PLUG PROTECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090283271A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Langeslag, Rene
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/297
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/063 Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc E21B34/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/086 Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners comprising porous materials E21B43/082

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a downhole plug protection system. The system includes, a tubular having perforations in a perforated portion, a screen in fluidic communication with the tubular, a ring in sealable communication with the tubular and attached to the screen the ring having an extended portion positioned radially outwardly of the perforated portion, and a float shoe in fluidic communication with the perforations positionable downhole of the perforated portion.

Claims

1. A downhole plug protection system, comprising:

a tubular having perforations in a perforated portion;

a screen in fluidic communication with the tubular;

a ring in sealable communication with the tubular and attached to the screen the ring having an extended portion positioned radially outwardly of the perforated portion; and

a float shoe in fluidic communication with the perforations positionable downhole of the perforated portion.

2. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein the perforated portion is plugable with a degradable material.

3. The downhole plug protection system of claim 2, wherein the perforated portion after being plugged is openable in response to degradation of the degradable material.

4. The downhole plug protection system of claim 3, wherein the degradable material is degradable at elevated temperatures.

5. The downhole plug protection system of claim 3, wherein the degradable material is degradable when exposed to acid.

6. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein the screen is positioned radially outwardly of a non-perforated portion of the tubular.

7. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein a space between the perforated portion and the extended portion is pluggable with a degradable material.

8. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein the perforations are holes with a shape that is one of circular, oval and rectangular.

9. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein cross sectional areas of the perforations are greater at locations with lesser radial dimensions than at locations with greater radial dimensions.

10. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein the float shoe permits fluid flow therethrough in an outward direction from an inside of the tubular and prevents fluid flow therethrough in an inward direction from an outside of the tubular.

11. A method of maintaining plugs in a perforated tubular while flowing fluid therethrough, comprising:

perforating a portion of a tubular;

sealedly attaching a ring to a non-perforated portion of the tubular;

perimetrically surrounding a perforated portion with a longitudinally extended portion of the ring;

plugging the perforations; and

flowing fluid through the tubular and out through a float shoe in fluidic communication with the tubular.

12. The method of maintaining plugs in a perforated tubular while flowing fluid therethrough of claim 11, further comprising attaching a screen to a longitudinal end of the ring.

13. The method of maintaining plugs in a perforated tubular while flowing fluid therethrough of claim 12, further comprising perimetrically surrounding a non-perforated portion of the tubular with the screen.

14. The method of maintaining plugs in a perforated tubular while flowing fluid therethrough of claim 12, further comprising running the tubular downhole while flowing fluid through the float shoe.

15. A method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular, comprising:

perforating a portion of a tubular;

sealedly attaching a ring to a non-perforated portion of the tubular;

perimetrically surrounding a perforated portion with a longitudinally extended portion of the ring;

plugging the perforations; and

attaching a float shoe to a non-perforated portion of the tubular.

16. The method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular of claim 15, further comprising attaching a screen to a longitudinal end of the ring thereby perimetrically surrounding a non-perforated portion of the plugged perforated tubular.

17. The method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular of claim 15, wherein the perforating the portion of the tubular includes tapering walls of the perforations so that an outer radial portion of each perforation has a greater cross sectional area than an inner radial portion.

18. The method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular of claim 15, wherein the attaching of the float shoe to the tubular is downhole of the perforated portion.