Electronic rupture discs for interventionless barrier plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9441437-B2
Application number	US-201313896512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	May 16, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are presented for removing a degradable barrier plug positioned in a downhole axial passageway. The degradable plug is initially isolated from fluid by at least one solid, non-degradable cover. A first electronic rupture disc assembly is actuated to open a passageway to the degradable plug. A second electronic rupture disc assembly is actuated to allow a fluid, such as water from a supply chamber, to flow into contact with the plug. The plug is substantially degraded, although the cover remains. A third electronic rupture disc assembly is actuated to bend and then cover the remaining solid cover, thereby opening the axial passageway and protecting later-introduced tools.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A method for removing a plug positioned to block fluid flow through a passageway in a downhole tubular positioned in a subterranean wellbore, the plug isolated from fluid in the passageway by at least one cover, the method comprising the steps of:
actuating an electronic rupture disc assembly to open a fluid bypass to the plug, the rupture disk assembly having a rupture disc initially positioned to block fluid flow along the fluid bypass between the plug and the rupture disc;
allowing a degrading fluid to flow from a fluid chamber and through the fluid bypass, thereby contacting the plug, wherein the fluid chamber extends across the passageway; and
substantially degrading the plug using the degrading fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of supplying electric power to the electronic rupture disc assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of delaying actuation of an additional electronic rupture disc assembly until substantial degradation of the plug.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of actuating the additional rupture disc assembly to allow substantial removal of the cover from the passageway.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of substantially removing the cover further comprises mechanically removing the cover.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of flowing high pressure fluid from a high pressure chamber into a low pressure chamber in response to actuation of the additional rupture disc assembly.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of moving a sleeve over at least a portion of the cover in response to the step of flowing high pressure fluid from the high pressure chamber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of moving the sleeve further includes sliding the sleeve longitudinally along the passageway and substantially removing the cover from the passageway.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fluid bypass is initially filled with air between the plug and the rupture disc.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degrading fluid is at least one of fresh water, brine, and hydrocarbon fluid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plug is initially fluidly isolated.

12. An apparatus for use in a subterranean wellbore and for removing a degradable plug from a passageway extending along a downhole tubular, the degradable plug for blocking fluid flow through the passageway, the apparatus comprising:
a fluid chamber positioned within the passageway, the fluid chamber having a degrading fluid therein for degrading the plug;
a first electronic rupture disc assembly along a fluid bypass having a first rupture disc for selectively blocking flow of the degrading fluid from the fluid chamber through the fluid bypass; and
a second electronic rupture disc assembly along the fluid bypass having a second rupture disc for selectively blocking flow of the degrading fluid flowing through the fluid bypass and into contact with the degradable plug.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 , further comprising a cover protecting the degradable plug from the degrading fluid.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12 , further comprising a movable member operable to substantially remove a degradable plug cover from the passageway.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14 , wherein the movable member is a sleeve.

16. An apparatus as in claim 14 , wherein the movable member is retained in an initial position by a high pressure fluid in a high pressure chamber and further comprising a third electronic rupture disc assembly having a third rupture disc for selectively blocking flow of the high pressure fluid from the high pressure chamber.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Fripp Michael Linley
• Kyle Donald G
• Huggins Jeff

Classifications

• E21B23/04

  operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion (E21B23/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/1208

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

• E21B29/02 Primary

  by explosives or by thermal or chemical means {(freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002)} · CPC title

• E21B33/134

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B33/12

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