Systems and methods for sealing a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022010650-A1
Application number	US-202117484260-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Oct 6, 2017
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A plug for sealing a wellbore includes a mandrel including a body having a longitudinal first end, a longitudinal second end opposite the first end, and an outer surface, wherein a plurality of ratchet teeth are positioned on the outer surface and formed of a fiber reinforced composite material, an annular seal positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the seal includes a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end opposite the first end; and a body lock ring assembly positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel and located between the first end of the mandrel and the seal, wherein the body lock ring assembly includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced arcuate lock ring segments surrounding the mandrel, wherein an inner surface of each lock ring segment includes a plurality of ratchet teeth configured to matingly engage the ratchet teeth of the mandrel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plug for sealing a wellbore, comprising:
a mandrel including a cylindrical body having a longitudinal first end, a longitudinal second end opposite the first end, and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end, wherein a plurality of circumferentially extending ratchet teeth are positioned on the outer surface and formed of a fiber reinforced composite material; an annular seal positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel and extending around the mandrel, wherein the seal comprises a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end opposite the first end; and a body lock ring assembly positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel and located between the first end of the mandrel and the seal, wherein the body lock ring assembly comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced arcuate lock ring segments surrounding the mandrel, wherein an inner surface of each lock ring segment comprises a plurality of ratchet teeth configured to matingly engage the ratchet teeth of the mandrel; wherein the body lock ring assembly is configured to translate between a run-in position on the outer surface of the mandrel to a set position on the outer surface of the mandrel that is axially spaced from the run-in position whereby the body lock ring assembly imposes an axial force on the seal to move the annular seal from a run-in configuration to an axially compressed and radially expanded configuration, and wherein the ratchet teeth of the body lock ring assembly are configured to lock the seal into the radially expanded configuration when the body lock ring assembly is in the set position.

2 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the body of the mandrel comprises a first material having a tensile strength in in an axial direction of the mandrel that is greater than a tensile strength in in the axial direction of the mandrel of a second material of which the plurality of ratchet teeth of the mandrel is comprised.

3 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein:
a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are formed through the outer surface of the mandrel and into the body of the mandrel; and a plurality of arcuate inserts are secured in the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses of the mandrel, and wherein each arcuate insert comprises an outer surface including the plurality of ratchet teeth of the mandrel and configured to matingly engage the ratchet teeth of the arcuate ring segments of the body lock ring.

4 . The plug of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first clamping member surrounding the mandrel and positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the first clamping member comprises a longitudinal first end, a longitudinal second end opposite the first end, and a frustoconical inner surface between the first end and the second end wherein the frustoconical inner surface has a progressively larger inner diameter that is smaller nearest the second end and larger nearest the first end, and wherein the second end of the first clamping member is configured to apply an axially directed clamping force against the first end of the seal; wherein each of the lock ring segments comprises a frustoconical outer surface configured to engage with the frustoconical inner surface of the first clamping member such that an axially directed force applied by the seal to the first clamping member is transmitted to the body lock ring assembly as a generally radially inwards directed clamping force applied against the mandrel.

5 . The plug of claim 1 , further comprising a second clamping member surrounding the mandrel and positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the first clamping member comprises a longitudinal first end and a second longitudinal end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end of the second clamping member is configured to apply an axially directed clamping force against the second end of the seal.

6 . The plug of claim 1 , further comprising an annular lock ring retainer received in a circumferentially oriented groove formed in an outer surface of each of the arcuate lock ring segments and wherein the lock ring retainer restricts relative axial movement between each of the plurality of lock ring segments.

7 . A plug for sealing a wellbore, comprising:
a mandrel including cylindrical body having a longitudinal first end, a longitudinal second end opposite the first end, and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end, wherein a plurality of circumferentially extending ratchet teeth are positioned on the outer surface; an annular seal positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel and extending around the mandrel, and wherein the seal comprises a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end opposite the first end; a first clamping member surrounding the mandrel and positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the first clamping member comprises a longitudinal first end, a longitudinal second end opposite the first end, and a frustoconical inner surface between the first end and the second end wherein the frustoconical inner surface has a progressively larger inner diameter that is smaller nearest the second end and larger nearest the first end, and wherein the second end of the first clamping member is configured to apply an axially directed clamping force against the first end of the seal; and a body lock ring assembly positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel and located between the first end of the mandrel and the seal, wherein the body lock ring assembly comprises a frustoconical outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of ratchet teeth formed on the inner surface of the body lock ring assembly and configured to matingly engage the ratchet teeth of the mandrel, wherein the frustoconical outer surface is configured to engage with the frustoconical inner surface of the first clamping member such that an axially directed force applied by the seal to the first clamping member is transmitted to the body lock ring assembly as a generally radially inwards directed clamping force applied against the mandrel; wherein the body lock ring assembly is configured to translate between a run-in position on the outer surface of the mandrel to a set position on the outer surface of the mandrel that is axially spaced from the run-in position whereby the body lock ring assembly imposes an axial force through the second end of the clamping member and on the seal to move the annular seal from a run-in configuration to an axially compressed and radially expanded configuration, and wherein the ratchet teeth of the body lock ring assembly are configured to lock the seal into the radially expanded configuration when the body lock ring assembly is in the set position.

8 . The plug of claim 7 , wherein the body lock ring assembly comprises a plurality of arcuate lock ring segments, each lock ring segment being formed with the frustoconical outer surface thereon.

9 . The plug of claim 8 , further comprising an annular lock ring retainer received in a circumferentially oriented groove formed in in an outer surface of each of the arcuate lock ring segments and wherein the lock ring retainer restricts relative axial movement between each of the plurality of lock ring segments.

10 . The plug of claim 7 , further comprising a second clamping member surrounding the mandrel and positioned on the outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the first clamping member comprises a longitudinal first end and a second longitudinal end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end of the second clamping member is configured to apply an axially directed clamping force against the second end of the seal.

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Assignees

• G&H Diversified Mfg Lp

Inventors

• Lee Timmothy Alain
• Magill Joshua

Classifications

• E21B33/1293 Primary

  with means for anchoring against downward and upward movement (E21B33/1291, E21B33/1295 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/128

  with a member expanded radially by axial pressure (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B23/06

  for setting packers · CPC title