Shearable Sleeve Radial Protrusion Shearing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disintegrable plugs in well systems often leave residues that can damage equipment, as parts of the activation mechanisms can become loose and enter the well stream during disintegration.
Innovation Solution
A shearable sleeve design with radially offset protrusions that shear off under axial force, preventing these parts from falling into the well stream and ensuring reliable disintegration of the plug element without causing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radial protruding tabs are provided at the upper portion of the shearable sleeve to support the plug element, then the plug element can be securely supported and sealed, but the tabs may become loose and fall into the well stream when sheared off, potentially damaging well equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful radial protruding tabs are extracted and removed from the shearable sleeve before the plug element disintegrates. The sleeve is designed to shear off these tabs at predetermined locations, separating them from the main body of the sleeve, so they cannot fall into the well stream and damage equipment downstream.
Solution Approach 2:
The shearable sleeve is segmented into distinct regions: an upper portion with radial protruding tabs for initial support, a middle shearable section with predetermined shear locations, and a lower portion that remains after tab removal. This segmentation allows the tabs to be selectively removed while retaining the functional portions of the sleeve.
2Productivity
If the shearable sleeve is designed to shear off under axial force to enable plug disintegration, then the plug can be effectively disintegrated, but residues from the sleeve and activation mechanisms may become loose and enter the well stream
Solution Approach 1:
The shearable sleeve is pre-configured with predetermined shear locations and radial protruding tabs positioned at specific axial offsets. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when axial force is applied, the tabs shear off in a controlled manner before the plug element disintegrates, preventing residues from becoming loose and entering the well stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial protruding tabs act as an intermediary mechanism between the axial force application and the plug element disintegration. They are designed to shear off first, serving as a controlled release mechanism that prevents uncontrolled disintegration and the resulting generation of harmful residues in the well stream.
3Ease of operation
If the radial protrusion is axially offset from the circumferential end surface, then the protrusion can effectively shear off under axial force, but the structural complexity of the sleeve increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radial protrusion is designed with specific axial offset parameters relative to the circumferential end surface. By carefully selecting and optimizing this axial offset parameter, the sleeve achieves controlled shearing behavior under axial force while minimizing unnecessary structural complexity. The offset distance is precisely engineered to ensure proper shear-off timing and location.
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 shearable sleeve design effectively prevents radial protrusions from falling into the well stream, ensuring the disintegration of the plug element occurs without damaging well equipment, maintaining system integrity and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a radial protrusion adapted to shear off from the rest of the sleeve when exposed to a predefined axial force
Implementation Method 2
When the plug element is exposed to an increasing hydraulic pressure from above, the axial force exerted by the plug element on the seat portion of the shearable sleeve may increase
Data Source
AI summary
A shearable sleeve supports a disintegrable plug element in a pipe string, and may include a first portion including a first circumferential end surface, a seat for supporting the disintegrable plug element, a second portion including a second circumferential end surface, and a surface extending axially between the first and second circumferential end surfaces and formed with one or more radial protrusions adapted to shear off from the rest of the sleeve when being exposed to a predefined axial force, and one or more recesses for receiving one or more loading devices for initiating disintegration of the disintegrable plug element upon contact with the plug, wherein one or more radial protrusions is/are axially offset relative to the first circumferential end surface. A plug device, as well as a plug assembly in a pipe string, may include the shearable sleeve.