Plugging a mined-through well
View Patent ↗A system and method of plugging a well bore includes intersecting a portion of a well with a subterranean cavern. A portion of the well may be isolated to prevent accumulation of reservoir fluids in the subterranean cavern by, for example, inserting a packer in the well to form a seal. A sealing material may be pumped into and allowed of solidify in the portion of the well to form a partition between the subterranean cavern and the remainder of the well. The formed partition permits continued production from the well and continued mining in the subterranean cavern.
1. A method of plugging a well bore comprising:
intersecting the well bore and a subterranean mine; and
depositing a seal through the intersection of the well bore and subterranean mine from the subterranean mine to isolate a portion of the well bore;
wherein depositing a seal through the intersection of the well bore and subterranean mine to isolate a portion of the well bore comprises inserting a packer into the portion of the well bore from the subterranean mine.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising expanding a perimeter of the portion of the well bore.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein expanding the perimeter of the portion of the well bore comprises:
inserting a plug into the well bore from the subterranean mine;
enlarging the perimeter of the portion of the well bore; and
removing the plug from the well bore through the subterranean mine.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising casing an expanded portion of the well bore.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising fixing the packer into a desired location within the portion of the well bore.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein fixing the packer into a desired location within the portion of the well bore comprising inflating the packer to form a seal.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing a seal through the intersection of the well bore and subterranean mine to isolate a portion of the well bore comprises injecting a sealing material into the portion of the well bore from the subterranean mine.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprises pressurizing the injected sealing material within the well bore.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing a seal through the intersection of the well bore and subterranean mine to isolate a portion of the well bore comprises:
portioning the well bore to form the portion of the well bore;
injecting a first sealing material into the portion of the well bore to form a plug; and
injecting a second sealing material into the portion of the well bore adjacent to the plug.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first sealing material and the second sealing material are different.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the well bore is a horizontal multi-lateral well bore.