Plugging devices and deployment in subterranean wells

• US 10,513,902 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Original Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Inventors: Funkhouser, Gary P., Watson, Brock W., Ferguson, Andrew M., Robertson, Jenna N., Schultz, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Application Number:
  US15/726,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/20 Flexible or articulated drilling pipes , e.g. flexible or articulated rods, pipes or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/02 by explosives or by thermal or chemical means freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/114 Perforators using direct fluid action on the wall to be perforated, e.g. abrasive jets
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/27 by use of eroding chemicals, e.g. acids

Abstract

A method can include deploying a plugging device into a well, the plugging device including a body, and an outer material enveloping the body and having a greater flexibility than a material of the body, and conveying the plugging device by fluid flow into engagement with the opening, the body preventing the plugging device from extruding through the opening, and the outer material blocking the fluid flow between the body and the opening. In another method, the plugging device can include at least two bodies, and a washer element connected between the bodies, the washer element being generally disk-shaped and comprising a hole, a line extending through the hole and connected to the bodies on respective opposite sides of the washer element, the washer element preventing the plugging device from being conveyed through the opening, and the washer element blocking the fluid flow through the opening.

Claims

1. A method of plugging an opening in a subterranean well, the method comprising:

deploying a plugging device into the well, the plugging device including a body, and an outer material enveloping the body, wherein the outer material comprises one of the group consisting of a wrapper and a bag, and wherein the one of the group consisting of the wrapper and the bag is formed of one of the group consisting of a fabric, a mesh, a net and a gauze; and

conveying the plugging device by fluid flow into engagement with the opening, the body preventing the plugging device from extruding through the opening, and the outer material blocking the fluid flow between the body and the opening.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the outer material with a relatively low density material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer material further comprises at least one of the group consisting of a foam material and a sponge material.