CA2514676C - A plug for use in wellbore operations, an apparatus for receiving said plug, a plug landing system and a method for cementing tubulars in a wellbore - Google Patents

Abstract

A plug for use in wellbore operations, which plug is deformable such that, in use, upon fluid pressure reaching a predetermined level, said plug deforms allowing fluid to pass between said plug and a tubular in which said plug is located.

Description

A Plug For Use In Wellbore Operations, An Apparatus For Receiving Said Plug, A Plug Landing System And A Method For Cementing Tubulars In A Wellbore This is a divisional application of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2,303,091 filed on September 14, 1998.

This invention relates to a plug for use in wellbore operations, to an apparatus for receiving said plug and to a plug landing system, particularly but not exclusively for use in cementing operations. The invention also relates to a method for cementing tubulars in a wellbore. It should be understood that the expression "the invention" and the like encompasses the subject matter of both the parent and the divisional application.

In the construction of an oil or gas well, a wellbore is bored into the ground. A string of tubulars is then lowered into the wellbore and hung, either from surface or from the end of a previously hung string of tubulars. These strings of tubulars are known as casing strings and liners respectively.

The casing strings or liners are generally cemented in place. This is generally carried out by launching a first plug from the top of the casing string or liner; following the first plug down with cement and launching a second plug after the cement.

The first plug lands on float shoe or collar fixed near to or at the bottom of the casing string or liner, at which point pressure builds up behind the first plug and bursts a bursting disk in the first plug allowing cement to flow therethrough, through the float shoe and if provided, through the float collar, out of the bottom of the casing la string or liner and up into the annulus between the casing string or liner and the wellbore. The second plug eventually lands on top of the first plug.

Other plugs can be launched prior to or subsequent to this operation in order to complete other operations such as cleaning the casing string or liner.

It is important for the first plug to allow the cement to flow therethrough upon landing on the float

2 shoe or collar to enable cement to flow into the annulus. It is also important to move the cement from the surface to the annulus between the casing string or liner and the wellbore as quickly as possible in order to reduce rig time and to prevent the cement from setting inside the casing string liner.
US Patent No. 2,075,882 discloses a plug with flexible members wllich are deformable to allow fluid to pass between the plug and tubular.

According to the present invention, there is provided a plug for use in wellbore operations which plug is deformable such that, in use, upon fluid pressure reaching a predetermined level, said plug deforms allowing fluid to pass between said plug and a tubular in which said plug is located, the plug comprising a body having a thin wall which deforms inwardly in use to allow fluid to pass between the plug and the tubular.

In one embodiment, the plug further comprises at least one fin. The plug may further comprise a collapsible core.
The plug may further comprise a nose portion provided with a flow channel. In one embodiment, the flow channel may be provided with at least one side port to allow fluid to flow from the area between said plug and said tubular to a central bore.
The plug may further comprise a central passage through said plug for optionally allowing fluid flow therethrough. In one embodiment, the central passage may be provided with a landing seat for a dart or ball. In one embodiment, the central passage may be provided with at least one bursting disk such that, in use, at a predetermined fluid pressure above said plug said bursting disk fails, allowing fluid flow through said central passage.
In another embodiment, the nose may comprise a rotation locking member.
There is also provided an apparatus for receiving a plug comprising a baffle which baffle comprises a hollow cylinder with at least one port thereih for allowing fluid to flow from said annulus through said apparatus, wherein said baffle further comprises at least one port therein to allow fluid to flow from a central bore in said plug to said apparatus.
In one embodiment, the baffle may be bell shaped. The bell shaped baffle and said at least one port may be arranged such that said plug remains rotationally fixed with respect to said apparatus upon receipt of said plug thereon.

2a In another embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a hollow cylinder for receiving said plug, said hollow cylinder comprising at least two spaced apart projections for contacting fins of said plug, said projections defining a flow path. The apparatus may also comprise at least two spaced apart sharp edged projections for cutting a flow path in said fins of said plug.
There is also provided a plug landing system comprising a landing collar with a cylindrical body, a ring disposed therein, said ring having a tapered surface, corresponding to a tapered surface of a wellbore plug for sealing contact therebetween and for locking therebetween.
In one embodiment, the ring may be made of drillable material.
In another embodiment, the system may include a wellbore plug. The wellbore plug may be made of drillable material. The wellbore plug may have a nose at a bottom end thereof for contacting the ring, the nose and the ring made from a material from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, brass, low grade steel, and cast iron.

