Upper Packer Assembly

The Upper Packer Assembly is designed to serve four functions.

1. Mounting of the rubber packer element.
2. Delivery or removal of drilling mud to the packer elements during the test inflation and
deflation process.
3. Inflation of packer elements to seal the top of the test interval.
4. Equalization of hydrostatic pressure above and below the test interval.

The rubber packer element is mounted to the top of the Upper Packer Assembly. The lower end of the packer element is free to travel and is sealed by means of an o-ring seal on a polished mandrel. Delivery (inflate) and removal (deflate) of drilling mud to and from the packer elements is facilitated by a flow passage that connects to the Release System and Lower Packer Assembly. In order to maintain equalization of hydrostatic pressure, a by-pass pipe is connected above and below the testing zone via connection ports in the upper and lower packer assemblies.