IP Library Granted Patent US 10,316,612
Granted Patent B2
US 10,316,612 · App. 15/948,322 · Granted Jun 11, 2019

Two-material P and A plug

Inventor: Randall S. Shafer (Houston, TX)
Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
E21B33/1208C09K8/42C09K8/426C09K8/44E21B33/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,316,612
App. No.
15/948,322
Granted
Jun 11, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plug for Plug and Abandonment (P&A) operations and methods of installation and use. The plug is a two-part plug of bismuth-based alloy and resin, allowing for sealing of an oil well using two different mechanisms with a shorter plug.

Claims (22)

1. A method of plugging a well during plug and abandonment (P&A) operations, comprising:

a) deploying a first tool downhole to remove or open or perforate both an inner tubular and exterior casing at a section of well to be plugged;

b) deploying a second tool downhole having a sleeve for holding a heater, said heater and a eutectic alloy, wherein said eutectic alloy is stored (i) above a base on said second tool, or (ii) around an outside of said sleeve, or (iii) both above the base and around an outside of said sleeve;

c) heating said eutectic alloy with said heater to form a molten alloy;

d) allowing said molten alloy to expand and solidify to form a cast-in-place metal plug that fills at least part of said section of well to be plugged;

e) adding additional eutectic alloy to said well and repeating steps c-d until a predetermined height of said cast-in-place metal plug is formed;

f) removing said heater but not said sleeve;

g) deploying or pouring a resin downhole on top of said cast-in-place metal plug; and,

h) curing said resin to form a resin plug, wherein said cured resin adheres to said cast-in-place metal plug, further wherein the cured resin covers said cast-in-place metal plug and said sleeve of said second tool; and

i) wherein said cast-in-place metal plug and said resin plug together form a single two-material plug.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising evaluating a sealability of said single two-material plug.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first tool performs section milling to remove said inner tubular and said exterior casing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first tool performs perforation and wash operations to perforate and wash said inner tubular and said exterior casing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first tool opens and expands said inner tubular and exterior casing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said eutectic alloy comprises bismuth.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said resin is a thermosetting resin, a vulcanizable rubber or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said two-material plug is up to 15 meters in length.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cast-in-place metal plug is up to 5 meters in length.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cast-in-place metal plug is up to 2 meters in length.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said two-material plug is up to 5 meters in length.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said two-material plug has greater integrity than an equivalent total length of either said resin plug or said cast-in-place metal plug alone.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method requires less time than a method with a two-material plug comprising resin and cement.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: SHAFER, RANDALL S
To: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
Reel/Frame 046650/0314 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62484624 · Apr 12, 2017
Related Publication 20180298715A1 · Oct 18, 2018
Cited By (3)
US 12,281,537 US 12,338,713 US 12,459,871