Variable density element retainer for use downhole

• Main Author: PELTO, Christopher Michael
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.07.2024
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; CASTING; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

A single structure usable as a backup shoe or element retainer in a packer assembly for sealing a wellbore can be fabricated using an additive manufacturing process. The single structure can have a high-density region and a low-density region having a density that is lower than the high-density region. The low-density region can be deformable to retain a position of another component downhole in a wellbore, such as an elastomeric element useable to expand to create the packer seal within the annulus of the wellbore. The high- density region can include a ribbed-structure to reduce circumferential force applied to the single structure.