Patent ID: 12196052

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to methods and equipment for cementing a wellbore, and specifically for cementing a casing within a wellbore by using cementing plugs.

Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented so as to realize one or more of the following advantages. For example, the cementing assembly of the present disclosure allows different cementing plugs to be used automatically and without opening the pipe body, which can save time and resources. Additionally, the chamber with multiple cementing plugs allows the continuous deployment of cementing plugs, which can improve efficiency and reduce the risk associated to human intervention.

FIG.1shows a wellbore assembly100that includes a wellbore102and a cementing assembly101fluidly coupled to the wellbore102. The wellbore102can be a horizontal or non-vertical wellbore that extends from a terranean surface113of the wellbore to a geologic formation103. The geologic formation can include a hydrocarbon reservoir105from which hydrocarbons can be extracted.

The cementing assembly101includes a pipe body104(e.g., an assembly of multiple pipes) that resides at or near the terranean surface113of the wellbore102. The pipe body is fluidly coupled to a surface inlet102of the wellbore. The cementing assembly101also includes a chamber106that is coupled to the pipe body104.

As further described in detail below with respect toFIG.2, the chamber106has multiple slots each configured to house a wellbore component114,116(e.g., cementing plugs, darts, and other deployable equipment). The wellbore components114,116can be deployed during wellbore operations. For example, during a cementing operation, a first cementing plug114and a second cementing plug116can be deployed from the chamber106to cement a casing110within the wellbore102.

The slots of the chamber revolve about a central axis of the chamber to align with a bore of the pipe body104. The pipe body104has a fluid inlet109upstream of the chamber106. The fluid inlet109can be part of a manifold assembly108that is coupled to the pipe body104. The pipe body104is fluidly coupled to one or more pumps112that flow fluid (e.g., cement “C” and displacement fluid “F”, with one or more pumps flowing cement and the same or different one or more pumps flowing displacement fluid) into the pipe body104and into the wellbore102. The pump112can be communicatively coupled to the cementing assembly101wirelessly or through a cable115to receive instructions from a controller of the cementing assembly101. The pipe body104directs the fluid from the fluid inlet109to the inlet of the wellbore107to push, from a slot of the chamber106, a respective wellbore component that is to be deployed downhole within the wellbore102.

For example, to cement the wellbore102, the pump112first flows cement slurry “C” to the inlet109of the pipe body104to push a first cementing plug114out of the chamber106and into the wellbore102. Then, after the slots in the chamber106rotate to align the second cementing plug116with the pipe body104, the pump112flows a displacement fluid “F” (e.g., mud) to push the second cementing plug116out of the chamber106. The pump112pressurizes the cement “C” flowing the displacement fluid “F” until the cement breaks or ruptures the first cementing plug114to flow into an annulus118defined between the casing110and a wall of the wellbore102. The pump112continues to pump displacement fluid until the second cementing plug116reaches the first cementing plug114at the downhole end of the casing110.

Referring now toFIG.2, the chamber106has multiple slots205,206,208that house cementing plugs114,118,116respectively. The chamber106can include two, three, or more slots. The chamber106can have a housing117that can be fixed to the pipe body104, with the slots205,206,208rotatable with respect to the housing117. Specifically, the slots revolve about a central axis “A” of the chamber106to align its respective cement plug with the bore220of the pipe body104, similar to a revolver cylinder revolving to align each bullet with the barrel of the revolver. Once the respective slot is aligned with the bore220, the slot can form a fluid seal with the bore to prevent fluid from flowing into the other slots or outside of the chamber106. In some implementations, the housing117is rotatable and the slots205,206,208are fixed to the housing117to rotate with the housing117.

The manifold assembly108has a first pipe212that is fluidly coupled to the pipe body104at the fluid inlet109and a second pipe216fluidly coupled to the pipe body104at a second fluid inlet111of the pipe body104. The chamber106is disposed between the first fluid inlet109and the second fluid inlet111. Each of the first and second pipes212,216flow fluid into the pipe body104during a cementing operation. Each pipe has a respective valve214,218that open and close independently from each other to launch each plug. The valves214,218can be controlled by a controller that automatically and selectively opens and closes the valves214,218during the cementing operation.

The slots205,206,208include at least a first slot205with a hollow cement plug114and a second slot208that houses a cement plug116that has a solid core. The pipe body104directs cement “C” or displacement fluid downhole to push and deploy the cementing plug that is aligned with the pipe body104. For example, the pipe body104first receives cement slurry “C” at the inlet109and directs the cement “C” from the fluid inlet109down to the inlet of the wellbore to push, from the first slot205, the first cementing plug114. The pump continues to pump cement “C” to push and deploy the cementing plug downhole within the wellbore.

Once the first cementing plug114is deployed, the second slot208revolves about the central axis ‘A’ of the chamber106to align the second slot (and by extension the second cementing plug116) with the bore220of the pipe body104. Once aligned, the second cementing plug116is pushed downhole with displacement fluid (seeFIG.1) flowed from the inlet109downhole into the wellbore. The displacement fluid pushes the solid plug116to a downhole location of the wellbore, pushing the cement slurry disposed between the first plug114and second plug116downhole until the first plug114reached the bottom of the casing. The displacement fluid applies pressure to the first plug114until the cement ruptures a rupture disk of the plug114to allow the cement to flow out of the wellbore and into the annulus of the wellbore.

