IP Library › Granted Patent US 12680405

Granted Patent B2

US 12680405 · App. 19/187,374 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Plug breaker

Inventors: Tommy Eriksen (Voss, NO); Anja Berge Bauman (Kleppestø, NO); Richard Hagvåg Ringstad (Indre Arna, NO)

Assignee: TCO Group AS

E21B29/00 E21B34/063 E21B34/103

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12680405
App. No.: 19/187,374
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A plug breaker system including: a plug breaker including a breaker body, a pressure catcher arranged on the breaker body, a release element, a breaker object; and a plug assembly including a plug, supported by a seat; and a breaker tubular including an upstream tubular portion and a downstream tubular portion, wherein the upstream tubular portion is located upstream of the plug and the downstream tubular portion is located downstream of the plug; wherein the plug assembly and the plug breaker are arranged in a housing within the breaker tubular; wherein the plug is downstream from the breaker body; wherein the plug breaker system is arranged to have a first position and a second position: in the first position, the release element is arranged such that the breaker body is stationary and the plug assembly is stationary with respect to the breaker tubular, and in the second position, the breaker body is arranged such that when the release element releases, the breaker body moves downhole, and the breaker object breaks the plug.

Claims (49)

1 . A plug breaker system ( 100 ) comprising:

a plug breaker ( 10 ) comprising a breaker body ( 11 ), a pressure catcher ( 12 ) arranged on the breaker body ( 11 ), a release element ( 13 ), a breaker object ( 15 ); and

a plug assembly ( 30 ) comprising a plug ( 31 ), supported by a seat ( 32 ); and

a breaker tubular ( 20 ) comprising an upstream tubular portion ( 21 ) and a downstream tubular portion ( 22 ), wherein the upstream tubular portion ( 21 ) is located upstream of the plug ( 31 ) and the downstream tubular portion ( 22 ) is located downstream of the plug ( 31 );

wherein the plug assembly ( 30 ) and the plug breaker ( 10 ) are arranged in a housing ( 23 ) within the breaker tubular ( 20 );

wherein the plug ( 31 ) is downstream from the breaker body ( 11 );

wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) is separated by a distance from the breaker object ( 15 ),

wherein the plug breaker system ( 100 ) is arranged to have a first position and a second position:

in the first position, the release element ( 13 ) is arranged such that the breaker body ( 11 ) is stationary and the plug assembly ( 30 ) is stationary with respect to the breaker tubular ( 20 ), and

in the second position, the breaker body ( 11 ) is arranged such that when the release element ( 13 ) releases, the breaker body ( 11 ) moves downhole, and the breaker object ( 15 ) breaks the plug ( 31 ).

2 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the plug ( 31 ) is stationary in the second position.

3 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure catcher ( 12 ) is arranged on an uphole and distal portion of the breaker body ( 11 ).

4 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the release element ( 13 ) is arranged in a through hole in the breaker tubular ( 20 ).

5 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealed breaker chamber ( 14 ), wherein the sealed breaker chamber ( 14 ) is in contact with the release element ( 13 ), and wherein the release element ( 13 ) is a shear element.

6 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the sealed breaker chamber ( 14 ) is arranged between the breaker body ( 11 ) and the housing ( 23 ).

7 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the seat ( 32 ) is a portion of the breaker tubular.

8 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a holder ( 40 ), wherein the plug assembly ( 30 ) is arranged in the holder ( 40 ), and wherein the holder ( 40 ) is stationary in the first position with respect to the breaker tubular ( 20 ).

9 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaker object ( 15 ) rests directly on the plug ( 31 ) in the first position.

10 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the release element ( 13 ) is upstream of the plug ( 31 ).

11 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) and the breaker object ( 15 ) are a single element.

12 . A plug breaker system ( 100 ) comprising:

a plug breaker ( 10 ) comprising a breaker body ( 11 ), a pressure catcher ( 12 ) arranged on the breaker body ( 11 ), a breaker object ( 15 ); and

a plug assembly ( 30 ) comprising a plug ( 31 ), supported by a seat ( 32 ); and

a channel ( 18 ) and a channel block ( 19 );

wherein the channel ( 18 ) is in fluid communication with the channel block ( 19 );

wherein the plug assembly ( 30 ) and the plug breaker ( 10 ) are arranged in a housing ( 23 ) within the breaker tubular ( 20 );

wherein the channel block ( 19 ) has an open position and closed position, and the channel block ( 19 ) is arranged such that:

there is no fluid communication through the channel block ( 19 ) and into channel ( 18 ) in the closed position, and

there is fluid communication through the channel block ( 19 ) and into the channel ( 18 ) in the open position;

wherein the channel block ( 19 ) is arranged to move from the closed position to the open position when the release mechanism ( 13 ) releases, and

wherein fluid in the channel ( 11 ) is arranged to move the breaker body ( 11 ) when the channel block ( 19 ) is in the open position.

13 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to the claim 12 , where in the closed position, there is fluid communication between the uphole well pressure and the channel ( 18 ).

14 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to the claim 12 , wherein the channel ( 18 ) is arranged in the breaker body ( 11 ).

15 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) is in contact with the channel ( 18 ).

16 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) is arranged entirely within the channel ( 18 ).

17 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the plug ( 31 ) is stationary in the second position.

18 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the seat ( 32 ) is a portion of the breaker tubular.

19 . A plug breaker system ( 100 ) comprising:

a plug breaker ( 10 ) comprising a breaker body ( 11 ), a pressure catcher ( 12 ) arranged on the breaker body ( 11 ), a release element ( 13 ), a breaker object ( 15 ); and

a plug assembly ( 30 ) comprising a plug ( 31 ), supported by a seat ( 32 ); and

wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) and breaker object ( 15 ) are separate unaffixed elements;

wherein the plug assembly ( 30 ) and the plug breaker ( 10 ) are arranged in a housing ( 23 ) within the breaker tubular ( 20 );

wherein the plug ( 31 ) is downstream from the breaker body ( 11 );

wherein the plug breaker system ( 100 ) is arranged to have a first position and a second position:

20 . The plug breaker system ( 100 ) according to claim 19 , wherein the breaker body ( 11 ) is not in contact with the breaker object ( 11 ) are not in contact in the first position.