This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in one example described below, more particularly provides for plug deployment downhole.
It can be advantageous to be able to control fluid flow in a well. For example, well tools can be activated or deactivated by deploying a plug into a tubular string from the surface. Plugs can be used to operate valves or prevent flow through flow passages when desired.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that improvements are continually needed in the art of controlling fluid flow in a well. The present disclosure provides such improvements, which may be utilized in a wide variety of different well operations and with a wide variety of different well systems.
Representatively illustrated in
In the
In addition, it is not necessary for a drilling operation to be performed. The drill string 62 could be another type of tubular string, such as a completion string, a workover string, etc. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular well operation or function performed with a tubular string in a well.
As depicted in
A downhole plug release tool 12 is also connected in the drill string 62 as part of the BHA 68. The plug release tool 12 is used to release a plug (such as, a ball, a dart, etc.) downhole, so that the plug can engage the vibratory tool 22 to thereby operate the vibratory tool. In this example, the engagement of the plug with the vibratory tool 22 may be used to activate or deactivate the vibratory tool, that is, to cause the vibrations to be produced by the vibratory tool, or to cause the vibrations to cease.
In other examples, the vibratory tool 22 may not be used. For example, the release of the plug 14 could instead be used to operate a drill motor 66, a stabilizer, a reamer, or another type of well tool. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to use of the plug release tool 12 to operate any particular type of well tool, or to cause any particular function to be performed in the well. The plug release tool 12 may be used to activate or deactivate any type of well tool.
As depicted in
Note that it is not necessary for the BHA 68 or any other portion of a tubular string to be positioned in a generally horizontal or otherwise inclined section of a wellbore, or for the wellbore to even include a generally horizontal section, when a well tool is operated using the plug release tool 12. The plug release tool 12 could be used to operate a well tool in a vertical section of a wellbore in keeping with the scope of this disclosure.
In some examples it may be desired to cease operation of the vibratory tool 22 when the drill motor 66 and drill bit 64 are being used to drill into the earth. For example, the vibrations produced by the vibratory tool 22 might otherwise be too energetic when sufficient fluid is flowed through the drill string 62 to operate the drill motor 66. In such examples, it may be desired to cease production of the vibrations after the BHA 68 is positioned in the generally horizontal section of the wellbore 60 but before commencing drilling.
Referring now to
In the
The fluid passage 20 splits in the vibratory tool 22 into an operational flow passage 24 and a bypass flow passage 26. Sufficient fluid flow through the operational flow passage 24 will cause a predetermined pressure differential across a vibratory device 28 and thereby cause the vibratory device to produce vibrations.
The vibratory tool 22 and vibratory device 28 in the
When the bypass flow passage 26 is open, the predetermined pressure differential is not produced across the vibratory device 28, because the fluid flow 18 is permitted to pass through the bypass flow passage instead of, or in addition to, the operational flow passage 24. However, when the plug 14 sealingly engages a seat 30 in the bypass flow passage 26 (a screen, filter or other exclusion device 32 prevents the plug from being conveyed into the operational flow passage 24), the bypass flow passage is closed and the fluid flow 18 through the bypass flow passage is prevented.
The predetermined pressure differential across the vibratory device 28 is, thus, achieved and the vibrations are produced. In this manner, the vibratory tool 22 can be operated to begin producing the vibrations downhole when desired (such as, when the BHA 68 is in the generally horizontal section of the wellbore 60 in the
In the
The fluid flow 18 through the bypass flow passage 26 is initially prevented by a sliding sleeve 34. The sliding sleeve 34 may be retained in this initial position by releasable means, such as, a shear pin, snap ring, collets, etc. (not shown).
When the plug 14 is released by the plug release tool 12, the plug can be conveyed by the fluid flow 18 into sealing engagement with the seat 30, which is formed in the sliding sleeve 34 in this example. This sealing engagement prevents the fluid flow 18 from passing through the operational flow passage 24 and, thus, causes the vibrations to cease being produced by the vibratory device 28. In addition, the sleeve 34 will displace to a position in which the fluid flow 18 is permitted to pass through the bypass flow passage 26.
