US Patent 11365599 Energizing seals with swellable materials

Methods and apparatus for energizing seals. An example method includes providing a sealing apparatus. The sealing apparatus comprises a sealing element and a swellable material. The method further includes contacting the swellable material with a swell-inducing fluid, wherein the contacting swells the swellable material; applying pressure to the sealing element with the swollen swellable material; and forming a seal with the sealing element.