# US 12,006,786 B2 · Modified casing buoyancy system and methods of use

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- Number: US 12,006,786 B2
- Document ID: US12006786B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/717,435
- Filed: 2022-04-11
- Published: 2022-10-20
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-15
- Assignees: Canadian Casing Accessories, Inc.
- Applicants: Canadian Casing Accessories Inc.
- Inventors: Lyle Laun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006786B2

## CPC

- E21B 34/063: {Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc (E21B34/103 takes precedence)}
- E21B 23/00: Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10)
- E21B 2200/08: Down-hole devices using materials which decompose under well-bore conditions
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

According to embodiments, a modified casing buoyancy system is provided for use as either one or both a casing buoyancy tool during casing operations and a cement plug during cementing operations, the apparatus being operably connected to a casing string and having at least two tubulars, wherein a portion of at least one (outer) tubular comprises at least one connector for controllably releasing said tubular downhole, and at least a portion of the other (inner) tubular comprises a dissolvable portion for controllably degrading thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for use during subterranean wellbore operations, the method comprising:
running an apparatus into the wellbore, the apparatus having
a substantially cylindrical housing having an uphole end and a downhole end and forming a housing bore,
at least one inner tubular, sealingly received within the housing bore, and
at least one outer tubular, releasably connected with the at least one inner tubular and sealingly positioned between and interfacing with both the housing and the inner tubular for preventing movement between the housing, the outer tubular, and the inner tubular,
wherein at least a portion of the at least one outer tubular comprises at least one connector for controllably releasing the at least one inner tubular,
at least another portion of the at least one outer tubular comprises a dissolvable portion for controllably degrading, and
at least one disc for controllably restricting fluid flow through the housing bore, the at least one disc configured to restrict flow before releasing the at least one inner tubular in response to a first set of operating parameters and configured to restrict flow after releasing the at least one inner tubular in response to a second set of operating parameters,
rupturing the at least one disc restricting fluid flow through the housing bore,
triggering the at least one connector portion of the at least one outer tubular to release the at least one inner tubular downhole, and allowing the at least one dissolvable portion of the at least one outer tubular to disintegrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one connector is triggered after the disc for reopening the wellbore during casing operations.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one connector is triggered by running at least one plug into the wellbore.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises running at least one plug into the wellbore before, after, or at the same time as the apparatus.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore operations comprise casing operations, cementing operations, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus may be slidably received within a central bore of a casing string being run into the wellbore.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus may be operably connected to a casing string being run into the wellbore.