Method and apparatus for plugging wells

Apparatus for plugging a well in an uncased portion thereof, comprising:

• a pipe string disposed in said well;
• a support pipe connected to a lower end of said pipe string, said pipe string and said support pipe defining a longitudinal flow passage, wherein a plurality of flow ports intersect said flow passage and communicate said flow passage with said well, said pipe string and said well defining an annulus therebetween in said cased and said uncased portion of said well;
• and
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe below said flow ports for catching a plugging fluid communicated through said flow ports into said well, wherein said pipe string is adapted to be removed from said well after a desired amount of said plugging fluid is communicated through said flow ports.

A method of plugging a well comprising:

• connecting a well barrier to a pipe string;
• lowering said well barrier in said well to a selected plug location with said pipe string;
• placing said well barrier into engagement with said well at said selected plug location;
• displacing a plugging fluid downwardly in said pipe string;
• communicating said plugging fluid into said well above said well barrier, while said well barrier is connected to said pipe string;
• and
• removing said pipe string from said wellbore after a desired amount of plugging fluid has been disposed into said well.

Apparatus for plugging a well comprising:

• a support pipe defining a central flow passage and defining a plurality of openings therethrough intersecting said central flow passage;
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe below said plurality of openings for catching a plugging fluid displaced through said flow passage and communicated through said openings in said support pipe;
• a plurality of support members hingedly connected to said support pipe for supporting said fluid barrier;
• said fluid barrier being movable from a closed to an open position;
• and
• a deployment weight connected to said support members, wherein said weight causes said support members to rotate outwardly from said closed to said open position so that said fluid barrier engages said wellbore at a selected plug location.

Apparatus for plugging a well comprising:

• a pipe string disposed in said well;
• a support pipe connected to a lower end of said pipe string, said pipe string and said support pipe defining a longitudinal flow passage, wherein a plurality of flow ports intersect said flow passage and communicate said flow passage with said well;
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe below said flow ports for catching a plugging fluid communicated through said flow ports into said well;
• and
• a deployment weight attached to said fluid barrier, wherein said weight causes said barrier to move from a closed to an open position in said well.

Apparatus for plugging a well comprising:

• a pipe string disposed in said well;
• a support pipe connected to a lower end of said pipe string, said pipe string and said support pipe defining a longitudinal flow passage, wherein a plurality of flow ports intersect said longitudinal flow passage and communicate said longitudinal flow passage with said well;
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe below said flow ports for catching a plugging fluid communicated through said flow ports into said wells;
• and
• said fluid barrier comprising a canvas-like material disposed about said support pipe and a plurality of support members extending radially from said support pipe for supporting said canvas-like material wherein said support members are hingedly connected to said support pipe at radially inner ends thereof.

A method of plugging an uncased portion of a well comprising:

• connecting a fluid barrier to a pipe string, the fluid barrier comprising a foldable material having a plurality of support members attached thereto, the support members being pivotably connected at a first end to a support pipe, wherein said support members pivot independently of one another, said support members having second ends for engaging said uncased portion of said well;
• lowering said fluid barrier on said pipe string to a desired plug location in said uncased portion of said well, wherein second ends of said support members engage said uncased portion of said well at said plug location;
• displacing a plugging fluid through said pipe string;
• and
• communicating said plugging fluid into said well above said fluid barrier while said barrier is connected to said pipe string.

A method of plugging a well comprising:

• connecting a well barrier to a pipe string;
• lowering said well barrier with said pipe string to a selected plug location in said well;
• engaging said well with said well barrier at said selected plug location;
• displacing a plugging fluid through said pipe string;
• communicating said plugging fluid into said well;
• catching said plugging fluid with said well barrier;
• supporting said plugging fluid with said pipe string without a packer in said well;
• and
• removing said pipe string from said well after a desired amount of plugging fluid has been displaced therethrough.

Apparatus for plugging a well at a selected plug location, the apparatus comprising:

• a pipe string lowered into said well, said pipe string defining a central flow passage;
• a support pipe connected to said pipe string, said support pipe defining a central flow passage communicated with said central flow passage of said pipe string and defining a plurality of openings therethrough intersecting said central flow passage of said support pipe;
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe below said plurality of openings;
• a plurality of fluid barrier supports pivotably connected to said support pipe and attached to said fluid barrier;
• and
• a deployment weight for exerting a downward force on at least a portion of said fluid barrier supports so that said supports will rotate outwardly from said support pipe to cause said fluid barrier to engage said well.

Apparatus for plugging an uncased portion of a well, the apparatus comprising:

• a pipe string, lowered into said well;
• a support pipe connected to said pipe string;
• a fluid barrier disposed about said support pipe, wherein a plugging fluid may be displaced through said pipe string and communicated into said well above said fluid barrier so that said fluid barrier will catch said plugging fluid;
• and
• a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid fluid barrier supports attached to said fluid barrier, wherein said supports have first and second ends and are movable independently of one another, so that the second ends of each said support will engage said uncased portion of said well at a desired plug location.

A method of plugging an uncased portion of a well comprising:

• connecting a fluid barrier to a pipe string;
• lowering said fluid barrier into said well on said pipe string to a selected plug location;
• applying a downward pulling force to said fluid barrier to hold said fluid barrier in an open position wherein said fluid barrier engages said well at said selected plug location;
• displacing a plugging fluid through said pipe string;
• communicating said plugging fluid from said pipe string into said well above said fluid barrier;
• and
• increasing the downward pulling force on said fluid barrier after said fluid barrier reaches said selected plug location.

Apparatus for plugging a well comprising:

• a support pipe lowered into said well;
• a fluid barrier connected to said support pipe for catching a plugging fluid communicated into said well;
• and
• a deployment weight connected to said fluid barrier for moving said fluid barrier to an open position in said well.