Patent Application
20220298882
In the resource recovery industry there is often need to isolate a section of borehole, casing or tubing from an adjacent section of borehole, casing or tubing. There are many designs of isolation plugs available in the art but each has its benefits and detriments. Some of the detriments come with cost disadvantages that the industry would prefer to avoid. Accordingly, the art will well receive alternative isolation plugs that provide solid function at reduced cost.
An embodiment of an isolation plug tool including a mandrel, an anchor assembly disposed on the mandrel, a seal assembly disposed on the mandrel having a seal, and a sleeve removably disposed radially outwardly of the seal.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
Once the anchor assembly 14 is set, the sleeve 18 may be removed from the tool 10 and simply moved partially uphole or withdrawn from the hole by placing a tensile load on a sleeve mount 38 to which the sleeve 18 is connected. The sleeve mount and sleeve can be seen removed in
Seals 20 and/or 22 may be directional seals in embodiments. As illustrated both seals 20 and 22 are directional and are opposed to one another. In this embodiment, pressure testing may be accomplished for each seal from uphole thereof by utilizing a negative pressure test for the downhole seal 22 and a positive pressure test for the uphole seal 20.
The tool 10 provides an excellent plug for cement in that it anchors positively, and seals in both directions so that cement will not leak past the seal 20 nor may gas leak uphole past seal 22 into the cement. Gas contamination of the cement is avoided and accordingly greater cement integrity is achieved in this manner.
Referring to
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1: An isolation plug tool including a mandrel, an anchor assembly disposed on the mandrel, a seal assembly disposed on the mandrel having a seal, and a sleeve removably disposed radially outwardly of the seal.
Embodiment 2: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the anchor assembly includes a slip displaceable to a set position by a piston.
Embodiment 3: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the piston is displaceable by hydrostatic or applied hydraulic pressure.
Embodiment 4: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the tool further includes a trigger assembly.
Embodiment 5: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the trigger assembly is responsive to one or more of temperature, pressure, and time.
Embodiment 6: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the seal is a directional seal.
Embodiment 7: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein seal is a plurality of seals.
Embodiment 8: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the plurality of seals are oppositely directional.
Embodiment 9: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the sleeve during running compresses a diameter of the seal.
Embodiment 10: The isolation plug tool as in any previous embodiment, wherein the sleeve includes an opening to alleviate differential pressure across the sleeve.
Embodiment 11: A method for isolating one portion of a wellbore from an adjacent portion of the wellbore including deploying a tool as in any previous embodiment into the wellbore, anchoring the tool in the wellbore, and removing the sleeve from the seal.
Embodiment 12: The method as in any previous embodiment, wherein the anchoring includes hydrostatically or hydraulically setting the anchoring assembly.
Embodiment 13: The method as in any previous embodiment, wherein the removing is by applying tensile force to the sleeve.
Embodiment 14: The method as in any previous embodiment, further comprising depositing cement on the tool.
Embodiment 15: A wellbore including a borehole in a formation, a string in the wellbore, and a tool as in any previous embodiment disposed in the string.
Embodiment 16: The wellbore as in any previous embodiment, further including cement disposed on the tool and extending uphole of the tool
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms “about”, “substantially” and “generally” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
