SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BARRIER INSTALLATION IN A WELLBORE

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Appln. No. 63/539,889 filed Sep. 22, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for quick and efficient cementing for subsea wellbores. More particularly, the present invention relates to deploying a pressure barrier inside the wellbore by eliminating the need for cement filled baffle collar or shoe tracks and setting of the bridge plug.

2. Background Information

After a casing or liner has been deployed in a wellbore, it is sometimes desirable to set a pressure barrier within the casing or liner, to lock and seal from pressure in the direction of any sub-surface flow. If the casing or liner includes apertures, such as slots and/or a sand control screen, the barrier may be installed in order to fluidically isolate the apertures from another zone in the wellbore. The well barriers such as bridge plugs or cement retainers or any mechanical isolation devices isolate the lower part of the wellbore for permanently or temporarily sealing it from the upper part of the wellbore. In some conventional methods, after the casing is run into the wellbore, a bridge plug is installed to isolate a lower zone from an upper zone. Typically, the installation of the pressure barrier is achieved by running a bridge plug with a setting tool into the wellbore, setting the bridge plug in the casing or liner, or above the casing or liner, and then retrieving the setting tool from the wellbore. Because the running and setting of a casing or liner in a wellbore involves one trip into and out of the wellbore, the installation of the bridge plug requires a dedicated second trip into and out of the wellbore. The second trip, therefore, takes additional time and involves expense over and above the time and expense of running the casing or liner into the wellbore. Bridge plugs typically include gripping elements, referred to as slips, that bite into the casing or liner in order to anchor the bridge plug to the casing or liner. Hence, the slips damage the interior surface of the casing or liner. The damage caused by the slips can become susceptible to corrosion and/or stress corrosion cracking.

Thus, there is a need for an efficient system that does not make use of the bridge plug as the pressure barrier in the well, thus reducing the additional trips into and out of the wellbore.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure employs the unique, patented SeaCure® subsea cementing system to deliver stabbed-in, inner string cementing for the subsea well. The present disclosure includes using a collar system, such that after cementing using the SeaCure® subsea cementing system, when disconnecting and pulling the inner string out of the collar, a barrier plug is tensionally set into the collar, and that serves to replace the bridge plug as the pressure barrier in the well. Such a robust and reliable technology saves rig time, reducing costs, risks and unproductive time thus providing a range of major operational, cost and time benefits to drilling and field development operations, whilst reducing or even eliminating many operational risks associated with cementing operations. By reducing multiple trips into the wellbore, this approach is more precise and environmentally friendly.

Hence, the present disclosure provides an efficient downhole cementing system comprising a pre-installed collar system that would replace the conventional bridge plug during cementing operations. The conventional barrier at the end of casing strings are generally the bridge plug, wherein during operations most of the cement in the shoe track must be drilled out, followed by a second scraper or clean-out run, then finally run and set the bridge plug in the area that has been cleaned out in the shoe track. A pre-installed collar system is designed such that it allows cementation with the SeaCure® patented method, then as the inner string is disconnected and being pulled out of the collar, an integral barrier plug is tensionally set into the collar and that serves to replace the bridge plug as the pressure barrier in the well, thus eliminating the need for shoe tracks, providing improving cement placement, drill out performance and reducing the need for remedial cementing. Contrary to conventional methods, a separate drill/clean-out trip, required to access a portion of the shoe track to properly locate the plug/barrier, is eliminated. The present system allows minimal shoe track length and a gas-tight barrier system, thus eliminating the need to drill out any shoe track, make a scraper/clean-out run and perform a secondary run in the casing to set a bridge plug, thus saving the operator multiple days of rig time.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a collar system for wellbore cementation is provided that includes a latch-in float shoe or a collar, and an inner string. The latch-in float shoe or a collar is provided to run at the bottom of a casing. The inner string runs inside the casing to be cemented until a latch-in adaptor engages into a receptacle or a drill pipe latch-in receiver. The inner string includes a tool which allows its full rotation to ensure make-up of the casing running tool to the casing. Full rotation of the inner string allows for safe make-up of the casing running tool to the casing. As the inner string is disconnected and pulled out of the collar, a barrier plug is tensionally set into the collar.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for wellbore cementation is provided. The method includes: running a latch-in float shoe or a collar on the bottom of a casing; running an inner string inside the casing to be cemented until a latch-in adaptor engages into a receptacle or a drill pipe latch-in receiver; allowing full rotation of an inner string for safe make-up of a casing running tool to the casing; and running a collar system so that as the inner string is disconnected and pulled out of the collar, a barrier plug is tensionally set into the collar.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for wellbore cementation is provided that includes a latch-in float shoe or a collar, an inner string, and a collar system. The latch-in float shoe or a collar is disposed on the bottom of a casing. The inner string runs inside the casing to be cemented until a latch-in adaptor engages into a receptacle or a drill pipe latch-in receiver. The inner string is allowed for full rotation for make-up of a casing running tool to the casing. The collar system is such that as the inner string is disconnected and pulled out of the collar, a barrier plug is tensionally set into the collar.

