Method and Apparatus for a plug with a shear landing feature for untethered object

Abstract

A plug assembly includes a shear landing feature, offering temporarily one or more seating surfaces for an untethered object. The shear landing feature can shear within a set plug if the force induced by a fluid pressure uphole of a landed untethered object exceeds the shear rating of the shear landing feature. A secondary fixed seating surface offers a landing and seating surface for a secondary untethered object, used typically for back-up operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 deploying a plug assembly including a shear landing feature, into a tubing string containing well fluid,
 whereby the shear landing feature includes a seating surface suited to receive a first-size untethered object, 
 whereby the shear landing feature includes a shear rating, 
 whereby the plug assembly includes a fixed seating surface suited to receive a second-size untethered object, 
 whereby the first-size untethered object is able to pass through the plug assembly including the fixed seating surface; 
   setting the plug assembly into the tubing string;   releasing a first-size untethered object inside the well fluid of the tubing string;   contacting the seating surface of the shear landing feature with the released first-size untethered object;   pressurizing the well fluid inside the tubing string, uphole of the set plug assembly with the contacted first-size untethered object,
 whereby the pressure of the well fluid induces a force on the first-size untethered object, wherein the force localized on the shear landing feature exceeds the shear rating of the shear landing feature; 
   shear the shear landing feature and flow down the first-size untethered object;   releasing a second-size untethered object inside the well fluid of the tubing string, suited to land on the fixed seating surface of the plug assembly;   contacting the fixed seating surface of the plug assembly with the released second-size untethered object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further dissolving at least one component of the plug assembly or the untethered objects. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a downhole operation,
 after contacting the first-size untethered object on the seating surface of the shear landing feature, or after contacting the second-size untethered object on the fixed seating surface of the plug assembly, 
 whereby the downhole operation includes perforating, sleeve shifting, measurements and recording, or pressure pumping. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby the shear rating of the shear landing feature does not exceed an overall differential pressure rating of the set plug assembly inside the tubing string. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , whereby the shear rating of the shear landing feature corresponds to a range of 70% to 100% of the overall differential pressure rating of the set plug assembly inside the tubing string. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby the plug assembly includes:
 an expandable continuous sealing ring,   an expandable gripping ring,   an integral locking ring,
 wherein the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring include a flared inner surface, 
 wherein the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring are coupled together longitudinally through a conical or an annular contact surface, 
 wherein the integral locking ring includes a flared outer surface, 
 wherein the flared outer surface of the locking ring contacts the flared inner surface of the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring, 
 wherein the shear landing feature is linked to the integral locking ring. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , whereby setting the plug assembly includes:
 expanding the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring over the flared outer surface of the integral locking ring, whereby the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring expand radially until the expandable gripping ring contacts and penetrates at least one point of an internal surface of the tubing string.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 applying a pressure, using the well fluid, on the untethered object, on the shear landing feature and on the integral locking ring, whereby resulting forces are applied to the plug assembly to cause:
 the longitudinal movement of the integral locking ring relative to the expandable gripping ring and to the continuous expandable sealing ring, 
 the radial deformation of the continuous expandable sealing ring over the flared outer surface of the integral locking ring, 
   diverting a portion of the well fluid outside the tubing string, or sealing a portion of the well fluid inside the tubing string with the plug assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby deploying the plug assembly into the tubing string includes a retrievable toolstring,
 whereby the retrievable toolstring is retrieved after the setting of the plug assembly into the tubing string,   whereby the retrievable toolstring includes an external mandrel and an internal rod.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , whereby the plug assembly includes:
 an expandable continuous sealing ring,   an expandable gripping ring,   a locking ring,   a cup,
 whereby the external mandrel includes a longitudinal stopping surface relative to the locking ring, 
 wherein the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring include a flared inner surface, 
 wherein the locking ring includes a flared outer surface, a stopping inner surface relative to the cup, a longitudinal stopping surface relative to the external mandrel, and a flared portion, 
 wherein the flared portion of the locking ring includes a flared inner surface positioned opposite of the flared outer surface, 
 wherein the cup includes a flared outer surface, a stopping outer surface and a flared inner surface, 
 wherein the flared outer surface of the locking ring is contacting the flared inner surface of the expandable continuous sealing ring and of the expandable gripping ring, 
 wherein the flared outer surface of the cup is contacting the flared inner surface of the locking ring, 
 wherein the stopping outer surface of the cup is adapted to couple with the stopping inner surface of the locking ring, 
 wherein the longitudinal distance between the stopping outer surface of the cup and the stopping inner surface of the locking ring is a longitudinal gap, 
 
 wherein the shear landing feature is linked to the integral locking ring. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , whereby setting the plug assembly includes:
 expanding the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring over the flared outer surface of the locking ring, whereby the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring deforms radially until the expandable gripping ring contacts at least one point of an internal surface of the tubing string,
 whereby the longitudinal stopping surface of the locking ring relative to the external mandrel and the longitudinal stopping surface of the external mandrel relative to the locking ring are stopped longitudinally relative to each other’s, during the expansion of the expandable continuous sealing ring and of the expandable gripping ring, 
 wherein the longitudinal gap is present between the stopping outer surface of the cup and the stopping inner surface of the locking ring, during the setting of the plug assembly. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 applying pressure on the untethered object, the shear landing feature and on the cup using the well fluid, whereby forces are applied to the plug assembly to cause:
 the longitudinal movement of the cup relative to the locking ring causing: 
 the closing of the longitudinal gap between the stopping outer surface of the 
 
 cup and the stopping inner surface of the locking ring, 
 the radial deformation of the flared portion of the locking ring, 
 the radial deformation of the continuous expandable sealing ring, 
 the continuous contact of the continuous expandable sealing ring with the internal surface of the tubing string; and 
 
   penetrating the internal surface of the tubing string at the at least one point with the expandable gripping ring.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising diverting a portion of the well fluid outside the tubing string, or sealing a portion of the well fluid inside the tubing string with the plug assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein releasing the first-size or the second-size untethered object inside the well fluid of the tubing string includes:
 launching the untethered object from ground or seabed surface or,   freeing the untethered object from the tool string, after the setting of the plug assembly.   
     
     
         15 . A plug assembly, for use inside a tubing string containing well fluid, comprising:
 a shear landing feature,   an expandable continuous sealing ring,   an expandable gripping ring,   an integral locking ring,   a first-size untethered object,   wherein the shear landing feature includes a seating surface suited to receive a first-size untethered object,   wherein the shear landing feature includes a shear rating,   wherein the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring include a flared inner surface,   wherein the first-size untethered object is able to pass through the plug assembly including the fixed seating surface,   wherein the integral locking ring includes a flared outer surface and a flared inner surface,   wherein the flared outer surface of the locking ring contacts the flared inner surface of the expandable continuous sealing ring and the expandable gripping ring,   wherein the retractable pivoting mechanism is linked to the integral locking ring through one or more pivoting axis,   whereby the plug assembly includes a fixed seating surface suited to receive a second-size untethered object,   wherein the shear landing feature is linked to the integral locking ring.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein at least one component of the plug assembly comprises a material dissolvable inside the well fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the shear landing feature shears in two or more parts, when the force applied on the first-size untethered object exceeds the shear rating of the shear landing feature,   wherein the shear rating of the shear landing feature corresponds to a range of 70% to 100% of an overall differential pressure rating of the plug assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further including a second-size untethered object,
 wherein the second-size untethered object is suited to land on the fixed seating surface of the plug assembly.