Interlocking fracture plug for pressure isolation and removal in tubing of well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794132-B2
Application number	US-201816054855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Aug 3, 2018
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular includes a mandrel, a slip, a wedge, a cone, and seal elements. The mandrel, which can be permanent or temporary, has an end shoulder. The slip is disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder, and the wedge is disposed on the mandrel between the cone and the slip. The cone is movable relative to the end shoulder to engage the slip toward the tubular. The seal elements are disposed on the wedge and slip and fit between each other. The fit seal elements seal against the tubular and seas off fluid communication in the annular space between the plug and the tubular.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole apparatus, comprising a plug configured to set in a tubular, the plug comprising:
a plurality of slip segments of the plug disposed on a mandrel between a cone and a first end shoulder and being moveable outward to engage the tubular, each of the slip segments having a first exterior surface and having a first seal elements disposed on the first exterior surface; and
a plurality of wedge segments of the plug disposed on the mandrel between the cone and the slip segments and being movable outward to engage the tubular, each of the wedge segments having a second exterior surface and having a second seal element disposed on the second exterior surface;
the first and second seal elements fitting between one another and forming an annular seal sealing off fluid communication in an annular space between the first and second exterior surfaces and the tubular.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug of the apparatus comprises the cone configured to set in the tubular along with the slip segments and the wedge segments, the cone defining a seating area in a passage through which the mandrel is removable, the cone being movable relative to the first end shoulder of the mandrel, the seating area of the cone being engageable by a ball deployed down the tubular to the apparatus after removal of the mandrel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the apparatus comprises a running tool configured to set the plug in the tubular and having the mandrel and the first end shoulder, wherein the first end shoulder is removable from the mandrel in response to a predetermined load; and wherein the mandrel freed of the first end shoulder is removable from the slip segments, the wedge segments, and the cone of the plug set in the tubular.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug of the apparatus comprises the mandrel and the cone configured to set in the tubular along with the slip segments and wedge segments, the mandrel having the first end shoulder and having a second end shoulder; wherein the cone is disposed on the mandrel between the first and second end shoulders; and wherein the mandrel defines a seating area in a passage therethrough, the seating area being engageable by a ball deployed down the tubular to the plug set in the tubular.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a running tool configured to set the plug in the tubular and having the mandrel, the first end shoulder, and the cone; wherein the first end shoulder is removable from the mandrel in response to a predetermined load; and wherein the mandrel and the cone freed of the first end shoulder are removable from the slip segments and the wedge segments of the plug set in the tubular.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slip segments comprise first proximal ends and first distal ends, the first proximal ends disposed toward the first end shoulder, the first distal ends disposed toward the cone and the wedge segments and having the first seal elements.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first proximal ends of the slip segments are interconnected together; or wherein the apparatus further comprises a band disposed about the slip segments and yielding with expansion thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first exterior surface of the slip segments comprises one or more inserts, wickers, and/or friction pads to engage the tubular.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the wedge segments comprise second proximal and distal ends, the second distal ends interposed between the first distal ends of the slip segments and having the second seal elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first distal ends of the slip segments define first angled sides; and wherein the second distal ends of the wedge segments define second angled sides wedging between the first angled sides of the slip segments.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second exterior surface of the wedge segments comprises one or more inserts, wickers, and/or friction pads to engage the tubular.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second proximal ends of the wedge segments are interconnected together; or wherein the apparatus further comprises a band disposed about the wedge segments and yielding with expansion thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slip segments comprises:
one or more first inserts in the first exterior surface to engage the tubular in a first direction; and
one or more second inserts in the first exterior surface to engage the tubular in a second direction opposite the first direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug of the apparatus comprises the cone configured to set in the tubular along with the slip segments and wedge segments, the cone comprising an inclined surface defining first profiles; and wherein at least one of the wedge segments and the slip segments define second profiles on an interior surface thereof for engaging the first profiles of the inclined surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug of the apparatus comprises the cone configured to set in the tubular along with the slip segments and wedge segments, the cone comprising an inclined surface having a third seal element engageable with an interior surface of at least one of the wedge segments and the slip segments, wherein the third seal element comprises a degradable elastomer, a self-removing elastomer, a standard elastomer, a ring disposed in a circumferential groove in the inclined surface, an elastomeric coating disposed on the inclined surface, or a plastic coating disposed on the inclined surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a perforating gun being configured to run into the tubular and being operable to perforate the tubular; and
a running tool extending from the perforating gun and being temporarily affixable to the plug of the apparatus with the mandrel and the first end shoulder, the running tool being operable to set the plug of the apparatus in the tubular.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more components of the apparatus are composed of a dissolvable metallic material; a reactive metal; a magnesium alloy; calcium, magnesium, and aluminum including alloying elements of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, lithium, gallium, indium, zinc, and bismuth; a non-removable metallic material; a ceramic; a composite; a removable material; a degradable composite polymer; a self-removing material, an elastomeric material, or a combination thereof.

18. A downhole apparatus, the apparatus comprising a plug configured to set in the tubular, the plug comprising:
a plurality of slip segments of the plug disposed on a mandrel between a cone and a first end shoulder, each of the slip segments having a first exterior surface and being moveable outward to engage the tubular;
a swage ring of the plug disposed on the cone and connected to the slip segments, the swage ring having a second exterior surface, the swage ring being swagable outward to engage the tubular; and
a seal element of the plug disposed on the second exterior surface of the swage ring, the seal element swaged outward with the swage ring, the seal element forming an annular seal sealing off fluid communication in an annular space between the second exterior surface and the tubular.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the slip segments comprise proximal and distal ends, the distal ends disposed toward the end shoulder, the proximal ends disposed toward the cone and connected to the swage ring.

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mhaskar Nauman H
• Rochen James R
• Pritchett Wesley C

Classifications

• E21B23/06 Primary

  for setting packers · CPC title

• E21B33/1208 Primary

  characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B23/01

  for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title