Wellbore plug isolation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752406-B2
Application number	US-201514732391-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A wellbore plug isolation system and method for positioning plugs to isolate fracture zones in a horizontal, vertical, or deviated wellbore is disclosed. The system/method includes a wellbore casing laterally drilled into a hydrocarbon formation, a wellbore setting tool (WST) that sets a large inner diameter (ID) restriction sleeve member (RSM), and a restriction plug element (RPE). The RPE includes a first composition and a second composition that changes phase or strength under wellbore conditions. After a stage is perforated, RPEs are deployed to isolate toe ward pressure communication. The second composition changes phase to create flow channels in the RPE during production. In an alternate system/method, the second composition changes phase or strength thereby deforming the RPE to reduce size and pass through the RSM's. The RPEs are removed or left behind prior to initiating well production without the need for a milling procedure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore casing, said apparatus comprising a restriction plug element (RPE), a heating insert and a seal cap; said heating insert contained within said restriction plug element and sealed with said seal cap; said apparatus substantially shaped as a sphere to enable said apparatus to be pumped into said wellbore casing; wherein said heating insert is configured with a heating source; said heating source configured to generate heat at a trigger condition expected in said wellbore casing; said heating insert is a resistive heating insert; said resistive heating insert comprises a resistive heating element and a voltage source; and said resistive heating element is configured to generate heat when said voltage source conducts current through said resistive heating element; whereby when said heating source generates said heat, a first composition in said restriction plug element changes physical property such that said restriction plug element changes shape to enable substantially unrestricted fluid flow in said wellbore casing during production; and said physical property selected from a group comprising: phase, strength, or elasticity.

2. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said physical property is rate of degradation of material of said first composition.

3. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first composition further comprises a plurality of parts.

4. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first composition is a solitary integral part.

5. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said heating insert generates heat, said first composition collapses said restriction plug element into smaller parts.

6. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said heating insert generates heat, said restriction plug element deforms to enable to pass through a restriction sleeve member in said wellbore casing.

7. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein when said heating insert generates heat, said restriction plug element reduces size to enable to pass through a restriction sleeve member in said wellbore casing.

8. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said first composition is selected from a group comprising plastics, non-degradable or long term degradable.

9. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said trigger condition is a wellbore temperature expected in said wellbore casing.

10. The restriction plug element of claim 1 wherein said trigger condition is a wellbore pressure expected in said wellbore casing.

11. A wellbore plug isolation system comprising:
(a) restriction sleeve member (RSM); and
(b) restriction apparatus
wherein
said restriction sleeve member is configured to fit within a wellbore casing;
said restriction sleeve member is configured to be positioned at a wellbore location by a wellbore setting tool (WST);
said restriction apparatus is configured to position to seat in said restriction sleeve member;
said restriction apparatus comprising a restriction plug element (RPE), a heating insert and a seal cap; said heating insert contained within said restriction plug element and sealed with said seal cap; said apparatus substantially shaped as a sphere to enable said apparatus to be pumped into said wellbore casing; wherein said heating insert is configured with a heating source; said heating source configured to generate heat at a trigger condition expected in said wellbore casing; said heating insert selected from a group consisting of: a cartridge insert, a chemical heating insert and a resistive heating insert; whereby when said heating source generates said heat, a first composition in said restriction plug element changes physical property such that said restriction plug element changes shape to enable substantially unrestricted fluid flow in said wellbore casing during production; and said physical property selected from a group comprising: phase, strength, or elasticity.

12. The wellbore plug isolation system of claim 11 wherein said trigger condition is a wellbore temperature expected in said wellbore casing.

13. A wellbore plug isolation method, said method operating in conjunction with an apparatus for use in a wellbore casing, said apparatus comprising a restriction plug element (RPE) a heating insert and a seal cap; said heating insert contained within said restriction plug element and sealed with said seal cap; said apparatus substantially shaped as a sphere to enable said apparatus to be pumped into said wellbore casing; wherein said heating insert is configured with a heating source; said heating source configured to generate heat at a trigger condition expected in said wellbore casing; said heating insert selected from a group consisting of: a cartridge insert, a chemical heating insert and a resistive heating insert;
wherein said method comprises the steps of:
(1) checking if a restriction sleeve member (RSM) is present, if so, proceeding to step (3);
(2) setting a restriction sleeve member at a wellbore location in a wellbore casing;
(3) perforating a hydrocarbon formation with a perforating gun string assembly;
(4) pumping said restriction plug element together with said heating insert into said wellbore casing to isolate toe end fluid communication and create a hydraulic fracturing stage;
(5) controlling a contact temperature of said restriction plug element to maintain physical property of said first composition;
(6) fracturing said fracturing stage with fracturing fluids;
(7) activating said heating element to generate heat so that said first composition undergoes a change in physical property and deforms;
(8) checking if all hydraulic fracturing stages in said wellbore casing have been completed, if not so, repeating steps (1) to (7); and
(9) enabling fluid flow in production direction.

14. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said resistive heating insert comprises a resistive heating element and a voltage source; and said resistive heating element is configured to generate heat when said voltage source conducts current through said resistive heating element.

15. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said chemical heating insert comprises a first chemical composition, a second chemical composition and a mixing chamber; said first chemical composition and said second chemical composition are configured to react in said mixing chamber to generate heat.

16. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said cartridge insert comprises an energetic device and a combustible material; said combustible material is configured to combust to generate heat.

17. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said first composition further comprises a plurality of parts.

18. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said first composition is a solitary integral part.

19. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein when said heating insert generates heat, said first composition collapses said restriction plug element into smaller parts.

20. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein when said heating insert generates heat, said restriction plug element deforms to enable to pass through a restriction sleeve member in said wellbore casing.

21. The wellbore plug isolation method of claim 13 wherein said first composition is selected from a group comprising plastics, non-degradable or long term degradable.

22. The wellbore plu

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Hardesty John T
• Snider Philip M
• Wesson David S

Classifications

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · 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

• E21B41/0042

  characterised by sealing the junction between a lateral and a main bore · CPC title