GB2414492A - Method and apparatus for sealing a well - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for sealing a well Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2414492A
GB2414492A GB0411775A GB0411775A GB2414492A GB 2414492 A GB2414492 A GB 2414492A GB 0411775 A GB0411775 A GB 0411775A GB 0411775 A GB0411775 A GB 0411775A GB 2414492 A GB2414492 A GB 2414492A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
tool
cylindrical bore
wiper plug
plug
cement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0411775A
Other versions
GB0411775D0 (en
GB2414492B (en
Inventor
Alan Mackenzie
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UWG Ltd
Original Assignee
UWG Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by UWG Ltd filed Critical UWG Ltd
Priority to GB0411775A priority Critical patent/GB2414492B/en
Publication of GB0411775D0 publication Critical patent/GB0411775D0/en
Publication of GB2414492A publication Critical patent/GB2414492A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2414492B publication Critical patent/GB2414492B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/13—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
    • E21B33/14—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like for cementing casings into boreholes
    • E21B33/16—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like for cementing casings into boreholes using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B29/00—Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground
    • E21B29/12—Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground specially adapted for underwater installations
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/13—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/13—Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
    • E21B33/134—Bridging plugs

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)

Abstract

The wellbore has two concentric bores, the innermost receiving a tool (20) in cable connection (not shown) with an operator. The tool has two wiper plugs (32, 34) and provides perforations (18a, 18b) allowing fluid to flow between the bores. A control signal releases and closes the lower plug (34). When cement in sufficient volume has been pumped through the inner bore and the lower perforation (18b) has been passed, a second control signal closes and releases the upper plug.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for sealing wells, and in particular for sealing offshore wells.
Currently when oil or gas wells are abandoned one or more permanent barriers, usually cement plugs, are set in the wellbore at varying depths (for the UK sector, the UKOOA guidelines indicate the number of plugs and the depths at which they are to be used). A common requirement is to have one cement plug set inside the inner casing string and a further plug set in the annulus between the inner casing string and the outer casing string. For an offshore well, where a cement plug may be required to be placed at a depth in excess of 150 metres (500 feet) below the wel]head, this is currently done utilising a Marine Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU). In order to save costs with the relatively high costs associated with MODUs, alternative techniques are known which enable a cement plug to be set in a subsea well bore from a floating vessel, other than a MODU, that has station keeping capabilities. However, the current depth limitation for this technique is around 150 m (500 ft) below the wellhead and for deeper wells it is necessary to use a MODU.
Currently a two-wiper plug system is used to place cement inside a wellbore for the purpose of sealing together two concentric lengths of casings or to seal a length of casing directly to the surrounding formation. The two-wiper plug system is suspended below a liner hanger setting tool, or a similar device, on a string of drill pipe. The purpose of the two-wiper plug system is to convey a volume of cement down the inside of a liner string. The wiper plugs, which are - 2 sized to seal in the inner diameter of a string of liner or casing, are activated by dropping or pumping a ball or dart down the pipe from the surface. The wiper plugs are released from the tool and form a plug or physical barrier in front of and behind the cement, preventing contamination of the cement volume by other wellbore fluids that may be present. The wiper plugs are activated by the According to a first aspect of the present invention there is lo provided a method of sealing a well bore, the method comprising the steps of: i) establishing a circulation path through a tool, comprising first and second wiper plugs, a first cylindrical bore and a second cylindrical bore, wherein the tool is received within the first cylindrical bore and the first cylindrical bore is concentrically received within the second cylindrical bore; ii) closing the circulation path through the first wiper plug and releasing the first wiper plug from the tool; iii) pumping cement into the first cylindrical bore such that the first wiper plug is impelled along the first cylindrical bore; iv) closing the circulation path through the second wiper plug and releasing the second wiper plug from the tool, such that the cement blocks both the first and second cylindrical bores, wherein: a) the circulation path through the first wiper plug is closed and the first wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a first control signal and b) the circulation path through the first second plug is closed and the second wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a second control signal. The method may comprise the additional step of v) pumping a fluid into the first cylindrical bore to impel the second wiper plug along the first cylindrical bore to determine the location at which 3 - the cement blocks both the first and second cylindrical bores.
Preferably the circulation path through the first wiper plug is closed and the first wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a first control signal and preferably the circulation path through the first second plug is closed and the second wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a second control signal. The first and/or second control signal may comprise a hydraulic pressure signal and the first and/or second control signal may be sent to the tool from a surface vessel.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for sealing a well bore comprising a first cylindrical bore and a second cylindrical bore wherein the first cylindrical bore is concentrically received within the second cylindrical bore, the apparatus comprising a tool for circulating fluid within the first and second cylindrical bores, and first and second wiper plugs, each of the plugs being releasable from the tool, in use, the first wiper plug being released from the tool and configured not to circulate fluid prior to the release of cement within the first cylindrical bore arid the second wiper plug being released from the tool and configured not to circulate fluid after the cement has been released.
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following Figures in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic depiction of an apparatus according to the present invention; - 4 Figure 2 shows a schematic depiction of an apparatus according to the present invention indicating the circulation of fluids within the strings; Figure 3 shows a schematic depiction of an apparatus according to the present invention after the release of the lower wiper plug; and Figure 4 shows a schematic depiction of an apparatus according to the present invention after the release of the upper wiper plug.
Figure 1 shows a schematic depiction of an apparatus according to the present invention. Well 10 comprises a shoe 12, outer string 14 and inner string 16. Tool 20 is received within the inner string 16 and is in communication with a surface vessel (not shown) by one or more cables (not shown).
The toll 20 enables fluids to be pumped through the inner and outer strings and is used in the decommissioning of wells.
The tool 20 is preferably the SWAT_ (Suspended Well Abandonment Tool) marketed by UWG (see www.uwg.co.uk for further details), but may be any other tool having similar functionality. A two-wiper plug system 30 is connected to the lower end of the tool 20 and comprises upper and lower wiper plug 32, 34. The upper and lower wiper plugs 32, 34 are sized to match the internal diameter of the inner string.
Referring to Figure 2, the tool 20 is used to provide perforations 18a, 18b in the inner string 16 at a number of different locations. It will be understood that further perforations may be provided but that these are not shown in Figure 2 for the sake of clarity. The perforations allow fluid to flow between the inner string 16 and the outer string 14. The arrows in Figure 2 indicate the flow of fluid - 5 pumped through the tool 20 and the plug system 30, down the inner string 16and then into the outer string 14 via perforations lab. The fluid will then return along the outer string and pass through the perforations 18a into the inner string 16.
A control signal is then sent to the tool 20 that causes the circulation path through the lower plug 34 to be closed and for the lower plug to be released from the plug system (see Figure 3). Preferably the control signal is an application of hydraulic pressure that is sent to the tool via a control line from the surface. Cement is then pumped into the inner string 16. As the circulation path through the lower wiper plug has been closed the cement will impel the lower wiper plug down the inner string. As the cement is pumped down the inner string it will pass through the perforations 18b and into the outer string (see Figure 4). Once a sufficient volume of cement has been pumped into the inner string, a second control signal is sent to the tool, which causes the circulation path through the upper wiper plug to be closed and the upper plug to be released from the tool. Fluid may be pumped into the inner string to impel the upper wiper plug into a position in the inner plug such that the cement plug is formed in the desired location. Alternatively, the cement may be left to fall under the influence of gravity such that the cement plug is formed correctly.
Through appropriate control of the volume of cement pumped into the inner string, the size of the inner and outer strings and the location of the perforations relative to the tool, a cement plug of a desired size can be formed at an appropriate depth. 6 -

