Importance

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Abstract

There is disclosed a through the tubing bridge plug adapted to close off a well bore beneath the lower end of a well tubing and which includes a tubular body connectable to a pipe string for lowering it through the well tubing, an elastomeric packing element surrounding the body, and upper and lower sets of thin, elongate metal strips surrounding the body respectively above and below the packing element. The upper strips are caused to move downwardly and the lower strips to move upwardly to cause their ends to slide over expander surfaces and outwardly against the well bore, on the body above and below the packing element, and the packing element is then inflated into engagement with the well bore intermediate the ends of the strip ends of the metal strips being forced outwardly against the well bore, and the packing element then being inflated to sealably engage the well bore intermediate the ends of the upper and lower metal strips.

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First Claim