Systems and methods for setting a downhole plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934795-B2
Application number	US-201816152222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2018
Priority date	Oct 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A tool string disposable in a wellbore includes a plug configured to seal against an inner surface of a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, a setting tool coupled to the plug, including a housing including a central passage, a mandrel slidably disposed in the housing, wherein the mandrel includes an outer surface including a planar surface, and a piston coupled to the mandrel and including a central passage, wherein, in response to a pressurization of the central passage of the piston of the setting tool, the setting tool is configured to actuate the plug to seal against the inner surface of the tubular string.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool string disposable in a wellbore, comprising:
a plug configured to seal against an inner surface of a tubular string disposed in the wellbore; and
a setting tool coupled to the plug, comprising:
a housing comprising a central passage;
a mandrel slidably disposed in the housing, wherein the mandrel comprises an outer surface including a planar surface; and
a piston coupled to the mandrel and comprising a central passage;

wherein, in response to a pressurization of the central passage of the piston of the setting tool, the setting tool is configured to actuate the plug to seal against the inner surface of the tubular string.

2. The tool string of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel of the setting tool comprises a plurality of the planar surfaces and wherein the planar surfaces are circumferentially spaced about the mandrel.

3. The tool string of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing of the setting tool is coupled to a housing of the plug; and
the mandrel of the setting tool is coupled to a mandrel of the plug, and wherein displacement of the mandrel of the setting tool results in displacement of the mandrel of the plug.

4. The tool string of claim 1 , further comprising:
a firing head coupled to the setting tool;
a wireline extending from the tool string to a surface of the wellbore; and
a pressure charge disposed in the setting tool;
wherein the firing head comprises an ignitor ballistically coupled to the pressure charge and is configured to ignite the pressure charge in response to receiving a signal transmitted by the wireline.

5. The tool string of claim 1 , wherein the tubular string comprises a casing string.

6. The tool string of claim 1 , wherein:
the setting tool comprises an annular seal positioned between the mandrel and the housing, wherein the annular seal forms a first chamber and a second chamber in the housing;
the mandrel of the setting tool comprises a first position in the housing that corresponds to a run-in position of the plug, and a second position in the housing axially spaced from the first position that corresponds to a set position of the plug; and
fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber is restricted when the mandrel is in the first position, and wherein the planar surface permits fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber when the mandrel is in the second position.

7. A setting tool for actuating a plug in a wellbore, comprising:
a housing comprising a central passage;
a mandrel slidably disposed in the housing;
a piston coupled to the mandrel and comprising a central passage, wherein the piston comprises a port extending at an angle between an inner surface of the piston and an end of the piston; and
an annular seal positioned between the mandrel and the housing, wherein the annular seal forms a first chamber and a second chamber in the housing;
wherein the mandrel comprises a first position in the housing and a second position in the housing axially spaced from the first position;
wherein fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber is restricted when the mandrel is in the first position, and wherein fluid communication is permitted between the first chamber and the second chamber when the mandrel is in the second position;
wherein, in response to a pressurization of the central passage of the piston, the setting tool is configured to displace the mandrel between the first position and the second position.

8. The setting tool of claim 7 , wherein an opening is formed between an outer surface of the mandrel and an inner surface of the housing when the mandrel is in the second position, and wherein the opening comprises a flowpath for providing fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber.

9. The setting tool of claim 8 , wherein the opening comprises an arcuate opening formed between a planar surface of the mandrel and the inner surface of the housing.

10. The setting tool of claim 8 , wherein the opening comprises an annular passage formed between a cylindrical groove of the mandrel and the inner surface of the housing.

11. The setting tool of claim 7 , wherein:
the annular seal sealingly engages an outer surface of the mandrel when the mandrel is in the first position; and
the annular seal does not sealingly engage the outer surface of the mandrel when the mandrel is in the second position.

12. The setting tool of claim 7 , further comprising a pressure charge disposed in the central passage of the piston, wherein the pressure charge is configured to ignite and thereby pressurize the first chamber.

13. The setting tool of claim 7 , wherein the mandrel comprises an outer surface including a planar surface.

14. The setting tool of claim 7 , wherein the mandrel comprises an outer surface including a cylindrical groove.

15. The setting tool of claim 7 , further comprising a vent port extending radially through the housing, wherein the vent port is configured to vent pressure from the second chamber to the environment surrounding the setting tool when the mandrel is displaced towards the second position.

16. A method for setting a plug in a wellbore, comprising:
pressurizing a first chamber disposed in a housing of a setting tool coupled to the plug;
restricting fluid communication between the first chamber and a second chamber disposed in the housing;
displacing a mandrel through a central passage of the housing from a first position to a second position axially spaced from the first position in response to pressurizing the first chamber; and
venting pressure from the first chamber to the second chamber in response to displacing the mandrel from the first position to the second position.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sealing an inner surface of a string disposed in the wellbore with the plug in response to displacing the mandrel from the first position to the second position.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising flowing a fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber through at least one opening formed between an outer surface of the mandrel and an inner surface of the housing.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the opening comprises an arcuate opening formed between a planar surface of the mandrel and the inner surface of the housing.

20. The setting tool of claim 18 , wherein the opening comprises an annular passage formed between a cylindrical groove of the mandrel and the inner surface of the housing.

21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising venting the pressure from the first chamber to the second chamber as the plug seals against a tubular string positioned in the wellbore.

Assignees

• G&H Diversified Mfg Lp

Inventors

• Wells Joe Noel

Classifications

• E21B33/12 Primary

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

• E21B23/06

  for setting packers · CPC title

• E21B23/065 Primary

  setting tool actuated by explosion or gas generating means · CPC title