Plug assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021002973-A1
Application number	US-201916502963-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plug assembly includes a cone assembly, a sealing ring, a slip device of a plurality of blades, a plurality of spaces defined by adjacent blades, a plurality of support lugs, and a setting ring. The setting ring moves from a first setting distance relative to the cone assembly to a second setting distance closer to the cone assembly to radially expand the sealing ring, slip device, and spaces to install the plug assembly at the downhole location. The support lugs are aligned with the spaces to prevent extrusion of the sealing ring into the spaces and radially expand when the blades and spaces radially expand. The support lugs can be separate from each other, overlap, or interlock. The method of installation includes radially expanding the sealing ring, when the sealing ring is separated from the spaces formed by the blades of the slip device.

First claim

1 . A plug assembly, comprising:
a cone assembly having a first cone end with a first cone diameter, a second cone end with a second cone diameter and a conical outer surface being between said first cone end and said second cone end and having an assembly axis, said first cone diameter being smaller than said second cone diameter, said conical outer surface being tapered from said second cone end to said first cone end; a sealing ring being mounted around said cone assembly, along said assembly axis and between said first cone end and said second cone end of said cone assembly, said sealing ring being radially expandable relative to said assembly axis; a slip device being comprised of a plurality of blades radially arranged around said conical outer surface and along said assembly axis, each blade having a first blade end and a second blade end opposite said first blade end, each blade being comprised of an angled inner blade surface and an outer blade surface opposite said angled inner blade surface, each angled inner blade surface being in sliding engagement with said conical outer surface, each blade being radially expandable relative to said assembly axis; a plurality of spaces defined by said plurality of blades, each space being between corresponding adjacent blades of said plurality of blades, each space being radially expandable relative to said assembly axis; a plurality of support lugs being positioned between said slip device and said sealing ring, each support lug being comprised of an abutment portion and a gap portion, each abutment portion being between said sealing ring and a corresponding first blade end of a corresponding blade, each gap portion being between said sealing ring and a corresponding space defined by said corresponding blade, each support lug being radially expandable relative to said assembly axis; and a setting ring being axially aligned with said slip device, said sealing ring, and said cone assembly on said assembly axis, said slip device being between said setting ring and said plurality of support lugs, said setting ring having a first setting ring end and a second setting ring end opposite said first setting ring end, said first setting ring end being in radial sliding engagement with corresponding second blade ends of corresponding blades of said slip device relative to said assembly axis, wherein said setting ring has a first setting distance from said cone assembly in a first setting ring position, wherein said setting ring has a second setting distance from said cone assembly in a second setting ring position, wherein said second setting distance is less than said first setting distance, wherein a respective gap portion of at least one support lug separates a corresponding space from said sealing ring, wherein a respective abutment portion of at least one support lug is positioned adjacent to said sealing ring with said setting ring at said first setting distance and at said second setting distance, and wherein said respective abutment portion of at least one support lug is positioned between said sealing ring and said corresponding first blade with said setting ring at said first setting distance and at said second setting distance.

2 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 ,
wherein said sealing ring has a first sealing ring diameter relative to said assembly axis at a first sealing position, said first sealing position being between said first cone end and said second cone end of said cone assembly, wherein said sealing ring has a second sealing ring diameter relative to said assembly axis at a second sealing ring position, said second sealing ring position being closer to said second cone end than said first sealing ring position, and wherein said second sealing ring diameter is greater than said first sealing ring diameter

3 . The plug assembly, according to claim 2 ,
wherein each support lug has a first lug radius relative to said assembly axis at a first lug position, and wherein each support lug has a second lug radius relative to said assembly axis at a second lug position, each first lug position being radially closer to an adjacent support lug than a corresponding second lug position.

4 . The plug assembly, according to claim 3 ,
wherein each blade has a first blade radius relative to said assembly axis at a first blade position, and wherein each blade has a second blade radius relative to said assembly axis at a second blade position, each first blade position being radially closer to an adjacent blade than a corresponding second blade position.

5 . The plug assembly, according to claim 4 ,
wherein each space has a first slot distance relative to a corresponding adjacent blade in said first blade position, and wherein each space has a second slot distance relative to said corresponding adjacent blade in a respective second blade position, each second slot distance being greater than a corresponding first slot distance.

6 . The plug assembly, according to claim 5 ,
wherein said cone assembly is in sliding engagement with said sealing ring and said plurality of blades towards said setting ring, said sealing ring being in said first sealing position, each support lug being in a respective first lug position, each blade being in a respective first blade position.

7 . The plug assembly, according to claim 5 ,
wherein said cone assembly is in locked engagement with said sealing ring and said plurality of blades, said sealing ring being in said second sealing position, at least one support lug being in a respective second lug position, at least one blade being in a respective second blade position.

8 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 , wherein said cone assembly is further comprised of an inner cone passage.

9 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 , said sealing ring having a tapered inner surface cooperative with said conical outer surface of said cone assembly.

10 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 , wherein each outer blade surface comprises a plurality of cavities and a plurality of inserts, each insert protruding from a corresponding cavity so as to form a roughened outer surface.

11 . The plug assembly, according to claim 10 , said plurality of cavities and said plurality of inserts being arranged on each outer blade surface from said first blade end to said second blade end.

12 . The plug assembly, according to claim 11 , wherein each insert has an oblique face relative to a corresponding outer blade surface, each oblique face being angled radially outward from said corresponding outer blade surface.

13 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 , wherein each blade is further comprised of a set inner blade surface at said second blade end and adjacent to said angled inner blade surface.

14 . The plug assembly, according to claim 1 , where each support lug further comprises another abutment portion opposite said abutment portion across a respective gap portion.

15 . The plug assembly, according to claim 14 , said another abutment portion being between said sealing ring and a corresponding first blade end of an adjacent blade,
wherein said respective abutment portion is positioned between said sealing ring and said corresponding first blade end of said adjacent blade with said setting ring at said first setting distance and at said second setting distance.

16 . The plug assembly, according to claim 15 , said another abutment portion being between said sealing ring, a corresponding first blade end of an adjacent blade, and a respective abutment portion of a respective support lug of

Assignees

• Cnpc Usa Corp

Inventors

• Yue Jianpeng
• Tran Anthony
• Liu Yu
• Yang Xiongwen

Classifications

• E21B33/1285 Primary

  by fluid pressure · CPC title

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/134 Primary

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B23/06

  for setting packers · CPC title

• E21B33/1208

  characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence) · CPC title