Downhole plug apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9359863-B2
Application number	US-201313868735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2013
Priority date	Apr 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to downhole tools and methods of removing such tools from wellbores. More particularly, the present invention relates to downhole tools designed to be comprised of dissolvable materials or frangible materials and methods for dissolving or fragmenting such downhole tools in situ.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole apparatus for use in a wellbore, said apparatus comprising:
a central mandrel;
a slip assembly disposed on said mandrel wherein said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in a set position;
a cup-shaped sealing element disposed on said mandrel, said cup-shaped sealing element having a radially extending portion such that said cup-shaped sealing element forms a first chamber and a second chamber separated by said radially extending portion, and wherein said first chamber and said second chamber are each defined on one side by said mandrel, and wherein said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in said set position;
a ring element disposed on said mandrel and operationally engaging said sealing element and said slip assembly such that, when a setting force is applied to said ring element, said ring element expands radially outward thus transferring said setting force to said sealing element such that said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore and said ring element axially transfers said setting force to said slip assembly such that said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore; and
a sleeve disposed on said mandrel, the sleeve transfers said setting force from a setting tool to said ring element when said downhole apparatus is changed from an unset position to said set position, and wherein a retaining ring is housed in said first chamber and said ring element is housed in said second chamber, and wherein said retaining ring abuts said slip assembly such that, when said setting force is applied, said ring element transfers said setting force to said retaining ring through said radially extending portion of said cup-shaped sealing element and said retaining ring transfers said setting force to said slip assembly.

2. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is a ratcheting sleeve such said sleeve is moved axially from a first position to a second position by said setting tool when said downhole apparatus is changed from an unset position to said set position and thereafter stays in said second position.

3. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mandrel and said slip assembly are at least partially made of a material selected from the group consisting of frangible materials, dissolvable materials and combinations thereof.

4. The downhole apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mandrel and said slip assembly are at least partially made of glass.

5. The downhole apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mandrel and said slip assembly are at least partially made of a frangible material selected from the group consisting of borosilicate, aluminosilicate, soda lime, sapphire, fused quartz/silica and combinations thereof.

6. A downhole apparatus for use in a wellbore, said apparatus comprising:
a central mandrel comprised of glass that breaks apart under impact or pressure wave;
a cup-shaped sealing element disposed about said mandrel, wherein said cup-shaped sealing element has a radially extending portion such that said cup-shaped sealing element forms a first chamber and a second chamber separated by said radially extending portion, and wherein said first chamber and said second chamber are each defined on one side by said mandrel, and wherein said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in a set position;
a slip assembly disposed on said mandrel wherein said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore when said downhole apparatus is in a set position and wherein said slip assembly is at least partially made from glass;
a ring element disposed on said mandrel and operationally engaging said sealing element and said slip assembly such that, when a setting force is applied to said ring element, said ring element expands radially outward thus transferring said setting force to said sealing element such that said sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore and said ring element axially transfers said setting force to said slip assembly such that said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore; and
a ratcheting sleeve disposed on said mandrel wherein said sleeve is moved axially from a first position to a second position by a setting tool when said downhole apparatus is changed from an unset position to said set position and thereafter stays in said second position and wherein said sleeve transfers said setting force from said setting tool to said ring element when said downhole apparatus is changed from an unset position to said set position, and wherein a retaining ring is housed in said first chamber and said ring element is housed in said second chamber, and wherein said retaining ring abuts said slip assembly such that, when said setting force is applied, said ring element transfers said setting force to said retaining ring through said radially extending portion of said cup-shaped sealing element and said retaining ring transfers said setting force to said slip assembly.

7. A method of performing a downhole operation comprising:
introducing a downhole tool having a mandrel into a wellbore to a predetermined depth; and
applying an axial force to a ring element disposed about said mandrel so as to move said downhole tool from an unset position to a set position at said predetermined depth; wherein under said axial force, said ring element moves axially along said mandrel to thus transfer said axial force to a slip assembly disposed about said mandrel such that said slip assembly grippingly engages said wellbore and, under said axial force, said ring element expands radially outward to thus transfer said axial force to a cup-shaped sealing element disposed about said mandrel such that said cup-shaped sealing element sealingly engages said wellbore, and wherein:
said cup-shaped sealing element has a radially extending portion such that said cup shaped element forms a first chamber and a second chamber separated by said radially extending portion;
said first chamber and said second chamber are each defined on one side by said mandrel;
a retaining ring is housed in said first chamber and said ring element is housed in said second chamber; and
said retaining ring abuts said slip assembly such that, when said setting force is applied, said ring element transfers said setting force to said retaining ring through said radially extending portion of said cup-shaped sealing element and said retaining ring transfers said setting force to said slip assembly.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
after said downhole tool is moved to said set position, lowering a fragmenter downhole; and
fragmenting a first portion of said downhole tool using said fragmenter, wherein said first portion of said downhole tool is composed of frangible material, and wherein said fragmenter is an impact tool designed to shatter said first portion of said downhole tool.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
after said downhole tool is moved to said set position, lowering a fragmenter downhole; and
fragmenting a first portion of said downhole tool using said fragmenter, wherein said first portion of said downhole tool is composed of frangible material, and wherein said fragmenter is a pressure wave device designed to produce a pressure wave and thus shatter said first portion of said downhole tool.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said pressure wave device produces an acoustical pulse.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said frangible material is glass.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said downhole tool comprises a frac plug, a bridge plug or a packer.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Streich Steven G
• Loveday Donnie G
• Winslow Donny W
• Brandell John T
• Webb Earl D

Classifications

• E21B33/134 Primary

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B33/1204

  permanent; drillable · CPC title