System for releasing a cement plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201414-A1
Application number	US-201514594999-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	Jan 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure a system includes a plug launching assembly, including a housing. The system also includes a first flow assembly of the plug launching assembly including a first primary flow path configured to direct a fluid flow into a wellbore. Moreover, the first flow assembly is configured to transition from a first position to a second position within the plug launching assembly. Also, the first flow assembly is releasably coupled to the housing while in the first position. The system further includes a second flow assembly of the plug launching assembly coupled to the housing and positioned downstream of the first flow assembly. The first flow assembly engages the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the second position. The system also includes a cement plug releasably coupled to the second flow assembly. Furthermore, the cement plug is positioned within a second primary flow path of the second flow assembly while the cement plug is coupled to the second flow assembly. The system also includes a cement plug launcher of the second flow assembly configured to release the cement plug from a stored position, in which the cement plug is coupled to the cement plug launcher, to a release position. Also, the system includes a bypass line of the plug launching assembly configured to direct the fluid flow from the first flow assembly to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a plug launching assembly comprising a housing; a first flow assembly of the plug launching assembly comprising a first primary flow path configured to direct a fluid flow into a wellbore, wherein the first flow assembly is configured to transition from a first position to a second position within the plug launching assembly and wherein the first flow assembly is releasably coupled to the housing while in the first position; a second flow assembly of the plug launching assembly coupled to the housing and positioned downstream of the first flow assembly, wherein the first flow assembly engages the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the second position; a cement plug releasably coupled to the second flow assembly, wherein the cement plug is positioned within a second primary flow path of the second flow assembly while the cement plug is coupled to the second flow assembly; a cement plug launcher of the first flow assembly configured to release the cement plug from a stored position, in which the cement plug is coupled to the cement plug launcher, to a release position; and a bypass line of the plug launching assembly configured to direct the fluid flow from the first flow assembly to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

2 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a gap positioned between and separating the first and second flow assemblies while the first flow assembly is in the first position, wherein the bypass line extends between the gap and the second flow assembly.

3 . The system of claim 2 , comprising a first bypass port fluidly coupled to the gap and a second bypass port fluidly coupled to the second flow assembly, wherein the bypass line extends between the first and second bypass ports such that the fluid flow is directed from the gap to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

4 . The system of claim 1 , comprising an auxiliary flow line configured to direct the fluid flow from the first flow assembly to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the second position, wherein a geometry of the first flow assembly is configured to engage with a corresponding geometry of the second flow assembly while in the second position.

5 . The system of claim 4 , comprising:
a first flow port fluidly coupled to the first primary flow path, wherein an outlet of the first flow port is blocked by the housing while the first flow assembly is in the first position; a first auxiliary flow port configured to fluidly couple to the first flow port while the first flow assembly is in the second position, wherein the first auxiliary flow port is blocked by a body of the first flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the first position; and a second auxiliary flow port fluidly coupled to the second flow assembly, wherein the auxiliary flow line extends between the first and second auxiliary flow ports.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first primary flow path comprises a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter, wherein the first section is upstream of the second section and the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

7 . The system of claim 6 , comprising a shoulder formed at a transition between the first section and the second section, wherein the shoulder is configured to block a ball introduced into the first primary flow path such that the fluid flow through the first primary flow path is substantially blocked while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein an outer diameter of the second section of the first flow assembly substantially corresponds to an inner diameter of a third section of the second flow assembly, and wherein the second section of the first flow assembly engages the third section of the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the second position and releases the cement plug.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first flow assembly is coupled to the housing via shear pins while in the first position.

10 . A system, comprising:
a ball launcher configured to release a ball into a wellbore; a cement swivel positioned downstream of the ball launcher, wherein the cement swivel is configured to direct a flow of fluid into the wellbore; and a plug launching assembly positioned downstream of and fluidly coupled to the cement swivel; a first flow assembly of the plug launching assembly comprising a cement plug launcher configured to release a cement plug into the wellbore upon activation; a second flow assembly of the plug launching assembly positioned downstream of the first flow assembly and; a gap of the plug launching assembly positioned between the first flow assembly and the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in a first position; a bypass line of the plug launching assembly extending between the gap and the second flow assembly, wherein the bypass line is configured to direct the flow of fluid from the gap to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in the first position; and an auxiliary flow line fluidly coupled to the first flow assembly and the second flow assembly, wherein the auxiliary flow line is configured to direct the flow of fluid from the first flow assembly to the second flow assembly while the first flow assembly is in a second position, wherein a geometry of the first flow assembly engages with a corresponding geometry of the second flow assembly such that the first flow assembly substantially fills a volume of the gap while the first flow assembly is in the second position.

11 . The system of claim 10 , comprising a housing of the plug launching assembly configured to align the first and second flow assemblies, wherein the first flow assembly is releasably coupled to the housing via shear pins while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a body of the first flow assembly is configured to block the bypass line while the first flow assembly is in the second position.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a body of the first flow assembly is configured to block the auxiliary flow line while the first flow assembly is in the first position.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first flow assembly comprises a first flow port configured to direct the flow to the auxiliary flow line while the first flow assembly is in the second position.

15 . The system of claim 10 , comprising a shoulder disposed within a first primary flow path of the first flow assembly, wherein the shoulder is configured to block the ball from entering the gap while the first flow assembly is in the first position and to facilitate a transition of the first flow assembly from the first position to the second position.

16 . A system, comprising:
a first flow assembly comprising a first primary flow path having a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter, wherein the first flow assembly is configured to transition from a first position to a second position; a second flow assembly comprising a second primary flow path and a plurality of flow ports configured to receive a flow of fluid from upstream of the second flow assembly and bypassing at least a portion of the second primary flow path, wherein the first flow assembly is engaged with the second flow assembly in the second position; and a housing configured to align the firs

Assignees

• Tesco Corp

Inventors

• Nikiforuk Kevin James

Classifications

• E21B33/16

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

• E21B23/00 Primary

  Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10) · CPC title

• E21B33/05

  Cementing-heads, e.g. having provision for introducing cementing plugs · CPC title

• E21B23/10 Primary

  Tools specially adapted therefor · CPC title