| CPC E21B 23/06 (2013.01) | 40 Claims |

|
37. A method, comprising:
positioning a sealing assembly within a wellbore located in a subterranean formation, the sealing assembly including:
a mandrel;
a sealing element positioned about the mandrel, the sealing element formed of a non-fluid swellable material, the non-fluid swellable material not configured to swell into contact with a wellbore tubular; and
a cylindrical protective sleeve positioned about the sealing element, the cylindrical protective sleeve configured to break to deploy from an undeployed state to a deployed state based upon axial or radial stress imparted thereon and allow the sealing element to be axially compressed into contact with the wellbore tubular, wherein the cylindrical protective sleeve includes a body having a weakened region, the weakened region defining first and second cylindrical protective sleeve portions, further including one or more actuating mechanisms coupled to the cylindrical protective sleeve, the one or more actuating mechanisms configured to withdraw the first or second cylindrical protective sleeve portions from about the sealing element after the weakened region has failed;
breaking the cylindrical protective sleeve, thereby allowing the cylindrical protective sleeve to move from the undeployed state to the deployed state; and
setting the sealing element, the setting causing the sealing element to move from its radially retracted state to its radially expanded state.
|