Removable plugging method and apparatus
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsRobert John Turner, Brett Bouldin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removably plugging a wellbore. The wellbore leads to a reservoir having a reservoir temperature. The method includes: selecting a melting point of a metal alloy based on the reservoir temperature; sealing the metal alloy against an interior wall of a tubing, while the tubing is above a ground in which the wellbore is drilled, such that the metal alloy defines a fluid barrier plug against flow of any portion of the reservoir through the tubing when the tubing is disposed within the wellbore; and heating the metal alloy above the melting point while the tubing is disposed within the wellbore such that the metal alloy flows from the tubing and the fluid barrier plug is eliminated.
Claims22
A method for removable plugging in a wellbore which leads to a reservoir, the reservoir having a reservoir temperature, the method comprising:
- selecting a melting point of a metal alloy based on the reservoir temperature;
- sealing the metal alloy against an interior wall of a tubing while the tubing is above a ground outside of the wellbore, such that the metal alloy defines a fluid barrier plug against flow of fluid from the reservoir through the tubing when the tubing is disposed within the wellbore;
- and
- heating the metal alloy above the melting point while the tubing is disposed within the wellbore such that the metal alloy flows from the tubing and the fluid barrier plug is eliminated.
An apparatus for removable plugging in a wellbore which leads to a reservoir, the reservoir having a reservoir temperature, the apparatus comprising:
- a tubing having an interior wall;
- a sleeve having an exterior wall;
- a metal alloy having a melting point selected in view of the reservoir temperature and being disposed in a space between the interior wall of the tubing and the exterior wall of the sleeve, wherein the metal alloy is in a solid state and occupies the space between the interior wall of the tubing and the exterior wall of the sleeve to thereby define a fluid barrier plug against flow of fluid from the reservoir through the tubing;
- and
- a thermite element configured to selectively provide heat to the metal alloy above the melting point when the tubing is inserted into the wellbore and thereby cause the metal alloy to flow from the space and eliminate the fluid barrier plug,
- wherein the sleeve and the thermite element are removable as a unit from the tubing when the fluid barrier plug is not present.
An apparatus for removable plugging in a wellbore which leads to a reservoir, the reservoir having a reservoir temperature, the apparatus comprising:
- a tubular item usable as part of a completion in a subterranean well defined by the wellbore, the tubular item having a first wall defining an interior of the tubular item;
- a second wall within the interior of the tubular item, the first wall and the second wall defining a fluid flow region within the interior of the tubular item;
- and
- a metal alloy having a melting point selected in view of the reservoir temperature and being disposed in a space in the fluid flow region between the first wall and the second wall before the tubular item is disposed in the wellbore as part of the completion, wherein the metal alloy is in a solid state and occupies the space in the fluid flow region between the first wall and the second wall to thereby define a fluid barrier plug against flow of fluid from the reservoir through the tubular item when the tubular item is disposed in the wellbore as part of the completion, and wherein the metal alloy is configured to flow from the space upon being heated above the melting point such that the fluid barrier plug is eliminated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.