There is also provided a method of cementing tubulars in a wellbore comprising the steps of launching a first plug in said tubular, pumping cement thereafter and launching a second plug thereafter, said first plug landing on a float collar or a float shoe and pumping cement across or through said first plug characterised in that said second plug lands on a landing collar above said first plug.

2b In another aspect, the invention provides a weilbore plug landing system, comprising a landing collar with a hollow cylindrical body with a bore therethrough from a top end thereof to a bottom end thereof, and a ring disposed in the hollow cylindrical body and having a ring opening therethrough for fluid flow therethrough, the ring having a top and a bottom, the ring having a tapered surface surrounding the ring opening, the tapered surface tapering inwardly from the top of the ring, and the ring's tapered surface being tapered to correspond to a tapered surface of a wellbore plug for sealing contact of the wellbore plug with the ring and for wedge locking of the wellbore plug with the ring.

In another aspect, the invention provides a wellbore plug, comprising a body with a top and a bottom, a nose on the bottom, and a tapered surface on the nose and extending therearound and tapering inwardly toward the bottom of the plug.

In another aspect, the invention provides a wellbore plug, comprising a body with a bore therethrough defined by an inner wall of the body, and at least one fin projecting out from and extending around an exterior wall of the body, the body having a thickness between the inner wall and the exterior wall of less than one-half inch, and the body made of plastic material.

In another aspect, the invention provides a float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough, a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar, and a baffle having a fluid 2c flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve, the baffle further comprising a body ring with a ring fluid flow bore therethrough, and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending downwardly from the body ring with fluid flow spaces between adjacent projections, and a plurality of top ribs projecting upwardly from the body ring and the top ribs disposed and sized for receipt within openings of a plug landing on the ribs so that the plug will not rotate with respect to the baffle.

In another aspect, the invention provides a float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough, a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar, a baffle having a fluid flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve, and a hollow cylinder within the hollow cylindrical body for receiving a plug pumped down to the float collar, the cylinder having a cylinder bore therethrough and at least two spaced-apart projections extending into the cylinder bore for contacting fins of a plug, the projections defining a fluid flow path therebetween.

In another aspect, the invention provides a float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough, a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar, and a baffle having a fluid flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body 2d bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve, the baffle further comprising a body ring with a ring fluid flow bore therethrough, the body ring providing a roof over the body bore of the hollow cylindrical body, and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending vertically and downwardly from the body ring with fluid flow spaces between adjacent projections.
In another aspect, the invention provides a wellbore plug, comprising:
a body with a top and a bottom;
a nose on the bottom; and a tapered surface on the nose and extending therearound and tapering inwardly toward the bottom of the plug;
wherein the tapered surfaces are such that the wellbore plug is wedge lockable with the landing ring.

- 3 -For a better understanding of the invention, refer-ence will now be made, by way of example, to the accom-panying drawings, in which:
Figure la is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus for launching plugs including a plug in accor-dance with the present invention;
Figure lb is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of Figure la;
Figure lc is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Figure la in a first stage of operation;
Figure id is a cross-sectional side view of part of the apparatus of Figure la in a second stage of opera-tion;
Figure 2a is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus for receiving a plug in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2b is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 2a;
Figure 2c is a cross-sectional side view of part of the apparatus of Figure 2a taken along the line 2c-2c of Figure 2a; ' Figure 2d is a top plan view of part of the appara-tus of Figure 2a;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of parts of the apparatus of Figures la-d and of Figures 2a-d in use;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of part of Figure la-d in use;
Figure 5a is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5b-5b of Figure 5a;
Figure 6a is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6b is a cross-sectional view taken along the

- 4 -line 6b-6b of Figure 6a;
Figure 7 is a part cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Figure la-d, Figure 2a-d and Figure 4 in use;
Figure 8 is a part cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Figures la-ld, Figures 2a-2d and Figure 4 in use with a combined float collar and float shoe.
Referring to Figures la-d there is shown a plug set 100 according to the present invention having a top crossover sub 1 made of metal, e.g. steel. The sub 1 has a body 2 with a central flow bore 3 extending there-through. A snap ring 4 in a recess 5 holds a seal ring 6 in place against part (an upper shear ring)=of a top dart receiver 20.
The seal ring 6 has an 0-ring 7 in a recess 8 to seal the interface between the seal ring 6 and the body 2; and an 0-ring 9 in a recess 10 seals the interface between the seal ring 2 and the top dart receiver 20. A
recess 11 accommodates an upper shear ring 25 of the top dart receiver 20. A plurality of collets 12 extend from a main collet ring 15 out from the lower end 16 of the sub 1 each terminating in a bottom collet member 14.
(The shear ring 25, and any shear ring herein, may be a complete circular ring or it may include only portions thereof; e.g. three fifty degree portions spaced apart by seventy degree voids. Any shear ring may be grooved or indented to facilitate rupture or shearing.) Initially the bottom collet members 14 are disposed in a collet groove 33 of a top plug cylinder 30 and are held therein by the exterior surface of the top dart receiver 20. The top dart receiver 20 has a body 21 with a fluid flow bore 22 extending therethrough from one end to the other. The upper end of the top dart receiver 20 has the upper shear ring 25 projecting therefrom into the recess 11 of the seal ring 6. The

