Method for removing a sealing plug from a well

• US 7,591,318 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Tilghman, Stephen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US11/489,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 166/63, 166/299, 166/376, 166/387
• US Class Current: 166/376
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/12 Packers; Plugs used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/134 Bridging plugs

Abstract

A method for removing a sealing plug from a casing or a wellbore according to which a sealing plug is adapted to expand into engagement with the casing or the wellbore. A wireless signal is sent to the plug to cause the plug to lose its structural integrity and fall to the bottom of the wellbore.

Claims

1. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

providing an explosive on a sealing plug;

providing an initiator on the plug to receive the wireless signal and to initiate exploding of the explosive in response to receiving a wireless signal;

lowering the plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore; and

transmitting a wireless signal from the actuator to the initiator to explode the explosive and release the engagement;

wherein the explosive comprises a cord at least partially received within a recess of a liner of the plug.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cord is wrapped around the liner within the recess and is more tightly wrapped around the liner adjacent a sealing element of the plug.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recess is configured to receive at least two longitudinally adjacent wrappings of the cord.

4. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

providing a sealing plug having at least one consumable component;

lowering the plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore; and

transmitting a wireless signal from the actuator to the plug to initiate ignition; and

igniting thermite in response to transmitting the wireless signal, thereby producing heat and oxygen, wherein the heat and oxygen at least partially consume the at least one consumable component of the plug to cause the plug to release the engagement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein igniting the thermite comprises placing the material in proximity to a wire, and applying a voltage to the wire to produce heat sufficient to ignite the thermite.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing an initiator on the plug to receive the wireless signal and to initiate the production of heat and oxygen.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one component of the plug is fabricated from a magnesium metal that consumes in the presence of the heat and oxygen.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

lowering the plug into the wellbore by a string;

releasing the plug from the string; and

removing the string from the wellbore;

wherein lowering the actuator comprises connecting the actuator to the string and lowering the string and the actuator into the wellbore.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least partial consumption of the at least one consumable component of the plug causes the plug to lose its structural integrity and release the engagement, and the at least partially consumed at least one consumable component, along with the remaining components of the plug, fall to the bottom of the wellbore by gravity.

10. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

providing a sealing plug having an explosive on the sealing plug, the explosive comprising a cord wrapped around a liner of the plug and the cord comprising an increased density of windings about the liner adjacent a sealing element of the plug;

lowering the sealing plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore;

transmitting a wireless signal from the actuator to the plug; and

causing at least one component of the plug to loose its structural integrity in response to transmitting the wireless signal to cause the plug to release the engagement.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the explosive is ignited in response to transmitting the wireless signal to cause the plug to lose it structural integrity.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing an initiator on the plug to receive the wireless signal and to ignite the explosive.

13. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

providing an explosive on a sealing plug;

providing an initiator on the plug;

lowering the plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore and transmitting a wireless signal from the actuator to the initiator; and

receiving the wireless signal with the initiator to initiate the exploding of the explosive to release the engagement in response to receiving the wireless signal.

14. The method claim 13, further comprising:

lowering the plug into the wellbore by a string;

releasing the plug from the string; and

removing the string from the wellbore;

wherein lowering the actuator comprises connecting the actuator to the string and lowering the string and the actuator into the wellbore.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the explosion disintegrates, or breaks up, at least a portion of the plug to release the engagement, and the resulting fragments of the plug fall to the bottom of the wellbore by gravity.

16. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

providing a sealing plug having at least one consumable component;

lowering the plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore;

transmitting a wireless signal from the actuator to the plug; and

igniting a material in response to transmitting the wireless signal, thereby causing the material to producing heat and oxygen, wherein the heat and oxygen consumes the at least one consumable component of the plug to cause the plug to release the engagement.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the material is thermite.

18. A method for sealing a casing or a wellbore, comprising:

lowering a sealing plug into the casing or the wellbore;

expanding the plug into engagement with the casing or wellbore to provide a seal;

lowering an actuator into the wellbore;

transmitting a wireless signal to the plug from the actuator; and

causing at least one component of the plug to loose its structural integrity in response to transmitting the wireless signal to cause the plug to release the engagement.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

lowering the plug into the wellbore by a string;

releasing the plug from the string; and

removing the string from the wellbore;

wherein lowering the actuator comprises connecting the actuator to the string and lowering the string and the actuator into the wellbore.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein an explosive is ignited in response to transmitting the wireless signal to cause the plug to lose it structural integrity.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing an initiator on the plug to receive the wireless signal and to ignite the explosive.

19. The method of 18, wherein a material is ignited in response to the transmission of the wireless signal and produces heat and oxygen, and at least one component of the plug is consumed by the heat and oxygen to cause the plug to lose its structural integrity.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing an initiator on the plug to receive the wireless signal and to initiate the production of the heat and oxygen.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one component of the plug is fabricated from a magnesium metal that consumes in the presence of the heat and oxygen.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the material is thermite.