Dissolvable Pipe Plugs for Wellbore Pressure Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the oil and gas industry, existing wellbore completion systems face challenges in creating a fluid pathway between the casing or liner and the formation, which is essential for perforating and hydraulic fracturing, as the casing or liner must be sealed to prevent cement return and maintain pressure, but this seals off the pathway needed for tools to descend and perform these operations.

Innovation Solution

The use of dissolvable pipe plugs made from degradable or galvanically-corrodible materials that degrade under wellbore conditions, creating a temporary pathway for tools and fluids to access the formation without compromising the pressure integrity of the wellbore completion system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the casing or liner is sealed to prevent cement return and maintain pressure, then pressure integrity is improved, but the pathway for tools and fluids to access the formation is blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure integrityVSAvoidpathway accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A dissolvable pipe plug is installed in advance in the liner to maintain pressure integrity during cementing operations. The plug dissolves automatically after a predetermined period, thereby opening the pathway for perforating and hydraulic fracturing operations without requiring additional intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe plug is designed as a temporary, disposable component made of dissolvable material. It serves its pressure-sealing function during the critical cementing phase and then automatically dissolves, eliminating the need for permanent blocking structures or complex retrieval operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If the casing or liner is sealed to prevent cement return, then cement control is improved, but the ability to create fluid pathways for perforation and fracturing is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecement controlVSAvoidfluid pathway creation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The dissolvable pipe plug is preliminarily installed to provide cement control during the critical cementing operation. After fulfilling its temporary sealing function, it automatically dissolves to enable subsequent perforation and hydraulic fracturing operations, thereby providing adaptability across different operational phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe plug material undergoes parameter changes over time, transitioning from a solid, pressure-retaining state to a dissolved state. This temporal parameter change allows the same component to provide cement control initially and then enable fluid pathway creation later without requiring system reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a permanent seal is used to maintain pressure integrity, then pressure control is improved, but the ability to open pathways for production operations is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure controlVSAvoidpathway availability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The dissolvable pipe plug provides preliminary pressure control during cementing operations and then automatically dissolves after a predetermined period, thereby enabling pathway availability for perforation and hydraulic fracturing without requiring permanent sealing structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe plug is designed as a temporary sealing component that fulfills its pressure control function only during the critical cementing phase. Its short-lived nature allows automatic dissolution to open pathways, eliminating the need for permanent seals that would prevent subsequent production operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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

These dissolvable pipe plugs allow for the creation of a controlled and temporary pathway, enabling effective perforation and hydraulic fracturing while maintaining pressure integrity, facilitating the extraction of hydrocarbons by dissolving at a predetermined rate to open fractures and allow fluid flow, thus enhancing production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

dissolvable pipe plugs made from degradable or galvanically-corrodible materials that degrade under wellbore conditions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGalvanic corrosion: Galvanometer

Implementation Method 2

dissolvable pipe plugs made from degradable or galvanically-corrodible materials that degrade under wellbore conditions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMaterial degradation: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS12055007B2Dissolvable plugs used in downhole completion systems

Publication Date: 2024.08.06 NEXGEN OIL TOOLS INC

AI summary

A completion assembly includes an upper liner and a lower liner, a wellbore completion component that interposes the upper and lower liners, a sliding sleeve arranged within the wellbore completion component and providing a projectile seat on an uphole end of the sliding sleeve, and a dissolvable pipe plug secured within an aperture defined in the wellbore completion component and extending at least partially through the sliding sleeve, wherein the dissolvable pipe plug holds the sliding sleeve in a first position until the pipe plug dissolves.