US 12,421,824 B2
Using expandable metal as an alternate to existing metal to metal seals
Robert Travis Murphy, Carrollton, TX (US); Terapat Apichartthabrut, Carrollton, TX (US); and Michael Linley Fripp, Carrollton, TX (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on May 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/334,731.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381108 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 33/12 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 33/1212 (2013.01) 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seal assembly, comprising:
a pipe;
an outer tubular positioned around the pipe, the outer tubular and pipe forming an enclosed seal gland;
an I-shaped metal seal located within the enclosed seal gland, the I-shaped metal seal having pairs of arms separated by a central feature, the pairs of arms and central feature forming first and second recesses, the first and second recesses radially separated by the central feature, the I-shaped seal forming a footprint; and
expanded metal positioned within the first and second recesses, the expanded metal comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis to assist in sealing the enclosed seal gland, the expanded metal axially activating the pairs of arms against ones of the outer tubular or the pipe to seal the enclosed seal gland, without extending radially outside of the footprint of the I-shaped seal and without extending axially outside of the footprint of the I-shaped seal.