Ported Plug Apparatus for Rapid Hydrocarbon Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evacuating hydrocarbons from damaged or distressed oil and gas wells are time-consuming and costly, often taking several days and involving significant environmental risks due to leakage and spillage, especially after storms like hurricanes.
Innovation Solution
A ported plug apparatus that seals exterior casing strings while providing an orifice for the production tubing, allowing pressurized fluid injection to force hydrocarbons back to the surface through a specially configured fitting, reducing evacuation time to hours and minimizing environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional drilling and hose attachment method is used to evacuate hydrocarbons, then the well can be killed and hydrocarbons removed, but the process takes 3-4 days and incurs high expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of hydrocarbon evacuation from the complex traditional drilling and hose attachment process. By using a ported plug that directly interfaces with the production tubing through a pre-existing hole, it isolates and removes the evacuation function from the cumbersome traditional method, achieving rapid hydrocarbon removal in 3-4 hours instead of 3-4 days
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the ported plug with sealing elements and orifices before insertion. The plug is designed with integrated sealing capability that engages with the production tubing immediately upon insertion, eliminating the need for time-consuming traditional drilling and hose attachment procedures during the evacuation operation
2Productivity
If traditional evacuation method with drilled hole and hose is used, then hydrocarbons can be removed, but environmental leakage and spillage risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ported plug acts as an intermediary device between the production tubing and the evacuation system. It provides a controlled interface with orifices that allow hydrocarbon passage while maintaining sealing, replacing the open hose connection of traditional methods. This intermediary structure eliminates environmental leakage and spillage risks by containing the hydrocarbon flow path within the sealed plug body
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of open hydrocarbon exposure in traditional methods into a benefit by using the ported plug's sealed design. The plug transforms the uncontrolled open hose connection into a controlled sealed system with regulated orifices, turning the previously harmful exposure risk into a controlled evacuation process that prevents environmental pollution
3Loss of time
If ported plug apparatus is used to seal exterior casing and provide orifice for production tubing, then evacuation time reduces to hours, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into the single ported plug device: sealing the exterior casing, providing controlled orifices for hydrocarbon passage, and interfacing with production tubing. By combining these functions into one integrated component rather than separate traditional equipment, the device achieves rapid evacuation capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
4Reliability
If plug is designed to hold high pressures up to 5000 psi, then safe controlled process is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention addresses high pressure containment by optimizing design parameters rather than simply increasing manufacturing precision. The ported plug uses carefully selected material properties, orifice dimensions, and sealing surface geometries that enable 5000 psi pressure containment through parameter optimization. This approach achieves reliable pressure containment while maintaining manufacturability by relying on parameter design rather than extreme precision requirements
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 and apparatus enable rapid evacuation of hydrocarbons in hours, reducing repair costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars and ensuring compliance with safety standards by effectively killing the well, while maintaining a controlled and safe process.
Implementation Method 1
The plug can hold high pressures (e.g. 5,000 psi (34,474 kPa)) upon installation
Implementation Method 2
The ported plug apparatus allows the injection of pressure through a tree or crown valve. This injection of pressured fluid forces the oil up through the specially configured ported plug apparatus of the present invention and back to the surface
Data Source
AI summary
A method of evacuating hydrocarbons from a plurality of nested tubulars of a well pipe that extends from an underwater well tree includes an initial step of attaching a fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having one end portion forming the attachment to the tree and the other end portion attached to a pump that forces fluid under pressure to the tree and attached nested tubulars. Openings are formed through one or more tubulars of the nested tubulars at a selected location. A specially configured fitting is attached to the tubulars. The fitting seals the openings. The fitting has an expandable seal that is expandable responsive to rotation of a rotating member that rotates upon a saddle, pulling a tapered mandrel against the seal. The saddle surrounds the mandrel and bears against an outer tubular of the nested tubulars. The fitting mandrel has a bore. Hydrocarbons escape from the tubulars via the mandrel bore.