Frac plug device with an anchor mandrel for a locked set configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024287867-A1
Application number	US-202318174416-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2023
Priority date	Feb 24, 2023
Publication date	Aug 29, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A ramp type frac plug device of the present invention is a simplified, short and compact frac plug device to both maintain seal to the borehole wall and prevent premature release from the borehole. The frac plug device includes a cone, an anchor mandrel, a cap member, a slip device, and a sealing member. In a set configuration, the frac plug device has both the friction fit engagement of the cone and the slip device and a single direction rachet locked engagement of the cone and an anchor mandrel. The cone has a threaded cone portion, and the anchor mandrel has an exterior threaded mandrel portion. The ratchet lock engagement between the cone and the anchor mandrel prevents backward movement of the cone away from the anchor mandrel so that the cap member engaged with the anchor mandrel locks the slip device in position on the cone.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A frac plug device, comprising:
a cone having first cone end, a second cone end opposite said first cone end, an inner core extending from said first cone end to said second cone end, and a tapered outer surface decreasing in outer cone diameter toward said second cone end, wherein said inner core is comprised of a threaded cone portion at said second cone end;
an anchor mandrel having a first anchor mandrel end, a second anchor mandrel end opposite said first anchor mandrel end, and an exterior threaded mandrel portion at said first anchor mandrel end;
a cap member having a first cap end and a second cap end opposite said first cap end, said cap member being engaged with said second anchor mandrel end;
a slip device having a first slip end, a second slip end opposite said first slip end, an outer engagement surface, and a tapered inner surface increasing in diameter to said first slip end,
wherein said first cap end faces said second slip end; and
a sealing member being mounted around said tapered outer surface, said slip device being between said sealing member and said cap member,
wherein said tapered inner surface is in sliding engagement with said tapered outer surface according to said threaded cone portion in ratchet locked engagement with said exterior threaded mandrel portion.

2 . The frac plug device, according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a run-in configuration, said threaded cone portion of said cone is at a first ratchet locked position relative to said exterior threaded mandrel portion of said anchor mandrel, said slip device being in an initial position, and said sealing member being in an original position, wherein, in a set configuration, said threaded cone portion of said cone is at a second ratchet locked position relative to said exterior threaded mandrel portion of said anchor mandrel, said slip device being in an extended position, said sealing member being in an expanded position, wherein said first anchor mandrel end is closer to said first cone end in said second ratchet locked position than in said first ratchet locked position, wherein said outer engagement surface is in said extended position so as to set the slip device in a borehole wall, and wherein said sealing member is in said expanded position so as to seal against the borehole wall.

3 . The frac plug device, according to claim 1 , wherein said anchor mandrel is removably engaged to said cap member.

4 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 3 , wherein said cap member is comprised of a cap cavity on said first cap end.

5 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 4 , said second anchor mandrel end being mounted in said cap cavity.

6 . The frac plug device, according to claim 2 , wherein said cap member exerts pressure against said second slip end so as to prevent release of said slip device from said cone in said set configuration.

7 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 6 , wherein said cap member is comprised of a first cap end surface 68 engaged with said second slip end.

8 . The frac plug device, according to claim 1 , wherein said anchor mandrel is comprised of a plurality of collet fingers and a collet base, said collet base being on said second anchor mandrel end, the collet fingers extending from said collet base toward said first anchor mandrel end and toward said cone.

9 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 8 , wherein said exterior threaded mandrel portion is comprised of each exterior collet finger surface of said plurality of collet fingers.

10 . The frac plug device, according to claim 1 , further comprising: a seal support ring between said sealing member and said slip device.

11 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 10 , wherein said seal support ring is comprised of a plurality of ring segments, each ring segment of said plurality of ring segments being overlapped with an adjacent ring segment of said plurality of ring segments so as to prevent the sealing member from extruding toward said slip device.

12 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 11 , said seal support ring being expandable, each ring segment of said plurality of ring segments being less overlapped with an adjacent ring segment of said plurality of ring segments as a seal support ring diameter increases.

13 . The frac plug device, according to claim to 2 , wherein said tapered outer surface is comprised of a notch between said first cone end and said second cone end so as to engage said sealing member in said expanded position.

14 . A method of isolating a zone in a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
deploying the frac plug device, according to claim 2 , in said run-in configuration with said cone and said anchor mandrel at a first ratchet locked position, said slip device in said initial position, and said sealing member in said original position; moving said threaded cone portion along said exterior threaded mandrel portion from said first ratchet locked position toward a second ratchet locked position closer to said first cone end; pushing said tapered inner surface along said tapered outer surface with said cap member against said second slip end; and placing said frac plug in said set configuration with said cone and said anchor mandrel at said second ratchet locked position, said slip device in said extended position, and said sealing member in said expanded position.

15 . The method of isolating the zone in the wellbore, according to claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
setting said slip device in a borehole wall with said outer engagement surface in said extended position; and sealing said sealing member in said expanded position against said borehole wall.

16 . The method of isolating the zone in the wellbore, according to claim 14 , wherein said anchor mandrel is comprised of a plurality of collet fingers and a collet base, said collet base being on said second anchor mandrel end, the collet fingers extending from said collet base toward said first anchor mandrel end and toward said cone, and
wherein the step of moving said threaded cone portion at said first ratchet locked position toward said second ratchet locked position is comprised of the step of: bending each collet finger and restoring each collet finger.

17 . The method of isolating the zone in the wellbore, according to claim 16 , wherein said exterior threaded mandrel portion is comprised of each exterior collet finger surface of said plurality of collet fingers.

18 . The method of isolating the zone in the wellbore, according to claim 14 , wherein said frac plug device further comprises a seal support ring 48 between said sealing member and said slip device, said seal support ring being comprised of a plurality of ring segments, each ring segment of said plurality of ring segments being overlapped with an adjacent ring segment of said plurality of ring segments, and
wherein the step of placing said frac plug device in the set configuration with said cone and said anchor mandrel at said second ratchet locked position, said slip device in said extended position, and said sealing member in said expanded position further comprises the step of:
expanding said seal support ring so as to prevent the sealing member from extruding toward said slip device.

19 . The method of isolating the zone in the wellbore, according to claim 18 , wherein the step of expanding is comprised of reducing overlap of each ring segment of said plurality of ring segments with an adjacent ring segm

Assignees

• Cnpc Usa Corp
• Beijing Huamei Inc
• China Nat Petroleum Corp

Inventors

• Patsy Matthew
• Yuan Min Mark
• Yue Jianpeng
• Cheng Peng
• Roberts Kwami
• Nettles Damon

Classifications

• E21B33/1293

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

• E21B33/128 Primary

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