Partly disintegrating plug for subterranean treatment use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624751-B2
Application number	US-201414284861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2014
Priority date	May 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A disintegrating plug uses a setting tool to push a swage into the plug body that has external ribs that contact the wall of the surrounding tubular. The ribs retain the body to the surrounding tubular wall with frictional contact. Some leakage may ensue but in fracturing some leakage does not matter if enough volume under the right pressure reaches the formation. The sheared member during the setting comes out with the mandrel that is part of the setting tool. In an alternative embodiment one or more o-rings are used to seal while anchoring is assisted by the hardened insert(s) that can be snap fitted in using rib flexing or that can be a c-ring that is expanded and snapped in. The o-ring(s) are axially spaced from the insert(s).

First claim

We claim:

1. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature disposed at a single axial location on said plug;
engaging at least one o-ring substantially retained in at least one conforming groove on a radially movable support member that comprises said anchoring feature against the tubular wall, said at least one o-ring acting as a seal to contact the tubular wall with said setting;
performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
setting said plug with a wireline setting tool.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using at least one circumferentially extending rib to engage the tubular for said setting.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
frictionally engaging the tubular with said rib during said setting.

5. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
not engaging the tubular with said rib during said setting.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
driving a cone into a tubularly shaped body of said plug for said setting.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
making said cone of a disintegrating material.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
setting said plug with a mandrel and setting sleeve on a wireline setting tool that are moved in opposed directions.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising:
shear releasing a tab from said plug for removal with said mandrel.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
providing at least one hardened insert at a spaced location from said o-ring.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
disintegrating at least 80% of said plug after said treating.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
mounting an insert on said plug using an interference fit.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using potential energy in the shape of an insert to retain said insert to said plug.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
penetrating the tubular with said insert during said setting.

15. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature;
engaging at least one o-ring seal to the tubular wall with said setting;
performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation;
setting said plug with a mandrel and setting sleeve on a wireline setting tool that are moved in opposed directions;
shear releasing a tab from said plug for removal with said mandrel;
retaining said mandrel to said plug using a shoulder on said mandrel and a retaining nut that is removed with said mandrel.

16. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature;
engaging at least one o-ring acting by itself exclusively as a seal to contact the tubular wall with said setting;
performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation;
providing a cone with a seat for an object;
exposing said seat for landing the object by removing a setting tool mandrel from a passage through said cone when accomplishing said setting.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising:
dropping the object on said seat;
building pressure on said object for said treating.

18. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature;
engaging at least one o-ring acting by itself exclusively as a seal to contact the tubular wall with said setting;
performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation;
using at least one circumferentially extending rib to engage the tubular for said setting;
flexing said at least one rib to retain at least one insert in an interference fit.

19. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature;
engaging at least one o-ring acting by itself exclusively as a seal to contact the tubular wall with said setting;
performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation;
using at least one circumferentially extending rib to engage the tubular for said setting;
flexing said at least one rib to retain at least one insert using potential energy in the shape of said insert.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising:
making said at least one insert a c-ring shape.

21. A treatment method at a subterranean location against a tubular wall, comprising:
running in a plug made partially of at least one disintegrating material to a predetermined subterranean location with a running tool;
setting the plug by radially expanding an anchoring feature with said running tool releasing from the plug;
providing a seat on said anchoring feature exposed by removal of the running tool;
engaging at least one hardened insert of said anchoring feature to the tubular wall by said expanding which further comprises moving a groove on a flexible member retaining said hardened insert radially away from a mandrel;

performing the treatment operation with a differential pressure acting on said set plug;
disintegrating said plug at least in part to remove at least some of said plug from the tubular after said performing the treatment operation.

22. The method of claim 21 , comprising:
engaging at least one o-ring seal mounted to said flexible member to the tubular wall with said setting.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Hern Gregory L
• Oberg Levi B

Classifications

• E21B23/01 Primary

  for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) · CPC title

• E21B33/1208 Primary

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

• E21B33/12

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

• E21B2200/08

  Down-hole devices using materials which decompose under well-bore conditions · CPC title