Wells – Packers or plugs
Utility Patent
1998-05-08
2001-01-02
Lillis, Eileen D. (Department: 3673)
Wells
Packers or plugs
C166S118000, C166S134000, C166S182000, C277S322000, C277S342000
Utility Patent
active
06167963
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention relates to downhole packers and bridge plugs which contain principally nonmetallic components so that the packer or plug structure can be easily drilled out.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many applications where a packer or bridge plug is to be used, there exists a need at some point in time for subsequent removal of the plug. Packers or plugs made primarily from metallic substructures which involve resilient seals, which are compressed in a sealing relationship with the wellbore, generally take a long time to drill or mill out. Accordingly, a need has developed in the past to construct a packer of materials which are more easily drilled out than the traditional metallic structural components of packers and bridge plugs. Accordingly, bridge plugs have been made with wooden mandrels and metallic slips, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,266. Other designs have featured nonmetallic mandrels and/or slips. These designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,224,540; 5,390,737; 5,540,279; 5,271,468; and 5,701,959. Other designs have simply featured softer materials or other design components so as to make the overall packer or bridge plug easy to drill out. These packers include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,589,506; 4,151,875; and 4,708,202. Additionally, wiper plugs used primarily in cementing have been made of nonmetallic materials to facilitate rapid drill-out. An example of a nonrotating plug of this nature is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,687.
When trying to use as few metallic components as possible in a packer or bridge plug, problems develop which are not normally dealt with when constructing a mostly metallic packer. One of the difficulties is the mechanism to hold the set once the packer or bridge plug is set. Accordingly, one of the objectives of the present invention is to simplify the locking mechanism for a packer or bridge plug having primarily nonmetallic components. Another problem with composite bridge plugs or packers is to guard against extrusion of the sealing element using as few components as possible, yet providing sufficient structural strength on either side of the element to retain it in proper set position without significant extrusion due to pressure differential. Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, functional design which will minimize relative axial travel required to make functional the backup assemblies that retain the sealing element against extrusion. Guiding systems for slips are an important feature in a composite packer, and one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide an improved system for guiding the slips from the retracted to the set position. Composite packers will still be run into the well on a setting tool which is metallic. One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a design which removes the components of the setting tool left behind in prior designs as a result of setting a composite packer. Thus, the objective is to retrieve metallic components of the setting tool after the set, so that subsequent milling will not be lengthened by having to mill through the residual component of the setting tool after the packer or bridge plug is set.
In another objective of the present invention, each of the composite plugs has a clutching feature or an extending tab on at least one of the top and bottom. Thus, when there are multiple composite bridge plugs set in the wellbore and they need to be drilled out, they can be pushed against one another to interlock to facilitate the milling of the top most packer or bridge plug while it is held to a lower plug which is still set. These and other features will become apparent to those of skill in the art from a description of the preferred embodiment below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A composite packer or bridge plug is disclosed. The design features substantially all nonmetallic components. The design allows the setting tool metallic components to be retrieved after the bridge plug is set. The slips contain flats with mating flats on the cones which extend to one end of the cones and guides for the slips to facilitate proper slip movement into engagement with the wellbore. A lock ring rides on the nonmetallic mandrel and secures the set, using a buttress-type thread to engage into the mandrel body. Alternative designs are revealed for backup to the sealing elements to prevent extrusion. In one design, split rings are axially compressed so that they grow in radial dimension to act as extrusion barriers. In another design, tapered scored rings are rotationally locked against each other and are axially compressed so that they bend into contact with the wellbore to act as extrusion barriers. Axial travel to obtain an extrusion barrier is minimized. The slips are made of a cohesive component and separate from each other upon advancement with respect to the cone. Mandrels of different plugs can lock together end-to-end to facilitate mill-out in multi-plug installations.
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Drawing; Baker Prime Fiberglass Packer, Prod. No. 739-09, with attached Special Products Manual Sheet (Apr. 25, 1968).
Kroll Dennis E.
McMahan Michael E.
Yuan Yusheng
Baker Hughes Incorporated
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
Lee Jong-Suk
Lillis Eileen D.
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