Apparatus and method for sealing well bores and bore holes

An apparatus for sealing a well bore lined with casing comprising;

• (a) a first round plate having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• (b) the plate having a first compressed state wherein the plate has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (c) the plate being formed from a mineral substance, the substance having the property of swelling into a second expanded state upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• and
• (d) means for placing the plate within the casing.

An apparatus for sealing a well bore lined with casing comprising;

• (a) a first plate, a second plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates, each plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (b) each plate having a first compressed state wherein the maximum width is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (c) each plate being formed from a mineral substance, the substance having the property of swelling into a second expanded state upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• and
• (d) means for placing the first plate, the second plate and the plurality of intermediate plates within the casing.

An apparatus for sealing a well bore lined with casing comprising;

• (a) a first round plate, a second round plate, and a plurality of intermediate round plates, each plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (b) each plate having a first compressed state wherein the plate has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (c) each plate being formed from a mineral substance, the substance having the property of swelling into a second expanded state upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• and
• (d) means for placing the first plate, the second plate and the plurality of intermediate plates within the casing.

A method of sealing a well bore lined with casing, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a mineral substance into a mold, the substance having the property of swelling upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• (b) molding the mineral substance into a plate, the plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface;
• (c) compressing the plate into a first compressed state wherein the maximum width is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (d) placing the plate into the cased well bore with placement means;
• and
• (e) exposing the plate to liquid, whereby the mineral substance swells into a second expanded state upon contact with the liquid and absorption of the liquid.

A method of sealing a well bore lined with casing, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a mineral substance into a mold, the substance having the property of swelling upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• (b) molding the mineral substance into a round plate, the plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• (c) compressing the plate into a first compressed state wherein the diameter of the plate is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (d) placing the plate into the cased well bore with placement means;
• and
• (e) exposing the plate to liquid, whereby the mineral substance swells into a second expanded state upon contact with the liquid and absorption of the liquid.

A method of sealing a well bore lined with casing, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a mineral substance into a mold, the substance having the property of swelling upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• (b) molding the mineral substance into a first plate, a second plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates, each plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface;
• (c) compressing the first plate, the second plate and the intermediate plates into a first compressed state wherein the maximum width of each plate is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (d) assembling the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the plurality of intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (e) means for placing the plates into the casing;
• and
• (f) exposing the plates to liquid, whereby the mineral substance swells into a second expanded state upon contact with the liquid and absorption of the liquid.

A method of sealing a well bore lined with casing, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a mineral substance into a mold, the substance having the property of swelling upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• (b) molding the mineral substance into a first round plate, a second round plate, and a plurality of intermediate round plates, each plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• (c) compressing the first plate, the second plate and the intermediate plates into a first compressed state wherein the maximum diameter of each plate is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (d) assembling the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the plurality of intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (e) means for placing the plates into the cased well bore;
• and
• (f) exposing the plates to liquid, whereby the mineral substance swells into a second expanded state upon contact with the liquid and absorption of the liquid.

An apparatus for sealing a well bore lined with casing comprising;

• (a) a first group of plates comprising a first plate, a second plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates, each plate of the first group having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (b) a second group of plates comprising a third plate, a fourth plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates, each plate of the second group having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, the third plate at a top position, the fourth plate at a bottom position, and the intermediate plates stacked between the third plate and the fourth plate;
• (c) a spacer separating the first group of plates from the second group of plates;
• (d) each plate having a first compressed state wherein the maximum width is smaller than the diameter of the casing;
• (e) each plate being formed from a mineral substance, the substance having the property of swelling into a second expanded state upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• and
• (f) means for placing the first group, the second group, and the spacer within the casing.

An apparatus for sealing a deviated segment of a well bore comprising;

• (a) a first round plate, a second round plate, and a plurality of intermediate round plates, each plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• (b) each plate having a first compressed state wherein the plate has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the deviated portion of the well bore;
• (c) each plate being formed from a mineral substance, the substance having the property of swelling into a second expanded state upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• and
• (d) means for placing the first plate, the second plate and the plurality of intermediate plates within the deviated segment of the well bore.

A method of sealing a deviated segment of a well bore comprising the steps of:

• (a) disposing a mineral substance into a mold, the substance having the property of swelling upon contact with a liquid and absorption of the liquid;
• (b) molding the mineral substance into a first plate, a second plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates, each plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge surface bound by the top surface and the bottom surface, the peripheral edge surface having a maximum width defined by the linear distance between a first point on the peripheral edge surface to an opposite second point on the peripheral edge surface;
• (c) compressing the first plate, the second plate and the intermediate plates into a first compressed state wherein the maximum width of each plate is smaller than the diameter of the deviated segment of the well bore;
• (d) assembling the first plate at a top position, the second plate at a bottom position, and the plurality of intermediate plates stacked between the first plate and the second plate;
• 7 (e) placing the plates into the deviated segment of the wellbore with placement means;
• and
• (f) exposing the plates to liquid, whereby the mineral substance swells into a second expanded state upon contact with the liquid and absorption of the liquid.