Claims (5)

1. A method of sealing a well bore, the method comprising the steps of: i) establishing a circulation path through a tool, comprising first and second wiper plugs, a first cylindrical bore and a second cylindrical bore, wherein the tool is received within the first cylindrical bore and the first cylindrical bore is concentrically received within the second cylindrical bore; ii) closing the circulation path through the first wiper plug and releasing the first wiper plug from the tool; iii) pumping cement into the first cylindrical bore such that the first wiper plug is impelled along the first cylindrical bore; iv) closing the circulation path through the second wiper plug and releasing the second wiper plug from the tool, such that the cement blocks both the first and second cylindrical bores, wherein: a) the circulation path through the first wiper plug is closed and the first wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a first control signal and b) the circulation path through the first second plug is closed and the second wiper plug released from the tool in response to the tool receiving a second control signal.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the additional step of v) pumping a fluid into the first cylindrical bore to impel the second wiper plug along the first cylindrical bore to determine the location at which the cement blocks both the - 7 - first and second cylindrical bores.
3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and/or second control signal comprises a hydraulic pressure signal.
4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and/or second control signal are sent to the tool from a surface vessel.
5. An apparatus for sealing a well bore comprising a first cylindrical bore and a second cylindrical bore wherein the first cylindrical bore is concentrically received within the second cylindrical bore, the apparatus comprising a tool for circulating fluid within the first and second cylindrical bores, and first and second wiper plugs, each of the plugs being releasable from the tool, in use, the first wiper plug being released from the tool and configured not to circulate fluid prior to the release of cement within the first cylindrical bore and the second wiper plug being released from the tool and configured not to circulate fluid after the cement has been released.
GB0411775A 2004-05-26 2004-05-26 Apparatus and method Expired - Lifetime GB2414492B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0411775A GB2414492B (en) 2004-05-26 2004-05-26 Apparatus and method

