1. A well completion method, comprising:
running in casing having a first inside diameter;
providing a shoe adjacent the lower end of said casing;
running a tubular string through said casing until the upper end of the tubular string is adjacent said shoe;
expanding at least a portion of said tubular string into supporting engagement with said shoe so that a second inside diameter of said tubular string, after expansion, in said shoe is at least as large as said first inside diameter of said casing.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising:
providing an initial third inside diameter in said shoe that is smaller than said first diameter in said casing.
3. The method of claim 1, comprising:
providing an initial third inside diameter in said shoe that is larger than said first diameter in said casing.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising:
providing an initial third inside diameter in said shoe that is substantially the same as said first diameter in said casing.
5. The method of claim 4, comprising:
expanding said tubular sting and said shoe in a single trip into the wellbore.
6. The method of claim 1, comprising:
providing an initial third inside diameter in said shoe that is altered downhole.
7. The method of claim 6, comprising:
increasing said third diameter by swaging said shoe.
8. The method of claim 6, comprising:
increasing said third diameter by swaging said tubing string into said shoe.
9. The method of claim 6, comprising:
increasing said third diameter by removing portions of said shoe.
10. The method of claim 8, comprising:
using a mill or drill bit to remove portions of said shoe downhole.
11. The method of claim 6, comprising:
providing a sleeve in said shoe;
removing the sleeve downhole.
12. The method of claim 11, comprising:
making the sleeve of a soft material;
displacing said sleeve with expansion of the tubular string in said shoe.
13. The method of claim 11, comprising:
mechanically removing said sleeve from said shoe.
14. The method of claim 11, comprising:
chemically removing said sleeve from said shoe.
15. The method of claim 9, comprising:
removing said sleeve by thermal exposure to fluids downhole.
16. The method of claim 6, comprising:
making said shoe from a shape memory material;
providing the input to said shoe to increase said third inside diameter.
17. The method of claim 1, comprising:
providing an internal surface within said shoe comprising a plurality of projections and depressions;
expanding the tubular string into said internal surface.
18. The method of claim 17, comprising:
creating a plurality of projections and depressions on an outer surface of said shoe by virtue of said expansion of said tubular string into said internal surface.
19. The method of claim 1, comprising:
using at least one seal between said tubular string and said shoe.
20. The method of claim 1, comprising:
using a hanger between said tubular string and said shoe.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A synthetic resin retainer comprising two annular members made of a synthetic resin, each of said annular members having a plurality of hemispherical pockets formed in a side surface thereof to be brought into abutment with the side surface of the other annular member, said hemispherical pockets being arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of each of said annular members, each of said annular members further including joint portions each disposed between adjacent ones of said hemispherical pockets, each of said joint portions having an engaging hole having an engaging shoulder formed on an inner periphery thereof, and an engaging claw having a hook at a free end thereof, said engaging claws of each of said annular members being configured to be engaged in the respective engaging holes formed in the other of said annular members and to have said hook of each of said engaging claws engage the engaging shoulder of the corresponding engaging hole, thereby joining said annular members together, wherein said engaging claws and said engaging holes are configured so as to satisfy a relation such that a gap is present between each engaging claw and the engaging hole into which said each engaging claw is inserted in a diametrical direction of the retainer in the initial stage of assembly of the retainer, and said gap decreases to zero or less upon completion of assembly of the retainer, and such that, with said hooks in engagement with the respective engaging shoulders, the free ends of said engaging claws do not protrude from the respective engaging holes upon the completion of assembly of the retainer.
2. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said engaging claws have a width in the diametrical direction of the retainer that is not less than the width of said engaging holes in the diametrical direction of the retainer, and have tapered surfaces on both sides thereof in the diametrical direction of the retainer which reduce the area of a free end surface of each engaging claw, thereby satisfying said relation.
3. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 2, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
4. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said engaging claws have a width in the diametrical direction of the retainer that is not less than the width of said engaging holes in the diametrical direction of the retainer, and said engaging holes have tapered surfaces on both sides of an opening thereof through which the engaging claw is inserted, the distance between said tapered surfaces increasing toward said opening, thereby satisfying said relation.
5. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 4, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
6. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said two annular members are made of a composite material comprising a matrix of polyamide 46, and 10 to 40% by weight of a fibrous reinforcing material.
7. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 6, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
8. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said two annular members are made of a composite material comprising a matrix of polyamide 66, and 10 to 40% by weight of a fibrous reinforcing material.
9. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 8, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
10. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said two annular members are made of a composite material comprising a matrix of polyphenylene sulfide, and 10 to 40% by weight of a fibrous reinforcing material.
11. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 10, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
12. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said two annular members are made of polyimide.
13. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 12, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
14. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1 wherein said two annular members are made of polyetheretherketone.
15. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 14, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
16. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 1, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.
17. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 1, wherein side surfaces of said annular members opposite the side surfaces to be brought into abutment with each other are planar in said joint portions.
18. The synthetic resin retainer of claim 17, wherein the annular members are configured such that upon the completion of assembly of the retainer, the free ends of the engaging claws are, respectively flush with the side surfaces of the annular members opposite the side surfaces that are in abutment with each other.
19. A synthetic resin retainer comprising two annular members made of a synthetic resin, each of said annular members having a plurality of hemispherical pockets formed in a side surface thereof to be brought into abutment with the side surface of the other annular member, said hemispherical pockets being arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the annular member, each of said annular members further including joint portions each disposed between adjacent ones of said hemispherical pockets, each of said joint portions having an engaging hole and an engaging claw, said engaging claws of each of said annular members being configured to be engaged in the respective engaging holes formed in the other of said annular members, thereby joining said annular members together, wherein said engaging claws and said engaging holes are configured so as to satisfy a relation such that a gap is present between each engaging claw and the engaging hole into which said each engaging claw is inserted in a diametrical direction of the retainer in the initial stage of assembly of the retainer, and said gap decreases to zero or less upon completion of assembly of the retainer, wherein said engaging claws have a width in the diametrical direction of the retainer that is smaller than the width of said engaging holes in the diametrical direction of the retainer, wherein said engaging claws each have a first surface that faces a second surface of one of said engaging holes in a circumferential direction of the retainer, wherein one of said first and second surfaces is formed with an engaging groove extending in an axial direction of the retainer, and the other of said first and second surfaces is formed with an engaging protrusion configured to be fitted in said engaging groove with an interference fit, said engaging grooves having first side surfaces that face each other in the diametrical direction of the retainer, said engaging protrusions having second side surfaces facing in the diametrical direction of the retainer, wherein tapered surfaces are formed at least on said first side surfaces at their portions near the opening of each engaging groove through which the engaging protrusion is inserted into the engaging groove, or on said second side surfaces at their tips, thereby satisfying said relation.
20. A ball bearing comprising inner and outer rings, a plurality of balls disposed between said inner and outer rings, the retainer of claim 19, said retainer being mounted between said inner and outer rings and retaining said balls, said inner and outer rings defining a bearing space therebetween, and bearing seals closing said bearing space, wherein grease is retained in said bearing space.