Method and System for Plugging A Subterranean Well
AssigneeTco AS
InventorsGeir Arne Melhus, Jostein Elbert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for plugging a subterranean well includes running a perforating tool into the subterranean well and positioning the perforating tool in a well section to be plugged; operating the perforating tool to create a plurality of holes in a part of a casing located in the well section; running a surge tool into the well; operating the surge tool to lower the pressure inside the part of the casing located in the well section and flowing a well fluid from an annulus between the casing and a well formation through the holes; and pumping a fluidized plugging material into the well section via a tubing string.
Claims19
A method for plugging a subterranean well (6), comprising the steps
- running a perforating tool (1) into the subterranean well and positioning the perforating tool in a well section (L) to be plugged,
- operating the perforating tool to create a plurality of holes (10) in a part (5) of a casing (4) located in the well section,
- running a surge tool (2) into the well,
- operating the surge tool (2) to lower the pressure inside the part (5) of the casing (4) located in the well section (L) and flowing a well fluid from an annulus (11) between the casing (4) and a well formation (7) through the holes (10), and
- pumping a fluidized plugging material into the well section (L) via a tubing string (9).
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of running the perforating tool (1) and the step of running the surge tool (2) are performed in a single trip into the well.
A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of
- dropping the perforating tool in the well subsequent to the step of operating the perforating tool,
- hanging off the perforating tool in the well subsequent to the step of operating the perforating tool,
- dropping the surge tool in the well subsequent to the step of operating the surge tool, or
- hanging off the surge tool in the well subsequent to the step of operating the surge tool.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of pumping a fluidized plugging material into the well section (L) comprises pumping the fluidized plugging material into the well section via a cementing tool (3) connected to the tubing string (9).
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of pumping a fluidized plugging material into the well section comprises flowing fluidized plugging material into a part of the casing located in the well section and flowing fluidized plugging material from the casing located in the well section and into the annulus between the casing and a well formation through the holes.
A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of causing the fluidized plugging material to harden such as to create a plug which extends across a cross section of the well.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of running the perforating tool (1) and/or the step of running the suction tool (2) is done on a wireline lowered into the well.
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of running the perforating tool (1) and/or the step of running the suction tool (2) is done on a tubing string lowered into the well.
A surge tool (2) for use in a subterranean well, having a fluid chamber (20) and a flow barrier element (23), where the flow barrier element (23) is a valve or the flow barrier element (23) is a breakable fluid restriction, the surge tool (2) being configured to flow fluid from the subterranean well into the fluid chamber (20) upon opening of the fluid barrier element (23).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.