Downhole assembly and annular barrier with downhole assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12104453-B2
Application number	US-202217983725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2022
Priority date	Nov 10, 2021
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole assembly for permanently sealing off a control line controlling a well component of a well tubular metal structure prior to plug and abandonment of a well having a top, comprising a first part of a tubular line, a second part of the tubular line, a downhole closure unit arranged between the first part and the second part of the tubular line and comprising a first element comprising a first opening, a second opening and fluid communication channel between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening being arranged closer to the top than the second opening, the first opening having a first connection to the first part of the tubular line, and the second opening having a second connection to the second part of the tubular line, wherein the first element has a first outer shape in a first state in which the fluid communication channel is open and a second outer shape in a second state in which the fluid communication channel is closed, the second shape being at least partly different from the first outer shape. The invention also relates to a downhole system comprising a well tubular metal structure having an outer face, and the downhole assembly being connected to the outer face and/or the downhole annular barrier. Finally, the invention relates to a method of permanently closing fluid communication in the downhole assembly for permanently sealing off a control line prior to plug and abandonment of a well.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A downhole assembly for permanently sealing off a control line controlling a well component of a well tubular metal structure prior to plug and abandonment of a well having a top, comprising:
a first part of a tubular line,
a second part of the tubular line,
a downhole closure unit arranged between the first part and the second part of the tubular line and comprising:
a first element comprising a first opening, a second opening and fluid communication channel between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening being arranged closer to the top than the second opening, the first opening having a first connection to the first part of the tubular line, and the second opening having a second connection to the second part of the tubular line,
wherein the first element has a first outer shape in a first state in which the fluid communication channel is open and a second outer shape in a second state in which the fluid communication channel is closed, the second shape being at least partly different from the first outer shape, wherein the first element comprises a post-transition metal.

2. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first element changes state from the first state to at least partly liquid or mouldable state for closing the fluid communication channel.

3. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first element has a through-bore providing the fluid communication channel.

4. A downhole assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the through-bore extends within the first element between the first opening and the second opening and extends from the first part of the tubular line to the second part of tubular line.

5. A downhole assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the through-bore fluidly connects the first part of the tubular line with the second part of tubular line.

6. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular line does not penetrate the first element.

7. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the post-transition metal includes gallium, indium, tin, thallium, lead or bismuth.

8. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a material expanding upon solidification.

9. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a flange at the second opening.

10. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises at least a first material and a second material, the first material being the post-transition metal, and the second material being a non-post-transition metal having a higher melting point than the first material.

11. A downhole assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the post-transition metal comprises bismuth or a bismuth alloy.

12. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a heating element.

13. A downhole annular barrier to be expanded in an annulus between a well tubular metal structure and a wall of a borehole or another well tubular metal structure in a well in order to provide zone isolation between a first zone and a second zone of the borehole, the annular barrier comprising:
a tubular metal part adapted to be mounted as part of the well tubular metal structure, the tubular metal part having an outer face and an inside,
an expandable metal sleeve surrounding the tubular metal part and having an inner sleeve face facing the tubular metal part and an outer sleeve face facing the wall of the borehole, each end of the expandable metal sleeve being connected with the tubular metal part, and
an annular space between the inner sleeve face of the expandable metal sleeve and the tubular metal part,
wherein the annular barrier further comprises the downhole assembly according to claim 1 arranged on the outer face.

14. A downhole system according to claim 13 , further comprising a wireline tool comprising the heating element for heating the first element.

15. A downhole system comprising a well tubular metal structure having an outer face, and the downhole assembly according to claim 1 being connected to the outer face.

16. A downhole assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the post-transition metal comprises bismuth or a bismuth alloy.

17. A method of permanently closing fluid communication in the downhole assembly according to claim 1 for permanently sealing off a control line prior to plug and abandonment of a well, comprising:
inserting a well tubular metal structure having a completion component and a control line in a tubular line for operating the completion component, the well tubular metal structure comprising the downhole assembly according claim 1 connecting the first part of the tubular line with the second part of the tubular line,
heating the first element so that the material of the first element at least partly changes condition to a more liquified or mouldable condition, and
solidification of the at least part of the first element at a distance from the first part of the tubular line forming a gap between the first part of the tubular line and the second part of the tubular line.

18. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising separating a first part of the well tubular metal structure from a second part of the well tubular metal structure at a position opposite the first element before heating of the first element.

19. A method according to claim 18 , further comprising pulling the first part of the well tubular metal structure out of the well, setting a plug in the second part of the well tubular metal structure and arranging cement on top of the plug and the downhole assembly.

20. A downhole assembly for permanently sealing off a control line controlling a well component of a well tubular metal structure prior to plug and abandonment of a well having a top, comprising:
a first part of a tubular line,
a second part of the tubular line,
downhole closure unit arranged between the first part and the second part of the tubular line and comprising:
a first element comprising a first opening, a second opening and fluid communication channel between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening being arranged closer to the top than the second opening, the first opening having a first connection to the first part of the tubular line, and the second opening having a second connection to the second part of the tubular line,

wherein the first element has a first outer shape in a first state in which the fluid communication channel is open and a second outer shape in a second state in which the fluid communication channel is closed, the second shape being at least partly different from the first outer shape, and
wherein the downhole assembly further includes a heating element.

Assignees

• Welltec Oilfield Solutions Ag

Inventors

• Vasques Ricardo Reves

Classifications

• E21B36/00

  Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones · CPC title

• E21B33/12

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

• E21B33/13 Primary

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

• E21B33/127 Primary

  with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title