Plug protection system and method

• US 7,789,152 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Langeslag, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephenson; Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US12/192,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20090283271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 166/276, 166/285, 166/296, 166/242.1, 166/229, 166/205, 166/376
• US Class Current: 166/296
• 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 the perforations being plugged with a degradable material;

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 space between the perforated portion and the extended portion being plugged with a degradable material; 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 after being plugged is openable in response to degradation of the degradable material.

3. The downhole plug protection system of claim 2, wherein the degradable material is degradable at elevated temperatures.

4. The downhole plug protection system of claim 2, wherein the degradable material is degradable when exposed to acid.

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

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

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

8. 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.

9. The downhole plug protection system of claim 1, wherein the space is annular.

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

perforating a portion of a tubular;

plugging the perforations;

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

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

plugging an annular space defined between the longitudinally extended portion of the ring and the perforated portion; and

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

11. The method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular of claim 10, 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.

12. The method of making a flowable protected and plugged perforated tubular of claim 10, wherein the attaching of the float shoe to the tubular is downhole of the perforated portion.

13. A method of protecting a plugged perforated tubular while running downhole, comprising:

perforating a portion of a tubular;

plugging the perforations with degradable material;

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

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

plugging an annular space defined between the longitudinally extended portion of the ring and the perforated portion with degradable material;

running the plugged perforated tubular downhole; and

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