Cement Retainer Float Valve for Annulus Void Remediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the petroleum industry, cement remediation jobs often require effective methods to address voids in the annulus of a casing string, where conventional techniques lack the ability to utilize unidirectional flow valves due to the need for reverse circulation, compromising well control mitigation.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a cement retainer assembly comprising a unidirectional flow valve and an upper stinger, allowing selective fluid control and reverse circulation while maintaining well control, by being housed within the cement retainer and featuring a retainer aperture for stinger insertion, enabling efficient cement placement and retrieval in annulus voids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cement remediation techniques are used, then cement can be placed in annulus voids, but reverse circulation is required which prevents the use of unidirectional flow valves, compromising well control mitigation
Solution Approach 1:
The cement retainer is divided into multiple functional segments: a body portion with a retainer aperture, an upper stinger that can be inserted and removed, and a unidirectional flow valve housed within the aperture. This segmentation allows the upper stinger to be temporarily present during cement placement (enabling unidirectional flow control) and then removed to allow reverse circulation for well control mitigation, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static configuration to a dynamic one where the upper stinger is inserted during the cement placement phase to enable unidirectional flow control, then removed during the reverse circulation phase to enable well control mitigation. This dynamic reconfiguration allows both unidirectional flow valve functionality and reverse circulation capability to be utilized at appropriate times in the remediation process.
2Ease of operation
If unidirectional flow valve is used to control fluid flow, then selective fluid control is improved, but reverse circulation capability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The unidirectional flow valve is preliminarily activated by inserting the upper stinger during the cement placement operation, enabling selective fluid control at the appropriate time. After cement placement is complete, the upper stinger is removed to preliminarily prepare the system for reverse circulation capability. This temporal sequencing of actions allows both selective fluid control and reverse circulation to function without conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper stinger serves as a temporary component that is discarded (removed) after its purpose of enabling unidirectional flow control during cement placement is fulfilled. Its removal recovers the reverse circulation capability that was previously restricted, allowing the system to transition from a state of selective fluid control to a state of reverse circulation capability.
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
This solution enables effective cement placement and retrieval in annulus voids while maintaining well control, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of cement remediation jobs by allowing the use of unidirectional valves during cement remediation processes.
Implementation Method 1
The unidirectional flow valve is a float valve that only allows flow in a first direction
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly includes a cement retainer, a unidirectional flow valve, and an upper stinger. The cement retainer is adapted to be mounted in the casing string. The cement retainer has a retainer aperture extending longitudinally therethrough from a retainer top end to a retainer bottom end. The unidirectional flow valve is configured to selectively control flow of fluid through the retainer aperture and is housed within the cement retainer. The upper stinger is configured to be removably retained within the retainer aperture. The upper stinger has an upper stinger aperture extending longitudinally therethrough from an upper stinger top end to an upper stinger bottom end. The upper stinger comprises an opening that provides a fluid flow path from an interior of the casing string to the upper stinger aperture when the upper stinger is removed from the cement retainer.