The vibratory tool 22 and vibratory device 28 in the
In
As depicted in
The flow passage 42 is centrally located in the insert 38. The fluid flow 18 causes a pressure differential to be created across the plug 14 when it is engaged with the seat 36. In this manner, the plug 14 is maintained in engagement with the seat 36, even though the plug release tool 12 is in an inclined or horizontal orientation.
When the plug release tool 12 is initially deployed into the wellbore 60 as part of the BHA 68 in the
When it is desired to release the plug 14, for example, to operate the vibratory tool 22, the fluid flow 18 is ceased, so that the pressure differential across the plug is relieved. If, at this point, the plug release tool 12 is in a horizontal or sufficiently inclined orientation, the plug 14 will fall away from the seat 36 by action of gravity. The plug release tool 12 may be positioned in a horizontal or sufficiently inclined orientation before or after the fluid flow 18 is ceased.
In
The number of flow passages 44 can be varied as desired. Preferably, there are enough of the flow passages 44 to ensure that at least one of them will be appropriately positioned, when the plug release tool 12 is in a sufficiently inclined or horizontal orientation, so that the plug 14 can be conveyed through the lowermost flow passage by the fluid flow 18.
In
Note that, in this example, the plug 14 is too large in diameter to pass through the flow passage 42, but the plug is not too large to pass through the flow passages 44. In the event that the plug 14 should fail to fall away from the seat 36 after the fluid flow 18 is ceased and the plug release tool 12 is in a sufficiently inclined or horizontal orientation, another plug could be deployed into the flow passage 16 (such as, deployed from surface), and this other plug could be conveyed through the lowermost (or other) flow passage 44 by the fluid flow 18 and into the vibratory tool 22 (or other well tool) to operate the well tool.
In
As depicted in
As depicted in
The outer layer 46 may be made of any material that will degrade or disperse downhole as desired. For example, the outer layer material may degrade in response to exposure to well fluid (either naturally occurring or later introduced), or in response to passage of a predetermined period of time. The outer layer material may dissolve, corrode, oxidize or hydrate in well fluid. The outer layer material may melt when exposed to downhole temperature. The outer layer material may comprise a eutectic material, magnesium, a dissolvable plastic, ploy-glycolic acid, poly-lactic acid, anhydrous boron, paraffin or wax, etc. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular material of the outer layer 46.
The plug release tool 12 of
In
As depicted in
As depicted in
An outer layer 52 covers the layer 50 of the plug 14. The outer layer 52 may be made of any material that will degrade or disperse downhole as desired. For example, any of the materials described above for the layers 46, 50 may be used for the material of the layer 52. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular material of the layer 52.
In one example, the outer layer 52 could be made of a material that degrades or disperses in response to exposure to elevated well temperature (such as, a eutectic, paraffin or wax material). In this manner, the outer layer 52 would not degrade at or near the surface, but would melt or otherwise degrade and, thus, permit exposure of the layer 50 to well fluids, when the plug release tool 12 is sufficiently deep in the well and the fluid flow 18 is established to prevent inadvertent dislodgment of the plug 14 from the seat 36.
In this example, the layer 50 could be made of a material that dissolves, corrodes, oxidizes, hydrates or otherwise degrades or disperses in response to contact with well fluid. The layer 50 is prevented from contacting the well fluid until the outer layer 52 is degraded or dispersed. After the layer 50 is degraded or dispersed, the outer diameter of the plug 14 is small enough to allow the plug to pass through one of the flow passages 44 with the fluid flow 18.
The plug release tool 12 of
In the event that the plug 14 should fail to fall away from the seat 36 after the fluid flow 18 is ceased and the plug release tool 12 is in a sufficiently inclined or horizontal orientation, another plug could be deployed into the flow passage 16 (such as, deployed from surface), and this other plug could be conveyed through the lowermost (or other) flow passage 44 by the fluid flow 18 and into the vibratory tool 22 (or other well tool) to operate the well tool.
In
The plug 14 and the retainer structure 54 are secured in the insert 38 by means of a threaded member 56. In other examples, the plug 14 and retainer structure 54 could be secured in the insert 38 without use of the threaded member 56, the retainer structure and the threaded member could be integrated as a single element, etc. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular details of any of the plug release tool 12 examples as described herein or depicted in the drawings.
