Well Control Line Severance Using Cement-Restrained Orbital Cutting

Solution Overview

Problem

During plug and abandonment operations, control lines in wellbores often fail to be severed completely, leading to leak paths that compromise the seal formed by cement, as they can move in response to contact with cutting tools, resulting in incomplete severance.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the injection of a sealing material, such as cement, into the annulus between the wellbore wall and tubulars to restrain movement of control lines, followed by an orbital cut using a cutting device, ensuring reliable severance by immobilizing the lines with the hardened cement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a cutting tool is lowered into the wellbore to cut the control lines, then the control lines can be severed, but the control lines may move in response to contact with the cutting tool resulting in incomplete severance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseverance completenessVSAvoidcutting operation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by injecting cement into the annulus before the cutting operation to immobilize the control lines. This pre-positioning of the cement ensures that when the cutting tool contacts the control lines, they remain stationary and can be completely severed without movement that would compromise severance completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cement as an intermediary substance between the control lines and the cutting tool. The cement fills the annulus and surrounds the control lines, acting as a mediating material that restrains control line movement while allowing the cutting tool to pass through and sever the lines effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If control lines are not severed completely, then leak paths form through the cement seal, but ensuring complete severance requires additional measures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal integrityVSAvoidabandonment process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by injecting cement into the annulus before the cutting operation to immobilize the control lines. This pre-positioning of the cement ensures that when the cutting tool contacts the control lines, they remain stationary and can be completely severed without movement that would compromise severance completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cement as an intermediary substance between the control lines and the cutting tool. The cement fills the annulus and surrounds the control lines, acting as a mediating material that restrains control line movement while allowing the cutting tool to pass through and sever the lines effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 method effectively prevents lateral movement of control lines during cutting, ensuring complete severance and preventing leak paths, thereby maintaining the integrity of the cement seal.

Implementation Method 1

the sealing material is configured to restrain lateral movement of the control line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHardening:

Implementation Method 2

making at least one orbital cut, via a cutting device, through the tubular, the sealing material in the annulus, and the control line surrounded by the sealing material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOrbital cutting:

Implementation Method 3

filling the at least one orbital cut and at least a portion of a central bore of the tubular with the sealing material to seal a wellbore

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentUS20250347190A1Well abandonment and severance of control lines

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

A method may include injecting a sealing material into an annulus formed between a tubular and a wellbore wall. The sealing material is configured to surround at least a portion of a control line disposed in the annulus. Further, the method includes making at least one orbital cut, via a cutting device, through the tubular, the sealing material in the annulus, and the control line surrounded by the sealing material. Additionally, the method includes filling the at least one orbital cut and at least a portion of a central bore of the tubular with additional sealing material to seal the wellbore.