Inflatable borehole plug assemblies

A method of locating an inflatable borehole plug assembly in a borehole, said inflatable borehole plug assembly comprising a sealed gas-tight inflatable container containing a pressurised vessel having pressure releasing means, said pressurised vessel containing an inflating substance and a time delay liquid, adapted so that on operation of the pressure releasing means (i) said time delay liquid is discharged from the pressurised vessel, thereby causing a time delay between said operation of the pressure releasing means and release of said inflating substances from said pressurised vessel, and (ii) after the time delay liquid has been discharged the inflating substance is discharged thereby inflating the inflatable container to form a borehole plug;

• wherein the inflatable container is adapted so as to allow for operation of the pressure releasing means before the inflatable borehole plug assembly is dropped, lowered or pushed into a borehole;
• said method comprising the steps of
• operating said pressure releasing means of said pressurised vessel, and then placing said inflatable borehole plug assembly into said borehole;
• wherein said time delay liquid is discharged from said pressurised vessel, thereby delaying release of said inflating substance from said pressurised vessel for a time sufficient to allow the inflatable borehole plug assembly to be positioned at a desired depth in the borehole, and the inflating substance is substantially ejected after ejection of the time delay liquid.

A method of locating an inflatable borehole plug assembly in a borehole, said inflatable borehole plug assembly comprising a sealed gas-tight inflatable container containing a pressurised vessel having pressure releasing means, said pressurised vessel, thereby causing at time delay between said operation of the pressure releasing means and release of said inflating substance from said pressurised vessel, and (ii) after the time delay liquid has been discharged the inflating substance is discharged thereby inflating the inflatable container to form a borehole plug;

• wherein the inflatable container is adapted so as to allow for operation of the pressure releasing means before the inflatable borehole plug assembly is dropped, lowered or pushed into a borehole;
• said method comprising the steps of
• operating said pressure releasing means of said pressurised vessel, and then placing said inflatable borehole plug assembly into said borehole;
• wherein said time delay liquid is discharged from said pressurised vessel, thereby delaying release of said inflating substance for from between 5 seconds and 10 minutes, and the inflating substance is substantially ejected after ejection of the time delay liquid.