Hydraulic Plug Rupture Mechanism for Wellbore Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing plugs from wells using explosive charges leave residues and pose safety risks, and mechanical solutions often require thinner plug elements that are weak and can damage the well formation under high pressure.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic crushing system where the plug element is pressurized internally by an axially arranged circular piston, creating a pressure higher than the well pressure to rupture the plug, avoiding the need for explosives and allowing for controlled rupture of specific plug elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If explosive charges are used to remove plugs, then plug removal is achieved, but safety risks and residue contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical explosion mechanism with a hydraulic mechanical system. A piston is driven by hydraulic pressure to directly crush the plug body through mechanical force, eliminating the need for explosive charges while achieving effective plug removal without safety risks or residue contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a hydraulic system to generate and transmit pressure to the piston. Hydraulic fluid is pumped into a chamber to drive the piston forward, providing controlled high-force mechanical action to crush the plug. This hydraulic mechanism replaces explosive chemical energy with clean, controllable hydraulic mechanical energy
2Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical crushing methods are used without explosives, then safety risks are reduced, but plug element thickness must be decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the crushing function from the plug body itself and relocates it to a separate hydraulic piston system. The piston is driven by hydraulic pressure to apply concentrated mechanical force to crush the plug, allowing the plug to maintain its original thickness and structural integrity while still achieving effective removal through the external crushing mechanism
3Productivity
If thinner plug elements are used for mechanical crushing, then plug removal is possible, but well formation damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thin-element mechanical crushing with a hydraulic piston system that applies controlled mechanical force. The piston transfers hydraulic pressure directly to the plug body, concentrating the crushing force on a small contact area while keeping the overall plug structure thick and robust, thereby preventing well formation damage during plug removal
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 hydraulic crushing system effectively removes plugs without explosives, reducing safety risks and well damage, enabling the use of thicker plug elements and simpler logistics, while providing a cost-effective solution for various well types, particularly effective with glass and ceramic materials.
Implementation Method 1
This plug element is then pressurised in the internal volume with the help of preferably an axially arranged circular piston which is released by a release mechanism. The pressure which is created by this piston is preferably much higher than the well pressure and the plug will rupture as a consequence of the internal pressure.
Implementation Method 2
This piston preferably has a larger piston area on the well side than on the side which pressurises the inner volume of the plug element.
Data Source
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AI summary
A plug element for conducting tests of a well, a pipe or the like, comprising one or more plug bodies of disintegratable/crushable material set up to be ruptured by internally applied effects, is disclosed. The plug element of the invention comprises an internal hollow space set up to fluid communicate with an external pressure providing body, and the plug is designed to be blown apart by the supply of a fluid to the internal hollow space so that the pressure in the hollow space exceeds an external pressure to a level at which the plug is blown apart.