Various features and aspects as described above, and as recited in the claims below, may be combined with one or more of the other features and aspects described herein, or may have utility independently of the other features and aspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitutes a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the present teachings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a downhole cementing system embodiment that includes a float collar with a SeaCure® latch-in profile, in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a downhole cementing system embodiment with the latch-in adaptor for inner string cementing.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a downhole cementing system embodiment disclosing retrieving operation of an inner string.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the next step of the downhole cementing system illustrating shearing to retrieve the inner-string and adaptor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a downhole cementing system comprising a baffle collar 1 with a SeaCure® latch-in profile. The SeaCure® tool can then be stroked partially closed to allow full rotation of the inner string 5 and allow safe make-up of the casing running tool to the casing 6. FIG. 2 shows a casing 6 or a liner with the baffle collar 1 in the borehole. The latch-in float shoe or collar 1 consists of a barrier plug receiver 4 and drill pipe latch-in receiver 10 complete with back-up release shear out feature and plug sealing mechanism.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, an inner string 5 is extended into the casing 6 to supply the cement or settable material from the surface, the flow path 3 through the tool while cementing is indicated as an arrow in FIGS. 1 and 2. The process of the present invention avoids creation of a cement-filled baffle collar. The problem with a cement-filled baffle collar is that it does not provide a reliable barrier to pressure entering the casing after completion of the cement job, from below the baffle collar.

The inner string 5 is lowered until a latch-in adaptor 7 is engaged into a receptacle or the latch-in receiver 10 of the float collar 1, as seen in FIG. 2. The ability to flow fluid through the inner string 5 offers advantages. For example, the method may comprise flowing fluid through the inner string 5 and into the outer annulus to facilitate translation of the casing 6 into the drilled bore, or cleaning of the bore. Alternatively, or in addition, present disclosure method embodiments may comprise flowing a settable material into the outer annulus to fill the outer annulus at least partially, the settable material subsequently hardening to secure or seal the casing 6 in the drilled bore.

After the desired volume of cement slurry is pumped in through the inner string 5 into the annular region 3, while pulling out the inner string 5 from the collar 1, shear pins from collar 1 are sheared against latch-in receiver 10, and a barrier plug 2 is tensionally set into a sealing and locking position in the collar 1 and that feature serves to replace the bridge plug as the barrier in the well. When the inner string 5 is retrieved, as seen from FIG. 3, the barrier plug 2 engages in sealing the inner diameter with double-acting lock-ring for bi-directional pressure containment to 10-15 kilopounds per square inch (ksi) at 400° F. Both seals 9 and plug 2 have been protected from flow erosion by latch-in receiver 10 and extended bore 11. The system comprises a primary shear system 12a as shown in FIG. 3 and a secondary shear system 12b as shown in FIG. 4, which are sheared as the inner string is pulled out. Finally, in the last step as illustrated in FIG. 4, as the inner string is pulled out, the plug stem 8 is sheared off to retrieve inner string 5 and latch-in adaptor 7.