This disclosure generally relates to tools used in oil and gas wellbores. More specifically, the disclosure relates to drillable packers and pressure isolation tools.
In the drilling or reworking of oil wells, a great variety of downhole tools are used. Such downhole tools often have drillable components made from metallic or non-metallic materials such as soft steel, cast iron or engineering grade plastics and composite materials. For example, but not by way of limitation, it is often desirable to seal tubing or other pipe in the well when it is desired to pump a slurry down the tubing and force the slurry out into the formation. The slurry may include for example fracturing fluid. It is necessary to seal the tubing with respect to the well casing and to prevent the fluid pressure of the slurry from lifting the tubing out of the well and likewise to force the slurry into the formation if that is the desired result. Downhole tools referred to as packers, frac plugs and bridge plugs are designed for these general purposes and are well known in the art of producing oil and gas.
Bridge plugs isolate the portion of the well below the bridge plug from the portion of the well thereabove. Thus, there is no communication from the portions above and below the bridge plug. Frac plugs, on the other hand, allow fluid flow in one direction but prevent flow in the other. For example, frac plugs set in a well may allow fluid from below the frac plug to pass upwardly therethrough but when the slurry is pumped into the well, the frac plug will not allow flow therethrough so that any fluid being pumped down the well may be forced into a formation above the frac plug. Generally, the tool is assembled as a frac plug or bridge plug. An easily disassemblable tool that can be configured as a frac plug or a bridge plug provides advantages over prior art tools. While there are some tools that are convertible, there is a continuing need for tools that may be converted between frac plugs and bridge plugs more easily and efficiently. In addition, tools that allow for high run-in speeds are desired.
Thus, while there are a number of pressure isolation tools on the market, there is a continuing need for improved pressure isolation tools including frac plugs and bridge plugs.
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
Tool 25 may include a spacer ring 58 pinned to mandrel 34 with pins 60 to axially retain slip segments 62 which are circumferentially positioned about mandrel 34. Slip retaining band 64 may be utilized to radially retain slip segments 62 in the initial or unset position shown in
A slip wedge 66 may be initially positioned in a slidable relationship to and partially beneath slip segments 62. Slip wedge 66 may be pinned in place with a pin 68. Packer element assembly 70, which in the embodiment shown comprises three expandable sealing, or packer elements 72, is disposed about mandrel 34. Shoes 74 may be disposed about mandrel 34 at upper and lower ends of packer element assembly 70. The slips, slip wedges and packer shoes may be made of drillable materials, for example, non-metallic materials such as phenolics or composites.
Tool 25 has a lower or second end section 80 which may be referred to as a shoe or mule shoe 80. Lower end section 80 is connected to mandrel 34 and for example may be connected by threading. Other connections, such as a pinned connection may be used as well.
Mandrel 34 is configured to accept or be connected to adapters of multiple configurations such that the tool 25 is a reconfigurable tool that may be configured as a standard frac plug, a caged ball frac plug or a bridge plug.
In
Actuation of setting mandrel 100 may be by electrical charge, explosive means or other known means in the art. Prior art setting mandrels typically attach to the mandrel of the tool being set in the well with shear pins. Setting mandrel 100 has a thread 104 on an inner surface 106 thereof that will mate with thread 98 and sleeve 90. When the setting tool is actuated to move mandrel 100 upwardly, setting sleeve 102 will remain stationary. End section 80 will be pulled upwardly since it is fixedly attached to mandrel 34. Components disposed about mandrel 34 will be compressed, since spacer ring 58 is held essentially stationary by setting sleeve 102. Thus, upward movement will cause compression and expansion of sealing elements 72. Slip segments 62 will slide over and be moved radially outwardly upon slip wedges 66 and will engage casing 20. Sealing elements 72 will be expanded outwardly and moved to the set position in which they engage casing 20. When tool 25 is moved to the set position threads 98 on sleeve 90 are designed to shear, so that setting mandrel 100 will be released therefrom and can be pulled upwardly, along with setting sleeve 102 in a manner known in the art. Thread 98 is designed to shear at the load required to move tool 25 to the set position, which may be, for example, 20,000 to 30,000 pounds. The loads provided herein are non-limiting and are merely exemplary.
In
The embodiments of
The tool described herein is thus configurable as a standard frac plug, a caged ball frac plug or bridge plug simply by utilizing one of a plurality of adapters. The adapters may be configured as a sleeve with two open ends such as for example sleeve 90 or a cap like cap 112. The tool can be configured in any of the multiple configurations described herein simply by selecting and utilizing a cap that will configure the tool as desired. Tools 25, 25a and 25b all set in the same manner. As described herein, the tools are set by actuating a setting tool which will cause setting mandrel 100 to pull mandrel 34 upwardly until the tool is set in the well at which point the threads on the adapter, whether sleeve 90 or cap 112, will shear thus releasing setting mandrel 100 and setting sleeve 102 so that they may be retrieved to the surface.
It will be seen therefore, that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. While the presently preferred embodiment of the apparatus has been shown for the purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts may be made by those skilled in the art. All of such changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
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