Single-Trip Wellbore Plugging Tool with Radial Displacement Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for plugging petroleum wells during plug and abandonment operations face challenges in reliably displacing fluids in the annulus, leading to potential leaks and uneven cement distribution, as existing technologies struggle to confirm proper sealing and ensure consistent pressure across the well's cross-sectional area.
Innovation Solution
A multitask tool with radial holes and multiple sealing arrangements is used to displace washing and sealing fluids, allowing for perforation, washing, and cementing in a single trip, ensuring controlled fluid displacement and sealing through a bypass system that maintains pressure and prevents fluid lock, enabling a reliable and efficient cement plug formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cement is pressurized out of the tubular into the annulus to displace annulus fluids, then the sealing fluid is placed in the annulus, but the cement distribution becomes uneven and the well may not seal properly
Solution Approach 1:
The tool divides the fluid displacement function into multiple radial holes distributed around the tubular circumference, allowing cement to exit at multiple locations simultaneously rather than through a single point, thereby achieving more uniform cement distribution in the annulus
Solution Approach 2:
The radial holes are strategically positioned at different locations around the tubular to address local variations in annulus fluid distribution, ensuring that cement reaches all areas of the annulus effectively and creates uniform sealing pressure across the wellbore
2Productivity
If washing fluid is displaced by pressurizing the cement plug, then the cement plug is formed, but the cement plug may not seal off the well properly and washing fluid is forced into the formation
Solution Approach 1:
The tool performs washing and cleaning of the annulus before cementing by displacing washing fluid through the radial holes, preparing the annulus environment in advance to receive the cement plug, ensuring proper adhesion and sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The radial holes act as an intermediary mechanism between the cement in the tubular and the annulus fluids, providing controlled displacement paths that prevent uncontrolled forcing of fluids into the formation while maintaining sealing integrity
3Reliability
If multiple operations (perforation, washing, cementing) are performed in separate trips, then each operation can be optimized, but the overall process time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool combines multiple functions (perforation, washing, and cementing) into a single integrated device that can perform all operations during one trip into the well, eliminating the need for multiple separate trips and reducing overall operation time
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is designed with universal functionality to perform perforation, wash the annulus, and place cement plug in sequence during a single operation, making it a multi-purpose device that replaces several specialized tools
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 ensures a safe, controlled, and confirmable placement of sealing fluids, meeting governmental standards by displacing annulus fluids effectively and ensuring a solid, continuous cement plug across the well's cross-sectional area, reducing the risk of leaks and improving the reliability of the plugging process.
Implementation Method 1
The tool is used to displace both the washing liquid and the sealing liquid, at least one lower set of sealing arrangement and at least one upper set of sealing arrangement arranged below and above a fluid displacement arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
A single trip method allows for perforation, cleaning the annular space around the perforations in an existing tubular and then delivering a sealing material through a combination tool that is used for cleaning and then sealing. For sealing the tool is positioned by the lowermost perforations with a bypass around spaced seals that straddle the outlet port for the sealant. There is an open bypass through the tool and around the spaced seals as the sealant is delivered so that the sealant goes above and below the spaced seals. The open bypass allows the tool to be repositioned as the sealant is delivered. The tool is removed with the string. A separate through passage is selectively opened for removing excess sealant in conjunction with the bypass passages. The sealant can be squeezed with a seal on the string to effectively close the bypass letting pressure through the through passage squeeze.