The retainer structure 54 is made of a material that degrades or disperses in the well environment as desired. For example, any of the materials described above for use in the layers 46, 50, 52 may be used in the retainer structure 54.
Thus, the plug 14 is initially retained in the insert 38 by the retainer structure 54 until the material of the retainer structure degrades or disperses in the well. This allows the plug 14 to fall by action of gravity (when the plug release tool 12 is in a sufficiently inclined or horizontal orientation) to a position in which the fluid flow 18 can convey the plug through one of the flow passages 44, and then through the remainder of the flow passage 16 to the vibratory tool 22 (or other well tool).
As in the
As in the
Note that radially extending passages 58 are formed in the insert 38 to enable the plug 14 to fall when the retainer structure 54 is degraded or dispersed. In the event that the plug 14 should fail to fall from the insert 38 when the retainer structure 54 is degraded and the plug release tool 12 is in a sufficiently inclined or horizontal orientation, another plug could be deployed into the flow passage 16 (such as, deployed from surface), and this other plug could be conveyed through the lowermost (or other) flow passage 44 by the fluid flow 18 and into the vibratory tool 22 (or other well tool) to operate the well tool.
In
As depicted in
It may now be fully appreciated that the above disclosure provides significant advancements to the art of deploying plugs in a well. In examples described above, a plug 4 can be deployed from the plug release tool 12 when desired to activate or deactivate a well tool, such as, the vibratory tool 22.
A downhole plug release tool 12, system 10 and method are provided to the art. In one example, a plug 14 is released from the plug release tool 12 downhole, and the plug is then engaged with a well tool to thereby operate the well tool.
The operation of the well tool may comprise activating or deactivating a vibratory device 22. The operation of the well tool may comprise opening or closing a bypass passage 26 of the well tool. The operation of the well tool may comprise activating or deactivating a drill motor 66, reamer, stabilizer or other well tool.
The plug 14 may be released in response to passage of a predetermined time period, exposure to well fluid, degrading (e.g., dissolution, corrosion, melting, oxidation, hydration, etc.) of a layer 46, 50, 52 of the plug or a structure 54 retaining the plug, a change in orientation of the plug release tool 12, and/or a variation in fluid flow 18 through the plug release tool.
The plug 14 may comprise one or more outer layers 46, 50, 52. The plug 14 may be released when the one or more outer layers 46, 50, 52 is degraded, so that the plug is smaller than a passage 44 for fluid flow 18 through the plug release tool 12.
The plug 14 may comprise a layer 52 that degrades when exposed to downhole temperature, and another layer 50 that degrades when exposed to well fluid. The layer 50 that degrades when exposed to well fluid may be disposed inside the layer 52 that degrades when exposed to downhole temperature.
The above disclosure also provides a method of deploying a plug 14 in a subterranean well. In one example, the method can comprise: positioning a tool string 68 in the well, the tool string 68 including a plug release tool 12 and a well tool (e.g., the vibratory tool 22, a stabilizer, etc.); then releasing the plug 14 from the plug release tool 12; and then operating the well tool in response to releasing the plug 14.
The positioning step can include maintaining a fluid flow 18 through the plug release tool 12, thereby maintaining the plug 14 engaged with a seat 36 of the plug release tool 12. The seat 36 may be encircled by multiple flow passages 44 in the plug release tool 12.
The releasing step can include ceasing the fluid flow 18, thereby permitting the plug 14 to disengage from the seat 36. The method can include resuming the fluid flow 18 after the step of ceasing the fluid flow 18, thereby displacing the plug 14 through one of the flow passages 44 to the well tool.
The step of maintaining the fluid flow 18 may be performed at least partially while the tool string 68 is in a vertical section of a wellbore 60. The step of ceasing the fluid flow 18 may be performed while the tool string 68 is in an inclined section of the wellbore 60.
The releasing step can include degrading a layer 46, 50, 52 of the plug 14 in the plug release tool 12. The degrading step can include reducing a diameter of the plug 14, thereby permitting the plug 14 to displace through a flow passage 44 of the plug release tool 12.