For example, the first cementing plug114has a hollow core and a rupture disk or diaphragm disposed at or above the hollow core203of the cementing plug114. The pump flows the displacement fluid and by extension pressurizes the cement slurry downhole to a sufficient pressure to rupture, with the cementing plug114at a downhole end of the casing, the disk or diaphragm of the plug114to flow the cement through the hollow core203and out the casing into an annulus defined between the casing and the wall of the wellbore.

The cementing assembly101also includes a drive210(e.g., an electric motor) coupled to the chamber106to rotate the slots. The drive revolves the slots about the central axis “A” of the chamber. Referring also toFIG.3, the slots of the chamber106can be of different sizes or otherwise arranged to fit cementing plugs of different sizes. For example, one of the slots207can be sized to fit a cementing plug larger than another plug116. The electric motor rotates the chamber106one or more slots at a time to position a selected slot at the bore of the pipe body104.

The cementing assembly101also includes a controller204coupled (e.g., with cable217) to the drive210. The controller204can be disposed outside or inside of the pipe body104and can be attached to or spaced from the pipe body104. The controller204controls the drive210based on information received from sensors (or user inputs) or other information to control the drive210and position a desired slot along the bore of the pipe body104. For example, each slot can have a sensor209(e.g., a motion sensor) that send information to the controller204that indicates whether the plug slot is properly aligned with the bore of the pipe body104and ready to be deployed. The controller204can have or be coupled to an illumination source or another visual indicator (e.g., a green light) that is displayed when the slot is properly aligned. The controller204is communicatively coupled to each sensor. The controller204sends instructions to the drive210to rotate, based on the determination, the slots in clockwise or counterclockwise direction until the respective slot is aligned with the bore.

The cementing assembly101can also have one or more flow meter sensors222, a timer224, a battery202(e.g., a lithium ion battery pack), and a data storage device. Each of the flow meter sensors222, timer224, battery202, and data storage device are communicatively coupled to the controller204. The controller controls at least one of the pump and the drive210based on information received from at least one of the flow meter222, the timer224, or the data storage device. For example, the controller204control de pump or pumps and the drive210to perform m a cementing operation automatically from beginning to end.

The controller204can determine the location or depth of each cement retainer (or the size and type of cement retainer) based on the information received from flow meter, the timer, or the data storage device. In some implementation, the controller transmits, to a receiver (e.g., a receiver of a computing device with a user interface), the information about the location of each cementing plug or other related information. Additionally, the controller204can be wirelessly coupled to an input device226that transmits, to the controller204, input instructions to control the wellbore assembly.

FIG.4shows a flow chart of a method400of cementing a wellbore. The method includes flowing a fluid into a wellbore assembly, the wellbore assembly comprising (i) a pipe body disposed at a terranean surface of a wellbore and fluidly coupled to an inlet of the wellbore, and (ii) a chamber coupled to the pipe body. The chamber has multiple slots each configured to house a wellbore component. Each slot revolves about or around a central axis of the chamber and with respect to the pipe body to align one slot at a time with a bore of the pipe body (405). The method also includes flowing the fluid from an inlet of the pipe body upstream of the chamber to the wellbore, pushing a first wellbore component out of its aligned slot and downhole into the wellbore (410). The method also includes flowing the fluid downhole within the wellbore to deploy the first wellbore component to a downhole location of the wellbore (415).

FIG.5is a schematic illustration of an example control system or controller for a flow meter according to the present disclosure. For example, the controller500may include or be part of the controller204shown inFIG.2. The controller500is intended to include various forms of digital computers, such as printed circuit boards (PCB), processors, digital circuitry, or otherwise. Additionally, the system can include portable storage media, such as, Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives. For example, the USB flash drives may store operating systems and other applications. The USB flash drives can include input/output components, such as a wireless transmitter or USB connector that may be inserted into a USB port of another computing device.

The controller500includes a processor510, a memory520, a storage device530, and an input/output device540. Each of the components510,520,530, and540are interconnected using a system bus550. The processor510is capable of processing instructions for execution within the controller500. The processor may be designed using any of a number of architectures. For example, the processor510may be a CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computers) processor, a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor, or a MISC (Minimal Instruction Set Computer) processor.

In one implementation, the processor510is a single-threaded processor. In another implementation, the processor510is a multi-threaded processor. The processor510is capable of processing instructions stored in the memory520or on the storage device530to display graphical information for a user interface on the input/output device540.

The memory520stores information within the controller500. In one implementation, the memory520is a computer-readable medium. In one implementation, the memory520is a volatile memory unit. In another implementation, the memory520is a non-volatile memory unit.

The storage device530is capable of providing mass storage for the controller500. In one implementation, the storage device530is a computer-readable medium. In various different implementations, the storage device530may be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device.

The input/output device540provides input/output operations for the controller500. In one implementation, the input/output device540includes a keyboard and/or pointing device. In another implementation, the input/output device540includes a display unit for displaying graphical user interfaces.

Although the following detailed description contains many specific details for purposes of illustration, it is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many examples, variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary implementations described in the present disclosure and provided in the appended figures are set forth without any loss of generality, and without imposing limitations on the claimed implementations.

Although the present implementations have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the principle and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the following claims and their appropriate legal equivalents.

The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used in the present disclosure and in the appended claims, the words “comprise,” “has,” and “include” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps.

As used in the present disclosure, terms such as “first” and “second” are arbitrarily assigned and are merely intended to differentiate between two or more components of an apparatus. It is to be understood that the words “first” and “second” serve no other purpose and are not part of the name or description of the component, nor do they necessarily define a relative location or position of the component. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the mere use of the term “first” and “second” does not require that there be any “third” component, although that possibility is contemplated under the scope of the present disclosure.