Selectively disengagable sealing system

摘要

A seal assembly including a first tubular having a sealing surface and a seal element run with the first tubular and displaced from the surface. The seal element initially has a radial dimension that forms a radially innermost or outermost sealing dimension of the first tubular for enabling the first tubular to be sealed with a second tubular radially disposed with the first tubular. A mechanism is included that is triggerable for reconfiguring the radial dimension of the seal element. The sealing surface of the first tubular operative forms the radially innermost or outermost sealing dimension of the first tubular when the radial dimension of the seal element has been reconfigured for enabling the sealing surface of the first tubular to receive a second seal element. A method of sealing tubulars is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A downhole seal assembly comprising:
a first downhole tubular having a first sealing surface including a radially inner dimension; a second downhole tubular having a second sealing surface including a radially outer dimension; a seal element having an axial dimension run with the first tubular and being selectively radially shiftable towards the second sealing surface, the seal element having a radial innermost dimension to be sealed with the second tubular; and a feature triggerable for selectively reconfiguring the radial dimension of the seal element while maintaining the axial dimension, wherein the seal element is selectively shiftable between a first position wherein the radial innermost dimension of the seal element is smaller than the radially inner dimension of the first downhole tubular, and a second position, wherein the radial dimension of the seal element is greater than the radially inner dimension of the first downhole tubular.