Flow control in subterranean wells

• US 10,641,057 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• 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: Schultz, Roger L., Watson, Brock W., Ferguson, Andrew M., Funkhouser, Gary P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani Leff, Angela M
• Application Number:
  US16/214,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20190112892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/508 macromolecular compounds C09K8/512 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/516 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1208 characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means E21B33/1277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation

Abstract

A method of restoring flow through an opening in a well, the opening being blocked by a plugging device, can include conveying a well tool into the well, contacting the plugging device with the well tool, and permitting flow through the opening as a result of the contacting step. Another method of restoring flow through an opening blocked by a plugging device in a well can include conveying a well tool into the well, reducing pressure in the well with the well tool, and permitting flow through the opening as a result of the pressure reducing step.

Claims

1. A method of restoring flow through an opening blocked by a plugging device in a well, the method comprising:

conveying a well tool into the well;

reducing pressure in the well with the well tool; and

permitting flow through the opening as a result of the pressure reducing,

wherein the plugging device comprises a body that prevents flow through the opening prior to the pressure reducing, the body comprises a knot, and the knot engages but is too large to pass through the opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a degradable material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate, poly-methacrylic acid, poly-lactic acid and poly-glycolic acid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plugging device further comprises, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of fibers and lines.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of fibers and lines extends through the opening prior to the pressure reducing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plugging device further comprises, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of film, tube, filament, fabric and sheet material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of film, tube, filament, fabric and sheet material extends through the opening prior to the pressure reducing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure reducing comprises creating a pressure differential across the plugging device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pressure differential creating comprises biasing the plugging device inward.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure reducing comprises dislodging the plugging device from the opening.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure reducing comprises displacing seals in the well.