Well Plugging via Explosive Charges in Wet Sealant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current well plugging methods face challenges in achieving adequate sealant penetration and integrity due to uncertainties in sealant placement and contamination, often requiring lengthy cement plugs and multiple steps, which can lead to incomplete sealing and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that convey a plug assembly and explosive charges through the well, with the explosive charges submerged in wet sealant to cut through tubulars and into the formation, facilitating improved sealant penetration and reducing the number of steps required for plugging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tubulars are removed from the wellbore to ensure adequate sealant placement, then plug integrity is improved, but the complexity and time of the operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by placing the foundation plug and explosive charges into the wellbore before removing the tubulars. This sequence ensures that the sealant placement structure is already in position to receive and guide the sealant as the tubulars are extracted, thereby maintaining plug integrity while reducing operational complexity compared to placing the plug after tubular removal.
2Reliability
If a long length of cement plug is used to ensure required plug integrity, then sealant placement uncertainty is reduced, but the volume of material and time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of sealant placement precision by introducing a foundation plug that provides a structured containment framework. This allows the use of smaller volumes of sealant material while achieving the same or better plug integrity, as the sealant is confined and directed into the annular space between the foundation plug and the tubulars rather than requiring excessive lengths of plug material.
Solution Approach 2:
The foundation plug provides localized quality improvement by creating a specific zone of enhanced sealant placement control at the critical interface between the tubulars and the wellbore formation. This localized structuring ensures adequate sealing at the most critical area without requiring uniform extension of long cement plugs throughout the entire wellbore section.
3Reliability
If multiple steps are used for well plugging including tubular removal and sequential tool deployment, then plug quality is improved, but the time and cost of the operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple operations into a single integrated tool assembly that combines the foundation plug, explosive charges, and sealant delivery system. This allows the simultaneous execution of tubular cutting, sealant placement, and plug formation in one continuous operation rather than requiring sequential deployment of separate tools, thereby maintaining high plug quality while significantly reducing operation time and cost.
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
This approach enhances plug quality by ensuring better sealant penetration into voids and reduces the number of steps, leading to cost and time savings while ensuring effective well abandonment.
Implementation Method 1
detonating the one or more explosive charges in the wet sealant at the plug formation location to cut through a tubular or tubulars of the well and into the formation
Data Source
AI summary
A method of plugging a well extending into a formation to facilitate temporary or permanent abandonment of the well. The method comprises conveying in one trip, a plug assembly and one or more explosive charges through the well together with a structure for providing wet sealant. The plug assembly comprises a foundation plug for supporting the wet sealant. The plug assembly is set beneath a plug formation location, prior to providing the wet sealant. The method also comprises providing the wet sealant to the plug formation location via the structure, so as to submerge the one or more explosive charges in the wet sealant, and then detonating the one or more explosive charges in the wet sealant at the plug formation location to cut through a tubular or tubulars of the well and into the formation.