Multi plug system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814926-B2
Application number	US-202117538894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2021
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

An assembly and a method of setting a plug in a borehole. The assembly includes a first lock, a second lock axially separated from the first lock. The plug is located between the first lock and the second lock. A bore of the assembly passes through the first lock, the second lock and the plug. A ball is dropped through the bore and activates the first lock and the second lock to allow the plug to rotate into a set configuration in the borehole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of setting a string in a borehole, comprising:
disposing a string in the borehole, the string including:
a ball valve including a top sub and a bottom sub;
a first lock coupling the ball valve to a retrieving head, the first lock including a ball seat that retains a mandrel in a first position;
a second lock axially separated from the first lock along the string;
a clutch configured to engage the ball valve to a plug, the plug including a wall-engaging component;

dropping a ball onto the ball seat of the first lock to activate the first lock by moving the ball seat to release the mandrel, wherein activating the first lock disengages the ball valve from the retrieving head;
deforming the ball through the ball seat to allow the ball to drop through the second lock to activate the second lock, wherein activating the second lock disengages the ball valve from the plug;
moving the retrieving head to engage the clutch, thereby engaging the bottom sub of the ball valve to a wall-engaging component of the plug; and
rotating the top end of the ball valve via the retrieving head.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising elastically deforming the ball at the first lock and the second lock.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating the first lock by seating the ball in the ball seat to increase a first fluid pressure at the first lock, wherein increasing the first fluid pressure moves the ball seat axially onto a ledge.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising activating the second lock by seating the ball at the second lock to increase a second fluid pressure at the second lock, wherein increasing the second fluid pressure activates the second lock.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the ball valve after the plug is set in the borehole.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the string includes at least one other plug downhole of the plug, further comprising setting the at least one other plug in the borehole bore prior to dropping the ball.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a snap ring is wrapped around a receiving portion of the ball seat and resides partially in a groove of a lock housing of the first lock and a portion of the snap ring lies against a ridge of the mandrel to prevent axial motion of the lock mandrel and moving the ball seat allows the snap ring to collapse radially inward to free the mandrel.

8. An assembly for performing an operation in a borehole, comprising: a ball valve including a top sub and a bottom sub; a first lock coupling the ball valve to a retrieving head, wherein the first lock includes a ball seat that retains a mandrel in a first position; a second lock axially separated from the first lock along the string, a clutch configured to engage the ball valve to a plug, the plug including a wall-engaging component; wherein a ball dropped through the assembly activates the first lock by moving the ball seat to release the mandrel to thereby disengage the ball valve from the retrieving head and then through the second lock to disengage the ball valve from the plug, wherein the ball deforms through the ball seat to drop from the first lock to the second lock; and wherein the retrieving head is configured to move along the assembly to engage the clutch, thereby engaging the bottom sub of the ball valve to a wall-engaging component of the plug and rotating the top end of the ball valve.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the ball is made of an elastically deformable material.

10. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the ball creates an obstruction in the ball seat to increase a first fluid pressure at the ball seat, wherein the first fluid pressure allows an axial movement of the ball seat onto a ledge.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first fluid pressure applies a compressive force to deform the ball after the first lock is activated to pass the ball from the first lock to the second lock.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the ball forms an obstruction at the second lock to generate a second fluid pressure at the second lock, wherein the second fluid pressure activates the second lock to allow a rotation between a plug mandrel and the wall-engaging component allowing the setting of the ball valve in the borehole.

13. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the retrieving head is configured to move axially along the string to rotate the ball valve.

Assignees

• Sosa Andres
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Sosa Andres

Classifications

• E21B2200/04

  Ball valves · CPC title

• E21B23/0413 Primary

  using means for blocking fluid flow, e.g. drop balls or darts (using balls or the like for actuating downhole valves E21B34/142) · CPC title

• E21B34/142 Primary

  unsupported or free-falling elements, e.g. balls, plugs, darts or pistons · CPC title

• E21B33/13 Primary

  Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like · CPC title