Liner Plug Fragmentation via Segmentation for Milling Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for milling out plugs in wellbores are inefficient, delaying subsequent resource recovery operations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a body fragmentation feature in the liner plug, such as voids or slots, to catch drill bit cutters and increase the rate of penetration during the drilling process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a solid plug body is used to ensure structural integrity during cementing, then the plug can maintain its function during deployment, but the milling process becomes slower and less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The plug body is divided into multiple segments by creating fragmentation features (voids, slots, or cavities) within the solid structure. These features allow the plug to be cut into smaller sections more easily during milling, improving removal speed while the overall solid structure maintains integrity during the cementing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug body has non-uniform structure with specific local regions containing voids, slots, or cavities while other regions remain solid. This local modification allows the plug to maintain overall structural integrity for cementing while creating weak points that facilitate faster fragmentation during the milling process.
2Loss of time
If a solid plug body is used, then the plug maintains structural integrity, but the time required for subsequent resource recovery operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
By incorporating voids, slots, or cavities into the plug body, the structure is segmented into regions that will break apart more easily during milling. This segmentation directly reduces the time required for plug removal and enables subsequent resource recovery operations to proceed faster.
3Productivity
If body fragmentation features are added to the plug, then the milling process becomes faster, but the plug structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fragmentation features (voids, slots, cavities) are simple geometric modifications to the plug body that create segmentation without requiring complex mechanisms. These features can be incorporated during plug manufacturing using standard molding or machining techniques, adding minimal complexity while significantly improving milling efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A liner plug assembly includes liner plug for use in a casing. The liner plug includes a body for plugging the casing and a body fragmentation feature in the body for catching a cutter of a drill bit used to cut the body. The liner plug assembly includes the lead plug.