Well Barrier
AssigneeWtw Solutions AS
InventorBard Martin Tinnen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A well barrier is for sealing off a first portion of a wellbore from a second portion of the wellbore, the first portion having a higher fluid pressure than the second portion. The well barrier is held in place in the wellbore by a holding means. The well barrier is preshaped to disintegrate in at least three barrier elements upon activation of a disintegration means, at least one of the barrier elements having a surface area facing the first portion of the wellbore that is larger than the surface area facing the second portion of the wellbore. A method is for controlling a disintegration of the well barrier.
Claims16
A well barrier for sealing off a first portion of a wellbore from a second portion of the wellbore, the first portion having a higher fluid pressure than the second portion, wherein the well barrier is held in place in the wellbore by a holding means preventing movement of the well barrier in a direction from the first portion to the second portion, the well barrier comprising:
- multiple barrier elements initially held together by a connection means to form the barrier, the barrier having a surface area facing the first portion of the wellbore that is larger than the surface area facing the second portion of the wellbore;
- a sealing means for preventing fluid flow from the first portion to the second portion;
- and
- a destabilizing mechanism arranged for disengaging the connection means from at least one of the barrier elements upon activation of the mechanism, so that support between adjoining barrier elements is removed thereby disintegrating the well barrier.
A method for controlling a disintegration of a well barrier for sealing off a first portion of a wellbore from a second portion of the wellbore, the first portion having a higher fluid pressure than the second portion, wherein the well barrier is held in place in the wellbore by a holding means prevention movement of the well barrier in a direction from the first portion to the second portion, the well barrier comprising:
- multiple barrier elements initially held together by a connection means to form the barrier, the barrier having a surface area facing the first portion of the wellbore that is larger than the surface area facing the second portion of the wellbore;
- a sealing means for preventing fluid flow from the first portion to the second portion;
- and
- a destabilizing mechanism arranged for disengaging the connection means from at least one of the barrier elements upon activation of the mechanism, so that support between adjoining barrier elements is removed, thereby disintegrating the well barrier, the method comprising:
- pre-shaping the barrier to disintegrate in multiple barrier elements of desired size and shape;
- and
- activating a destabilizing mechanism that will provide a force sufficient to break a connection means initially holding the multiple barrier elements together, thereby causing the barrier to disintegrate into said multiple barrier elements of desired size and shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.