- 5 -upper shear ring 25 initially rests on the top of the main collet ring 15 thereby holding the top dart receiv-er 20 within the sub 1 with its lower end 27 thereof projecting into a top plug cylinder 30. The top dart receiver 20 has a lower lip 23 which, after dart receipt within the top dart receiver 20, rests on an inner shoulder of the top plug cylinder 30. The top dart receiver 20 has an upper seat surface 24 against which rests and seals part of a top dart.
The top plug cylinder 30 has a body 31 with a flow bore 32 extending therethrough. A retainer ring 34 rests in a recess 35. The retainer ring 34 is released when the top dart receiver 20 moves downwardly in the top plug cylinder 30 past the retainer ring 34. Then the retainer ring 34 contracts radially to prevent the top dart receiver 20 from moving back up within the top plug oylinder 30. An 0-ring 36 in a recess 37 seals the interface between the top dart receiver 20 and the top plug cylinder 30.
The top plug cylinder 30 is held within a central bore 83 of a top plug 80, e.g. by any suitable fastener or adhesive, e.g. epoxy adhesive. The top plug cylinder 30 may be made of any suitable metal, ceramic, cement, composite, plastic or fiberglass material, as may each component of.the plug set 100.
In the embodiment shown the top plug cylinder 30 is made of composite plastic or of aluminium, the core 84 of the top plug 80 is made of filled urethane or pheno-lic plastic material, and epoxy adhesive holds the two together. In one aspect, a top plug cylinder (e.g., made of plastic, fiberglass, or metal; made of, e.g., PDC-drillable material) is molded into a plug core (e.g., a core of filled urethane, urethane or phenolic material) during the plug molding manufacturing process.
An 0-ring 49 in a recess 48 seals the interface WO 99/ t 4461 PCTiC 89S/02722

- 6 -between the top plug cylinder 30 and the top part of a bottom dart receiver 50. A recess 39 is formed in the lower end 42 of the body 31.
The bottom dart receiver 50 has a body 51 with a fluid flow bore 52 extending therethrough. An upper shear ring 53 secured to or formed integrally of the body 51 projects out from the body 51 and initially rests on the shoulder 38 of the top plug cylinder 30.
This can be a segmented shear ring of less than three hundred sixty degrees in extend and/or it can be grooved, cut, or indented to facilitate breaking.
Initially a secondary burst sleeve 55 blocks fluid flow through a port 54. As a fail safe measure, more than one port can be provided, with the weakest being the one to open. The secondary burst sleeve 55 is held in place by a friction fit, by an adhesive, by thermal locking, or fusion, or some combination thereof. In one aspect, the secondary burst sleeve 55 is made of alumi-num, e.g. 0.44mm (0.0175 inches) thick to burst at a fluid pressure of 70.75 bar (1026 p.s.i.). In one aspect such a sleeve is made by using two hollow cylin-drical aluminum members, heating one, cooling the other, then inserting the cooled member into the heated member.
As the two members reach ambient temperature they are firmly joined as the heated member cools to shrink onto the cooled member and the cooled member expands against the cooled heated member. In one aspect the port is covered by a portion of the sleeve at which the two pieces of aluminum overlap. In another aspect a single molded piece is used.
The bottom dart receiver 50 has an inner seating surface 56 against which rests and seats a sealing face of a bottom dart. The lower shoulder 58 of the body 51 rests on a bottom plug cylinder 60. Fluid pressure equalization ports 57 extend through the body 51 and

