Abandonment Plug Radial Expansion Wellbore Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plug and abandonment solutions for wells are complex and costly, often failing to close as intended, leading to additional expenses for well operators due to the complexity of providing flow-through during insertion and subsequent failure to seal effectively.
Innovation Solution
An abandonment plug with an expandable metal sleeve and a piston system that radially expands to conform to the wellbore, using breakable elements and sealing mechanisms to ensure reliable sealing without complex structures, connected to a workover pipe or similar tubing for pressurized fluid application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex designs with shear pins, pistons, and sealing arrangements are used to provide flow-through during insertion, then flow-through capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is divided into separate functional components: an expandable bridge plug body and a separate setting tool assembly. The bridge plug comprises an outer body with flow channels and an inner expandable element, separating the flow-through function from the setting mechanism. This segmentation allows the flow-through capability to be designed independently without adding overall complexity to the entire plug assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing flow-through through complex mechanical arrangements during insertion, the invention inverts the approach by designing the plug to be initially set in a closed position and then providing flow-through through the cementing process itself. The plug is set against the wellbore wall first, and flow-through is achieved through the cement slurry passing around and through the plug structure during the cementing operation.
2Reliability
If complex designs with multiple components are used to ensure reliable sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The setting tool and activation mechanism are extracted as separate components from the bridge plug body. The bridge plug is designed with a simple expandable structure that can be activated by external tools. This extraction allows the sealing reliability to be achieved through the robust expandable element design while keeping the plug body itself simple and cost-effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge plug is designed to be self-setting through hydraulic expansion. Once the setting tool applies pressure, the hydraulic fluid causes the expandable element to radially expand and seal against the wellbore wall automatically. The plug serves itself by using the applied pressure to achieve its own setting and sealing function without requiring complex mechanical locking mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional cementing procedures with bridge plugs are used to prevent cement from falling into the wellbore, then cement placement control is improved, but device complexity and operation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge plug is pre-positioned and set against the wellbore wall before the cementing operation begins. This preliminary action creates an immediate barrier that controls cement placement from the start of the operation. The expandable element is pre-configured to provide the necessary seal, eliminating the need for complex step-by-step cementing procedures and reducing overall operation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge plug transitions from a collapsed transport state to an expanded working state dynamically during the operation. The expandable element allows the plug to adapt its size and sealing capability in response to hydraulic pressure changes. This dynamic behavior enables rapid deployment and immediate cement placement control without requiring multiple static adjustment steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a less complex and cost-effective plug and abandonment system that effectively seals the wellbore, allowing for efficient cement placement and reducing the need for frequent replacements, ensuring environmental safety and cost control.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable metal sleeve (7) arranged between the end parts, so that the expandable metal sleeve is radially expanded to permanently deform and conform to the borehole wall
Implementation Method 2
The unit comprises at least one radially projectable fastening element (9), a unit sleeve (10) and a piston (11) movable in the unit sleeve for, in a first position, forcing the radially projectable fastening element
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 1e
AI summary
The present invention relates to an abandonment plug for plug and abandonment of a well, said abandonment plug comprising a first end part being closable or closed, a second end part being tubular and having a groove in an inner face, an expandable metal sleeve arranged between the end parts, the end parts being more rigid than the expandable metal sleeve, and an unit releasably connected to the second tubular end part, the unit comprising at least one radially projectable fastening element, a unit sleeve, and a piston movable in the unit sleeve for, in a first position, forcing the radially projectable fastening element and, in a second position, being offset in relation to the radially projectable fastening element, allowing the radially projectable fastening element to move radially inwards. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a plug and abandonment system comprising the abandonment plug according to the present invention.