Plug releaser and method of limiting pressure differential across plugs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356114-A1
Application number	US-201514733364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plug releaser includes, a first tubular with at least one first port through a wall thereof, at least two plugs sealingly engaged with the first tubular defining a first chamber between the first tubular and the at least two plugs. The at least two plugs are rupturable or releasable from the first tubular at selected pressure differentials thereacross, and a second tubular is in operable communication with the first tubular at locations beyond the at least two plugs. The at least one first port provides fluidic communication between the first chamber and an outside of both the first tubular and the second tubular and the at least one first port is sized to prevent pressure differential across the at least two plugs from building to a selected pressure differential needed to rupture or release the plugs in either direction for at least a period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plug releaser comprising:
a first tubular with at least one first port through a wall thereof; at least two plugs sealingly engaged with the first tubular defining a first chamber between the first tubular and the at least two plugs, the at least two plugs being rupturable or releasable from the first tubular at selected pressure differentials thereacross; and a second tubular being in operable communication with the first tubular at locations beyond the at least two plugs, the at least one first port providing fluidic communication between the first chamber and an outside of both the first tubular and the second tubular the at least one first port being sized to prevent pressure differential across the at least two plugs from building to a selected pressure differential needed to rupture or release the plugs in either direction for at least a period of time.

2 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve slidably sealingly engaged with at least the first tubular defining a second chamber at least in part between the sleeve and the first tubular, the second chamber being in operable communication with the first chamber through, a volume of the second chamber being alterable in response to movement of the sleeve relative to the first tubular, travel limits of the sleeve determining how long a pressure differential across the at least two plugs can be maintained by the plug releaser below the selected pressure differential.

3 . The plug releaser of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is movable in two directions to allow damping of pressure differential across the at least two plugs in two opposing directions.

4 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third tubular having at least one second port through a wall thereof, and the third tubular is positioned radially of the first tubular defining an annular space between the first tubular and the third tubular; and a piston is slidably positioned within the annular space dividing the annular space into a second chamber and a third chamber, the third chamber being in fluidic communication with an outside of the third tubular through the at least one second port, the piston being movable within the annular space in response to fluid flowing from the first chamber to the second chamber through the at least one first port.

5 . The plug releaser of claim 4 , wherein the piston is sealingly engaged with both the first tubular and the third tubular.

6 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein a blockage at least temporarily within the second tubular can allow pressure differential to build across the at least two plugs.

7 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein the at least two plugs are positioned at two longitudinal locations of the first tubular.

8 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two plugs are rupturable or releasable at selected pressure differentials.

9 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two plugs is a ball.

10 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , further comprising a structure that is in fluidic communication with the first tubular near two longitudinal locations.

11 . The plug releaser of claim 10 , wherein pressure changes within the structure can rupture or release at least one of the at least two plugs.

12 . The plug releaser of claim 11 , wherein the pressure changes are increases in pressure within the structure.

13 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two plugs is a rupture disc.

14 . The plug releaser of claim 4 , wherein a fourth tubular is sealingly slidably engaged with the second tubular defining a fourth chamber in a second annular space therebetween, and a fourth port in a wall of the second tubular fluidically connects the second chamber to the fourth chamber, the fourth chamber is able to increase in volume upon movement of the fourth tubular relative to the second tubular until movement thereof is stopped.

15 . The plug releaser of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the first chamber is fixed.

16 . A method of limiting pressure differential across plugs sealing a chamber within a tubular, comprising:
porting fluid to or from the chamber through a port in a wall of the chamber to an outside of the chamber, the porting fluid thereby decreasing pressure differential across the plugs in comparison to a method not including the porting of fluid regardless of a direction of pressure change across the plugs that created the pressure differential across the plugs.

17 . The method of limiting pressure differential across plugs sealing a chamber from a tubular of claim 16 , further comprising increasing pressure within the chamber in response to temperature increases in fluid within the chamber.

18 . The method of limiting pressure differential across plugs sealing a chamber from a tubular of claim 16 , further comprising changing pressure differential across the plugs with changes in hydrostatic pressure outside the chamber.

19 . A plug releaser comprising:
a tubular; a housing slidably sealingly engaged with the tubular defining a chamber therebetween; and at least one plug sealingly engaged with at least one of the tubular and the housing configured to rupture or release at a selected pressure differential thereacross, a volume of the chamber being alterable to allow temporal pressure differences across the at least one plug to be reduced by sliding the housing relative to the tubular in comparison to what the pressure differences across the at least one plug would be if the housing were not allowed to move.

20 . The plug releaser of claim 19 , further comprising at least one biasing member configured to resist movement of the housing relative to the tubular.

21 . The plug releaser of claim 19 , wherein the temporal pressure differential across the at least one plug is less than a pressure differential needed to rupture or release the at least one plug.

Assignees

• Ewing Daniel C
• Hern Christopher Ryan
• Krueger Matthew J
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Ewing Daniel C
• Hern Christopher Ryan
• Krueger Matthew J

Classifications

• E21B23/0413

  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

• E21B33/12 Primary

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

• E21B23/0412

  characterised by pressure chambers, e.g. vacuum chambers · CPC title