Expandable metal displacement plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338705-B2
Application number	US-202117395870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2021
Priority date	Aug 13, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Provided, in at least one aspect, is a displacement plug for us in a wellbore tubular, a method for entering a well system, and a related well system. The displacement plug, in one aspect, includes a plug body for landing in a wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the plug body comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal against the wellbore tubular. The displacement plug, in one or more aspects, additionally includes one or more displacement features engaged with the plug body for displacing the plug body downhole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A displacement plug for use in a wellbore tubular, comprising:
a plug body for landing in the wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the plug body comprises an electrically conductive metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal against the wellbore tubular, and further wherein during the expansion, the electrically conductive metal is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together; and
one or more displacement features engaged with the plug body for displacing the plug body downhole.

2. The displacement plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plug body includes a nose, wherein at least a portion of the nose comprises the electrically conductive metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

3. The displacement plug as recited in claim 2 , wherein the nose includes a nose nut, the nose nut comprising the electrically conductive metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

4. The displacement plug as recited in claim 2 , wherein the nose includes a tubular, the tubular comprising the electrically conductive metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

5. The displacement plug as recited in claim 2 , wherein the nose includes a lock ring, the lock ring comprising the electrically conductive metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

6. The displacement plug as recited in claim 2 , wherein the nose includes an O-ring.

7. The displacement plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plug body is a casing displacement plug body.

8. The displacement plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plug body is a drill pipe displacement plug body.

9. The displacement plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more displacement features are one or more displacement fins.

10. The displacement plug as recited in claim 9 , wherein the one or more displacement fins are coupled to the plug body.

11. A method for entering a well system, comprising:
pumping fluid within a wellbore tubular;
positioning a displacement plug in the wellbore tubular after pumping the fluid, the displacement plug landing in the wellbore tubular, the displacement plug including:
a plug body for landing in the wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the plug body comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal against the wellbore tubular, and further wherein during the expansion, the electrically conductive metal is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together; and
subjecting the displacement plug to a wellbore fluid, thereby forming an expanded displacement plug fixed in the wellbore tubular, the expanded displacement plug including a cement plug body.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the displacement plug further includes one or more displacement features engaged with the plug body.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the one or more displacement features are one or more displacement fins coupled to the plug body.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein pumping fluid within the wellbore tubular includes pumping cement within the wellbore tubular.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the plug body includes a nose, wherein at least a portion of the nose comprises the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the nose includes a nose nut, the nose nut comprising the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the nose includes a tubular, the tubular comprising the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the nose includes a lock ring, the lock ring comprising the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the nose includes an O-ring.

20. A well system, comprising:
a wellbore positioned in a subterranean formation;
a wellbore tubular positioned within the wellbore, an annulus existing between the wellbore tubular and the wellbore;
an expanded displacement plug fixed in the wellbore tubular, the expanded displacement plug including a cement plug body and one or more displacement features engaged with the cement plug body; and
cement positioned in the annulus.

21. The well system as recited in claim 20 , wherein the one or more displacement features are one or more displacement fins.

22. The well system as recited in claim 21 , wherein the one or more displacement fins are coupled to the cement plug body.

23. The well system as recited in claim 20 , wherein the wellbore tubular is a landing collar.

24. The well system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the landing collar is a landing collar of a shoe track.

25. The well system as recited in claim 24 , wherein the shoe track includes a float collar and a float shoe.

26. The well system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the landing collar is wellbore casing.

27. The well system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the landing collar is a wet shoe sub having a sliding sleeve disposed therein, the sliding sleeve configured to slide to open a flow path below the plug body.

28. The well system as recited in claim 27 , further including one or more plug members positioned within the flow path, the plug member comprising a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal the flow path.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Holderman Luke William
• Least Brandon Thomas

Classifications

• E21B33/16

  using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor {(stage cementing E21B33/146; spacer compositions C09K8/424)} · CPC title

• F16K3/265

  with a sleeve sliding in the direction of the flow line · CPC title

• F16K3/0236

  the packing being of a non-resilient material, e.g. ceramic, metal · CPC title

• E21B34/14

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B2200/01

  Sealings characterised by their shape · CPC title