Wellbore plug isolation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180037-B2
Application number	US-201514721874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A wellbore plug isolation system and method for positioning plugs to isolate fracture zones in a horizontal, vertical, or deviated wellbore is disclosed. The system/method includes a wellbore casing laterally drilled into a hydrocarbon formation, a wellbore setting tool (WST) that sets a large inner diameter (ID) restriction sleeve member (RSM), and a restriction plug element (RPE). The RPE includes a first composition and a second composition that changes phase or strength under wellbore conditions. After a stage is perforated, RPEs are deployed to isolate toe ward pressure communication. The second composition changes phase to create flow channels in the RPE during production. In an alternate system/method, the second composition changes phase or strength thereby deforming the RPE to reduce size and pass through the RSM's. The RPEs are removed or left behind prior to initiating well production without the need for a milling procedure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A restriction plug element for use in a wellbore casing, the restriction plug element comprising:
(a) a first component comprising a first composition, the first composition non-dissolvable at temperatures expected in said wellbore casing; and
(b) a second component comprising a mechanical insert that mechanically interlocks with the first component, to hold the first component together with the second component, the second component comprised of a second composition;
wherein, when in use in a wellbore casing where a predetermined temperature is encountered, the mechanical insert changes a physical property thereof to allow substantially unrestricted fluid flow through the restriction plug element.

2. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said physical property change is a phase change of material of said second composition.

3. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said physical property change is a change in strength of material of said second composition.

4. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said physical property change is a change in an elasticity of material of said second composition.

5. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first component comprises a plurality of parts.

6. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first component is a single integral part.

7. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said mechanical insert is configured to provide structural integrity to said restriction plug element.

8. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said mechanical insert changes physical property, said mechanical insert collapses said restriction plug element into smaller parts.

9. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said mechanical insert is configured with a plurality of protrusions.

10. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein shape of said mechanical insert is toroidal.

11. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein a shape of said restriction plug element is spherical.

12. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said mechanical insert changes physical property during use in a wellbore, said restriction plug element deforms to enable it to pass through a restriction sleeve member in the wellbore.

13. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said mechanical insert changes physical property during use in a wellbore, said restriction plug element reduces size to enable it to pass through a restriction sleeve member in the wellbore.

14. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said mechanical insert changes physical property during use in a wellbore, said mechanical insert exits said restriction plug element to create flow channels in the restriction plug element.

15. The restriction plug element of claim 14 wherein said flow channels are configured to enable substantially unobstructed fluid flow during production.

16. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first composition comprises a plastic.

17. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said second composition comprises a eutectic metal.

18. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said restriction plug element has an ovoid shape.

19. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said restriction plug element has a cylindrical shape.

20. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said second composition comprises a thermoplastic material.

21. A wellbore plug isolation system comprising:
(a) a restriction sleeve member configured to fit within a wellbore casing and to be positioned at a wellbore location by a wellbore setting tool; and
(b) a restriction plug element configured to seat in said restriction sleeve member and configured to be positioned at a wellbore location by a wellbore setting tool, the restriction plug element comprising:
a first component of a first composition non-dissolvable at temperatures encountered in wellbores, and
a second component comprising a mechanical insert of a second composition, the mechanical insert mechanically interlocking with the first component to hold the first component together with the second component, the mechanical insert undergoing a change in a physical property thereof at a predetermined temperature expected to be encountered in a wellbore casing;

wherein, when said mechanical insert changes physical property at the predetermined temperature, said restriction plug element changes shape to allow substantially unrestricted fluid flow therethrough.

22. A wellbore plug isolation method, said method operating in conjunction with a restriction plug element, said restriction plug element comprising:
(a) a first component comprised of a first composition, the first composition non-dissolvable at temperatures expected in a wellbore casing, and
(b) a second component comprising a mechanical insert of a second composition, the mechanical insert mechanically interlocking with the first component to hold said first component together with the second component, the second composition of the mechanical insert changing a physical property thereof at a predetermined temperature encountered in said wellbore casing;
wherein, when said mechanical insert encounters a predetermined temperature in a wellbore casing, said restriction plug element changes shape such that a substantially unrestricted fluid flow is enabled through the restriction plug element;
wherein said method of operating using the restriction plug element comprises the steps of:
(1) perforating a hydrocarbon formation with a perforating gun string assembly
(2) deploying said restriction plug element into said wellbore casing to isolate toe end fluid communication and create a hydraulic fracturing stage;
(3) controlling a temperature of said restriction plug element in the wellbore to maintain physical properties of said second composition;
(4) fracturing said fracturing stage with fracturing fluids; and
(5) controlling a temperature of said restriction plug element in the wellbore to enable the mechanical insert of the second composition to undergo a change in physical property.

23. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 22 wherein said step of controlling a temperature to maintain a physical property includes controlling a phase change of said second composition.

24. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 22 wherein said step of controlling a temperature to control a physical property includes controlling a change in strength of said second composition.

25. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 22 wherein said step of controlling a temperature to control a physical property includes controlling a change in elasticity of said second composition.

26. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 22 wherein when said step of controlling to enable the second composition to undergo a change includes enabling the mechanical insert to change such that the restriction plug element separates into smaller parts.

27. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 22 wherein when the step of controlling to enable the second composition to undergo a change includes enabling the mechanical insert to change a physical property such that the restriction plug element deforms to enable it to pass through a restriction sleeve member in said wellbore.

28. The wellbore plug isolation

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Hardesty John T
• Wroblicky Michael D
• Snider Philip M

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title

• E21B2033/005

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title