(19)

(11)

EP 1 963 612 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 07.02.2008 (43) Date of publication: 03.09.2008 Bulletin 2008/36 (21) Application number: 06848570.5 (22) Date of filing: 12.12.2006

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  E21B 19/16(2006.01) E21B 19/06(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/US2006/061945 (87) International publication number: WO 2007/070805 (21.06.2007 Gazette 2007/25)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL BA HR MK RS (30) Priority: 12.12.2005 US 749451 P (71) Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC. Houston Texas 77027 (US)

(72) Inventors: ODELL, II, Albert C. Kingwood, Texas 77339 (US) GIROUX, Richard Lee Cypress, Texas 77429 (US) LE, Tuong Thanh Katy, Texas 77450 (US) THOMPSON, Gary Katy, Texas 77450 (US) HEIDECKE, Karsten Houston, Texas 77095 (US) LOENZ, Joerg D-30938 Burgwedel (DE) BOUTWELL, JR., Doyle Frederic Houston, Texas 77084 (US) HAYES, Michael Houston, Texas 77095 (US) PIETRAS, Bernd-Georg D-30900 Wedemark (DE) (74) Representative: Talbot-Ponsonby, Daniel Frederick  Marks & Clerk 4220 Nash Court Oxford Business Park South Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 2RU Oxford Business Park South Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 2RU (GB)