The releasing step can include degrading first and second layers 50, 52 of the plug 14. The first layer 50 may degrade in response to contact with a well fluid and the second layer 52 may degrade in response to exposure to elevated temperature in the well.
The positioning step can include a retainer structure 54 of the plug release tool 12 preventing displacement of the plug 14 through a flow passage 44 of the plug release tool 12. The releasing step can include degrading the retainer structure 54.
The operating step can include activating or deactivating the well tool. The well tool may comprise a vibratory tool 22, and the operating step may include the vibratory tool 22 producing vibrations, or preventing the vibratory tool 22 from producing vibrations.
Also described above is a plug release tool 12 for use in a subterranean well. In one example, the plug release tool 12 can comprise: an outer housing 40; and an insert 38 secured in the outer housing 40. The insert 38 can comprise multiple longitudinally extending flow passages 42, 44 formed through the insert 38.
The plug release tool 12 may include a plug seat 36 formed in the insert 38. The flow passages 42, 44 may comprise a first flow passage 42 and multiple second flow passages 44. The plug seat 36 may encircle the first flow passage 42, and the second flow passages 44 may be circumferentially distributed about the first flow passage 42.
Each of the second flow passages 44 may have a diameter greater than a diameter of the first flow passage 42. The plug release tool 12 may include a plug 14. The first flow passage 42 may have a diameter less than a diameter of the plug 14, and each of the second flow passages 44 may have a diameter greater than the plug 14 diameter.
The plug release tool 12 may include a retainer structure 54 and a plug 14. The retainer structure 54 may releasably secure the plug 14 in the insert 38.
The retainer structure 54 may be degradable downhole. The flow passages 44 may be circumferentially distributed about the retainer structure 54.
The plug release tool 12 may include a plug 14. The plug 14 may comprise an inner core 48 and at least one layer 46, 50, 52 surrounding the inner core 48.
The flow passages 42, 44 may comprise a first flow passage 42 and multiple second flow passages 44. The first flow passage 42 may have a diameter less than a diameter of the inner core 48, and each of the second flow passages 44 may have a diameter greater than a diameter of the inner core 48.
The “at least one” layer 46, 50, 52 may be degradable downhole. The “at least one” layer 46, 50, 52 may comprise first and second layers 50, 52. The first layer 50 may be degradable in response to contact with a well fluid, and the second layer 52 may be degradable in response to exposure to elevated downhole temperature.
Although various examples have been described above, with each example having certain features, it should be understood that it is not necessary for a particular feature of one example to be used exclusively with that example. Instead, any of the features described above and/or depicted in the drawings can be combined with any of the examples, in addition to or in substitution for any of the other features of those examples. One example's features are not mutually exclusive to another example's features. Instead, the scope of this disclosure encompasses any combination of any of the features.
Although each example described above includes a certain combination of features, it should be understood that it is not necessary for all features of an example to be used. Instead, any of the features described above can be used, without any other particular feature or features also being used.
It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein may be utilized in various orientations, such as inclined, inverted, horizontal, vertical, etc., and in various configurations, without departing from the principles of this disclosure. The embodiments are described merely as examples of useful applications of the principles of the disclosure, which is not limited to any specific details of these embodiments.
In the above description of the representative examples, directional terms (such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “upward,” “downward,” etc.) are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be clearly understood that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular directions described herein.
The terms “including,” “includes,” “comprising,” “comprises,” and similar terms are used in a non-limiting sense in this specification. For example, if a system, method, apparatus, device, etc., is described as “including” a certain feature or element, the system, method, apparatus, device, etc., can include that feature or element, and can also include other features or elements. Similarly, the term “comprises” is considered to mean “comprises, but is not limited to.”
Of course, a person skilled in the art would, upon a careful consideration of the above description of representative embodiments of the disclosure, readily appreciate that many modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, and other changes may be made to the specific embodiments, and such changes are contemplated by the principles of this disclosure. For example, structures disclosed as being separately formed can, in other examples, be integrally formed and vice versa. Accordingly, the foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of the invention being limited solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application no. 63/137,545 filed on 14 Jan. 2021. The entire disclosure of the prior application is incorporated herein by this reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63137545 | Jan 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17566264 | Dec 2021 | US |
Child | 18300749 | US |