-swelling or water-swelling elastomer, a mechanical tubular body and centralizers. The element expands automatically when exposed to the corresponding well fluid.
The configuration has no conventional mechanical moving parts, adapts to irregular open-hole wellbores and supports straightforward, reliable installation. It is used for zonal production, water control and reservoir stimulation in horizontal wells. The supplied document describes this as a development direction for open-hole packer technology and notes its adoption by international oil companies.
Typical Applications
- Supporting cement slurry during cementing above a screen
- Open-hole horizontal-well zonal isolation
- Segmented screen completion
- Horizontal-section staged fracturing
- Water detection and water shutoff with mechanical or hydraulic sleeves
- Horizontal-well sand-control systems using inflow-control screens
- Direct isolation of water-bearing intervals
