Oppblåsbar nedihullspakning med trykkompensator

PCT No. PCT/NO98/00037 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 9, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 9, 1999 PCT Filed Feb. 3, 1998 PCT Pub. No. WO98/36152 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 20, 1998A sealing apparatus for use in a well in connection with oil or gas production includes a seal and a pressure compensator. The seal is an inflatable, balloon-type well seal. The seal has a first cavity and is bears against an inner surface of a tubular surface. The pressure compensator is associated with the seal and includes a cylinder having a second cavity. The second cavity is in fluid communication with the first cavity. The cylinder has a reciprocatingly slidable piston positioned therein. The piston has first and second piston surfaces of different areas at opposite sides of the piston. The first piston surface is exposed to a first pressure value within the first cavity and the second piston surface is exposed to a second pressure value within the well. The pressure compensator regulates, depending on a difference in the areas of the first and second piston surfaces, the first pressure value within the first cavity of the inflated well seal depending on the second pressure value effective downstream of the seal. The second pressure value constitutes a reference pressure value for the first cavity of the seal.