FLOW CONTROL IN SUBTERRANEAN WELLS

• US 20170260828A1
• Filed: 05/31/2017
• Published: 09/14/2017
• 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: WATSON, Brock W., KLIEWER, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,851,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/08 Introducing or running tools by fluid pressure, e.g. through-the-flow-line tool systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation

Abstract

A plugging device can include a body configured to engage and substantially block flow through a passageway, and the body including a winding of at least one of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave. A method of plugging a passageway can include releasing a plugging device into a fluid flow, thereby causing the plugging device to be carried by the fluid flow to the passageway, the plugging device including a body formed with at least one winding, and the plugging device engaging the passageway and thereby blocking the passageway. A well system can include a plugging device conveyed through a tubular string by fluid flow in the well, the plugging device including a body configured to engage and resist extrusion through a passageway in the well, the body including a winding, and in which the winding substantially blocks the fluid flow through the passageway.

Claims

1. A plugging device for use in a subterranean well, the plugging device comprising:

a body configured to engage and substantially block flow through a passageway in the well; and

the body comprising a winding of a first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave.

2. The plugging device of claim 1, in which the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave is wound about itself in the body.

3. The plugging device of claim 1, in which the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave is wound about a core in the body.

4. The plugging device of claim 3, in which the core comprises a material degradable downhole.

5. The plugging device of claim 1, further comprising a second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave extending outwardly from the body.

6. The plugging device of claim 5, in which a free end of the second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave extends outwardly from the body.

7. The plugging device of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure containing the body, relative motion being permitted between the body and the enclosure.

8. The plugging device of claim 7, in which the enclosure is not attached to the body.

9. The plugging device of claim 7, in which the enclosure is not bonded to the body.

10. The plugging device of claim 7, in which the relative motion between the body and the enclosure is limited.

11. The plugging device of claim 7, in which the enclosure comprises a material that degrades in the well.

12. The plugging device of claim 7, in which the body is more rigid and more dense relative to the enclosure.

13. The plugging device of claim 1, in which the body comprises a material that degrades in the well.

14. The plugging device of claim 1, further comprising a material that swells in the well.

15. The plugging device of claim 1, further comprising a material that becomes more rigid in the well.

16. A method of plugging a passageway, the method comprising:

releasing a plugging device into a fluid flow, thereby causing the plugging device to be carried by the fluid flow to the passageway, the plugging device comprising a body formed with at least one winding of a first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave; and

the plugging device engaging the passageway and thereby blocking the passageway.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the body is formed with the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave being wound about itself.

18. The method of claim 16, in which the body is formed with the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave being wound about a core.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the core degrading in a well.

20. The method of claim 16, in which the plugging device comprises an enclosure, and the releasing comprises the body enclosed by the enclosure being carried by the fluid flow to the passageway.

21. The method of claim 20, in which relative motion is permitted between the body and the enclosure.

22. The method of claim 20, in which the blocking comprises the enclosure sealing between the body and the passageway.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising forming the body relatively more rigid and more dense compared to the enclosure.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the enclosure degrading in a well.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising the body degrading in a well.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising the plugging device swelling in a well.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising the plugging device becoming more rigid in a well.

28. The method of claim 16, in which the releasing comprises the fluid flow carrying a second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave extending outwardly from the body.

29. The method of claim 16, in which the blocking comprises a second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave blocking between the body and the passageway.

30. A well system, comprising:

a plugging device conveyed through a tubular string by fluid flow in the well, the plugging device comprising a body configured to engage and resist extrusion through a passageway in the well, the body comprising a winding of a first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave, and

in which the winding substantially blocks the fluid flow through the passageway.

31. The well system of claim 30, in which a second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave extends outwardly from the body.

32. The well system of claim 31, in which the second at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave blocks the fluid flow between the winding and the passageway.

33. The well system of claim 30, in which the plugging device is retained within a retainer.

34. The well system of claim 30, in which the body is enclosed within an enclosure.

35. The well system of claim 34, in which relative movement is permitted between the body and the enclosure.

36. The well system of claim 34, in which the enclosure is configured to block the fluid flow between the body and the passageway.

37. The well system of claim 34, in which the enclosure comprises a material that degrades in the well.

38. The well system of claim 30, in which the body comprises a material that degrades in the well.

39. The well system of claim 30, in which the winding comprises the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave wound about itself.

40. The well system of claim 30, in which the winding comprises the first at least one of the group consisting of fiber, line, rope, tube, filament, film, fabric, mesh and weave wound about a core.