Downhole plugging tool with ballistic plug and method of using same

Abstract

A ballistic plug for sealing a wellbore includes a plug housing, a sealing element, a flow plug, and a bullet plug. The plug housing has a ballistic passage therethrough. The sealing element is positioned about an outer surface of the plug housing, and is expandable for sealing engagement with a wall of a wellbore. The flow plug is positioned in the plug housing, and sealingly positioned in the ballistic passage and removable therefrom upon application of pressure into the ballistic passage. The bullet plug is sealingly insertable in the ballistic passage, and has a release passage therethrough. The bullet plug includes a plug body and a fluid pin removably positionable in the release passage whereby, upon removal of the fluid pin, fluid is permitted to pass through the release passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ballistic plug for sealing a wellbore, the ballistic plug comprising:
 a plug housing releasably connectable to a downhole tool, the plug housing having a ballistic passage therethrough;   a sealing element positioned about an outer surface of the plug housing, the sealing element expandable for sealing engagement with a wall of a wellbore whereby an upper portion of the wellbore below the sealing element is isolated from a lower portion of the wellbore above the sealing element;   a flow plug positioned in the plug housing, the flow plug sealingly positioned in the ballistic passage and removable therefrom upon application of pressure into the ballistic passage; and   a bullet plug sealingly insertable in the ballistic passage, the bullet plug having a release passage therethrough, the bullet plug comprising a plug body and a fluid pin, the fluid pin removably positionable in the release passage whereby, upon removal of the fluid pin, fluid is permitted to pass through the release passage.   
     
     
         2 . The ballistic plug of  claim 1 , wherein the bullet plug has a ball seat positioned about an opening of the release passage. 
     
     
         3 . The ballistic plug of  claim 2 , further comprising a ball sealingly receivable in the ball seat. 
     
     
         4 . The ballistic plug of  claim 1 , wherein the plug housing has an uphole end defining an inlet shaped to receive a downhole end of the downhole tool therein. 
     
     
         5 . The ballistic plug of  claim 4 , wherein the ballistic passage extends from the inlet at the uphole end of the plug housing and through a downhole end of the plug housing. 
     
     
         6 . The ballistic plug of  claim 5 , wherein the ballistic passage has a larger volume about the inlet and smaller volume about an outlet at the downhole end of the plug housing, the ballistic passage being tapered between the larger volume and the smaller volume. 
     
     
         7 . The ballistic plug of  claim 1 , further comprising shear pins extending through the plug housing into the downhole tool to define a releasable connection therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The ballistic plug of  claim 1 , wherein the bullet plug has a cylindrical body with a flanged, the bullet plug releasably insertable into the ballistic passage at a downhole end of the plug housing. 
     
     
         9 . The ballistic plug of  claim 1 , wherein the plug housing has seal cavity along an outer periphery thereof, the seal cavity is shaped to support the sealing element therein. 
     
     
         10 . A plugging tool for plugging a wellbore, the plugging tool comprising:
 a plugging housing with a pressure passage therethrough;   a plugging assembly, comprising:
 a ballistic plug, comprising:
 a plug housing releasably connectable to the plugging housing, the plug housing having a ballistic passage therethrough; 
 a sealing element positioned about an outer surface of the plug housing, the sealing element expandable for sealing engagement with a wall of a wellbore whereby an upper portion of the wellbore below the sealing element is isolated from a lower portion of the wellbore above the sealing element; 
 a flow plug positioned in the plug housing, the flow plug sealingly positioned in the ballistic passage and removable therefrom upon application of the pressure into the ballistic passage; and 
 
   an integrated igniter positioned in the pressure passage, the integrated igniter comprising a propellant, the propellant selectively ignitable whereby an ignition fluid is released under pressure through the pressure passage and into the ballistic plug such that the ballistic plug is released from the plugging housing.   
     
     
         11 . The plugging tool of  claim 10 , wherein the plugging housing is connectable to a downhole tool, the downhole tool comprising a downhole component. 
     
     
         12 . The plugging tool of  claim 11 , wherein the downhole component comprises at least one of a cable head, a weight bar, a collar locator, a perforating tool, and a setting tool. 
     
     
         13 . The plugging tool of  claim 10 , wherein the plugging assembly further comprises a bullet plug sealingly insertable in the ballistic passage, the bullet plug having a release passage therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The plugging tool of  claim 13 , wherein the bullet plug comprising a plug body and a fluid pin, the fluid pin removably positionable in the release passage whereby, upon removal of the fluid pin, fluid is permitted to pass through the release passage. 
     
     
         15 . The plugging tool of  claim 13 , wherein the pressure is sufficient to drive the bullet plug along the pressure passage and into the ballistic plug. 
     
     
         16 . The plugging tool of  claim 13 , further comprising shear pins extending through the plugging housing into the ballistic plug to releasably support to ballistic plug in the plugging housing. 
     
     
         17 . The plugging tool of  claim 10 , wherein the integrated igniter further comprises an integrator housing and a switch assembly, the integrator housing shaped for insertion into the pressure passage, the switch assembly comprising a switch triggerable to ignite the propellant. 
     
     
         18 . The plugging tool of  claim 10 , further comprising a power charge positionable in the pressure passage, the power charge ignitable by the igniter to generate at least a portion of the pressure. 
     
     
         19 . The plugging tool of  claim 10 , wherein the pressure is sufficient to drive the ballistic plug along the pressure passage and into the plug housing. 
     
     
         20 . A method of plugging a wellbore, comprising:
 connecting a plugging tool to a downhole end of a downhole tool, the plugging tool comprising a plugging housing, an igniter, a propellant, and a plugging assembly, the plugging assembly comprising and a ballistic plug, a plug housing, a sealing element, and a flow plug;   positioning the downhole tool in a wellbore;   sealing the wellbore by expanding the sealing element into sealing engagement with a wall of the wellbore; and   releasing the ballistic plug from the downhole tool and into the wellbore by igniting the propellant with the igniter such that fluid under pressure is applied to the plugging assembly and releases the plugging assembly from the plugging tool.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the expanding the sealing element comprises passing the fluid under pressure to the sealing element. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising triggering the igniter to ignite the propellant. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the plugging assembly is connected to the plugging housing by shear pins, and wherein the releasing comprises breaking shear pins. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising unsealing the wellbore by removing the flow plug from a ballistic passage extending through the plug housing. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising resealing the wellbore by launching a ballistic plug into the ballistic passage. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising unsealing the ballistic plug by removing a fluid pin from a release passage extending through the ballistic plug. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising resealing the ballistic plug by seating a ball in a ball seat positioned about an opening to the release passage. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the ballistic plug is secured in the plugging housing by shear pins, and wherein, upon ignition of the propellant, the fluid under pressure is also applied to the ballistic plug such that the shear pins are broken. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein, upon ignition of the propellant, the fluid under pressure is also applied to the ballistic plug such that the ballistic plug is driven from the plugging housing and into a ballistic passage of the plug housing.