Selective plugging element and method of selectively plugging a channel therewith

Abstract

An assembly for assisting performance of an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of a casing string including a carrier disposed at the casing string. An operative device is carried by the carrier. A channel connects between the operative device and the axial flowbore. A plugging element is positioned in the channel that protects the operative device by preventing the hardenable fluid from entering the channel, and the plugging element is reconfigurable to selectively permit communication between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel. A method of protecting and using an operative device disposed at a casing string is also included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for assisting performance of an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of a casing string, comprising:
 a carrier disposed at the casing string;   an operative device carried by the carrier;   a channel connecting between the operative device and the axial flowbore; and   a plugging element positioned in the channel that protects the operative device by preventing the hardenable fluid from entering the channel, the plugging element reconfigurable to selectively permit communication between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plugging element is reconfigurably responsive to a selected fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the operative device includes a mechanism that controls application of the selected fluid to the plugging element. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the mechanism holds the selected fluid and releases the selected fluid to reconfigure the plugging element. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the plugging element is disintegrable in responsive to the selected fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the plugging element changes in size in response to the selected fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plugging element includes a swellable material that un-swells in response to the selected fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plugging element is a shape memory material that undergoes a shape change to a remember shape in response to the selected fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the operation includes cementing and the hardenable fluid includes cement. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the operative device includes one or more sensing elements for measuring one or more parameters related to the fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the operative device includes a chemical injection valve. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the operative device is located within a recessed area in the carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the recessed area is open to an annulus between the casing string and a borehole in which the casing string is run. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is installed as a casing joint along the casing string. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hardenable fluid is cement. 
     
     
         16 . A method of protecting and using an operative device disposed at a casing string, comprising:
 performing an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of the casing string;   preventing the hardenable fluid from entering a channel connecting between the operative device and the axial flowbore with a plugging element disposed in the channel;   reconfiguring the plugging element to permit communication through the channel; and   communicating between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein performing the operation includes pumping cement through the casing string and cementing the casing string in a borehole. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operative device includes a sensing element and the communicating includes monitoring one or more parameters of fluid in the axial flowbore. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operative device includes a chemical injection valve and the communicating includes injecting one or more chemicals into the axial flowbore. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the reconfiguring includes disintegrating the plugging element, un-swelling the plugging element, triggering a shape memory shape change of the plugging element, bursting the plugging element, or a combination including at least one of the foregoing.