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0411775A GB2414492B (en) 2004-05-26 2004-05-26 Apparatus and method

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0411775D0 GB0411775D0 (en) 2004-06-30
GB2414492A true GB2414492A (en) 2005-11-30
GB2414492B GB2414492B (en) 2008-03-05

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Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2012057631A1 (en) * 2010-10-26 2012-05-03 Subsea P&A As Method and device for plugging of a subsea well
WO2012096580A1 (en) 2011-01-12 2012-07-19 Hydra Systems As Method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well, a washing tool for directional washing in a well, and uses thereof
GB2500323A (en) * 2010-10-26 2013-09-18 Subsea P & A As Method and device for plugging of a subsea well
WO2014140612A3 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-12-18 Petrowell Limited Downhole apparatus
WO2015115905A1 (en) 2014-01-31 2015-08-06 Archer Oil Tool As Straddle tool with disconnect between seals
US9488024B2 (en) 2012-04-16 2016-11-08 Wild Well Control, Inc. Annulus cementing tool for subsea abandonment operation
WO2017043977A1 (en) * 2015-09-11 2017-03-16 Wellguard As A plugging tool, and method of plugging a well
US10301904B2 (en) 2013-09-06 2019-05-28 Hydra Systems As Method for isolation of a permeable zone in a subterranean well

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2275282A (en) * 1993-02-11 1994-08-24 Halliburton Co Abandonment of sub-sea wells
GB2279092A (en) * 1993-06-19 1994-12-21 Philip Head Method of abandoning a well
US6478088B1 (en) * 1998-05-04 2002-11-12 Norse Cutting & Abandonment A/S Method for the formation of a plug in a petroleum well

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6082451A (en) * 1995-04-26 2000-07-04 Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. Wellbore shoe joints and cementing systems
US6799638B2 (en) * 2002-03-01 2004-10-05 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Method, apparatus and system for selective release of cementing plugs

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2275282A (en) * 1993-02-11 1994-08-24 Halliburton Co Abandonment of sub-sea wells
GB2279092A (en) * 1993-06-19 1994-12-21 Philip Head Method of abandoning a well
US6478088B1 (en) * 1998-05-04 2002-11-12 Norse Cutting & Abandonment A/S Method for the formation of a plug in a petroleum well

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2500323B (en) * 2010-10-26 2018-07-11 Island Offshore Subsea As Method and device for plugging of a subsea well
NO332439B1 (en) * 2010-10-26 2012-09-17 Subsea P&A As Method and apparatus for plugging an underwater well
GB2500323A (en) * 2010-10-26 2013-09-18 Subsea P & A As Method and device for plugging of a subsea well
WO2012057631A1 (en) * 2010-10-26 2012-05-03 Subsea P&A As Method and device for plugging of a subsea well
WO2012096580A1 (en) 2011-01-12 2012-07-19 Hydra Systems As Method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well, a washing tool for directional washing in a well, and uses thereof
GB2499172A (en) * 2011-01-12 2013-08-07 Hydra Systems As Method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well, a washing tool for directional washing in a well, and uses thereof
GB2499172B (en) * 2011-01-12 2013-12-25 Hydra Systems As A method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well.
US9010425B2 (en) 2011-01-12 2015-04-21 Hydra Systems As Method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well, a washing tool for directional washing in a well, and uses thereof
EA025346B1 (en) * 2011-01-12 2016-12-30 Гидра Системз Ас Method for combined cleaning and plugging in a well
US9488024B2 (en) 2012-04-16 2016-11-08 Wild Well Control, Inc. Annulus cementing tool for subsea abandonment operation
WO2014140612A3 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-12-18 Petrowell Limited Downhole apparatus
US10301904B2 (en) 2013-09-06 2019-05-28 Hydra Systems As Method for isolation of a permeable zone in a subterranean well
WO2015115905A1 (en) 2014-01-31 2015-08-06 Archer Oil Tool As Straddle tool with disconnect between seals
GB2558115A (en) * 2015-09-11 2018-07-04 Wellguard As A plugging tool, and method of plugging a well
US20180252069A1 (en) * 2015-09-11 2018-09-06 Wellguard As A Plugging Tool, and Method of Plugging a Well
WO2017043977A1 (en) * 2015-09-11 2017-03-16 Wellguard As A plugging tool, and method of plugging a well
US10612342B2 (en) * 2015-09-11 2020-04-07 Wellguard As Plugging tool, and method of plugging a well

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0411775D0 (en) 2004-06-30
GB2414492B (en) 2008-03-05

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Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
PE20 Patent expired after termination of 20 years

Expiry date: 20240525