- 7 -permit fluid flow from within the bottom dart receiver to an interior space 88 within the nose 81 and from there to space between the top plug 80 and bottom plug 90 so that the two plugs in place in a wellbore (in place beneath the surface from which a wellbore extends down) do not lock together due to the hydrostatic pres-sure of fluids on the two plugs pushing them together.
The bottom dart receiver 50 has a lower end 59 that projects down into the bottom plug cylinder 60 that extends from a top of the bottom plug 90 to a point near the plug's bottom above a nose 92. The bottom plug 90 has a body 91 with a deformable core 94 and a central fluid flow bore 93. In the bottom plug 90 of the system 100 it is preferred that the wall thickness of the body 91 "t" be reduced as compared to the wall thickness of typical bottom plugs (and, e.g. as compared to the wall thickness of a top plug having a thickness "T" as in the top plug 80). In certain aspects of a bottom plug with a body made of urethane, filled urethane, or polyure-thane or a similar material, the wall thickness "t" is about 1.27cm (h inch) or about lcm (3/8 of an inch).
Such a wall thickness facilitates bending downwardly of fins 97 of the bottom plug 90, thereby providing an additional bypass flow path between the fins (and the plug) and an interior casing wall. Such a flow path increases flow area when the burst tube functions as desired; and for example provides an alternative flow path around the plugs in the event that the hole 65 is not opened so that a cementing operation is still pos-sible.
The top plug 80 has a nose ring 81 made of e.g.
aluminum (or of a similar material, metal, or alloy) with a lower projecting portion 82 which facilitates installation of the plugs into a casing by preventing the top fin 85 from interfering with the nose ring 81.

- 8 -The bottom plug cylinder 60 has a body 61 with a hole 65 therethrough (more than one hole may be used) and a lower end 64.
A primary burst tube 70 with a body 71 encircles part of the bottom plug cylinder 60 and, initially, blocks fluid flow through the hole 65. An enlarged lower end 72 rests on an inner shoulder 99 of the bottom plug 90. This enlarged end facilitates correct emplace-ment of the primary bursting tube 70 on the bottom plug cylinder 60 and hinders the extrusion of the burst out from within the bottom plug 90 between the exterior of the bottom plug cylinder 60 and the inner surface of the central fluid flow bore 93.
In one typical operation of the plug set 100 a ball or a bottom dart BD free falls or is pumped down and is received within the bottom dart receiver 50, seating against the inner seating surface 56. As pressure builds up, the upper shear ring 53 shears (e.g. at about 110 bar (1600 p.s.i.)), releasing the bottom dart re-ceiver 50 and bottom plug 90. This combination moves down in the cased wellbore, e.g. to contact a float shoe already positioned in the wellbore at a desired loca-tion. The dart seated on the inner seating surface 56 and the intact primary burst tube 70 prevent fluid from flowing through the central fluid flow bore 93 of the bottom plug 90.
Figure 1c shows the bottom plug 90 after launching.
Once the bottom plug 90 is positioned and seated as desired, fluid pressure (e.g. cement) is increased and fluid flows down in an interior space 95 and, when a desired pressure is reached, e.g. about 48 bar to 55 bar (700 to about 800 p.s.i.), the primary burst tube 70 bursts at the hole 65 permitting fluid to flow through the bottom plug 90 to the float shoe. If, for any reason, the primary burst tube 70 fails to burst, or if

- 9 _ the bottom plug does not have bursting disks or tubes, or simply to increase bypass area, an increase in fluid pressure above the bottom plug 90 may initiate a flexing in the thin walled body 91 of the bottom plug 90 which allows the wiper fins 87 and the fins 97 to flex down-wardly, allowing fluid from above the bottom plug 90 to pass in an annulus between the body 91 of the bottom plug 90 and the tubular in the wellbore, past the wiper fins 87 and fins=97.
The bottom plug 90 is provided with a nose 92 provided with a bottom exit flow port 96 and side flow ports 98.
When it is desired to launch the top plug 80, If for example, to follow down a predetermined quantity of cement, or to separate two types of fluid) a top dart TD
is introduced into the string above the top cross-over sub 1 and is pumped down so that the dart seats on the upper seat surface 24 of the top dart receiver 20. When fluid pressure then reaches a sufficient level, e.g.
about 83 bar (1200 p.s.i.), the upper shear ring 25 shears releasing the top dart receiver 20 from the sub 1 and pushing the top dart receiver 20 down in the top lug cylinder 30.
This frees the bottom collet members 14, releasing the top plug cylinder 30 and the top plug 80. The top dart prevents fluid flow through the central bore 83 of the top plug 80 and fluid pressure moves the top plug 80 down to contact the bottom plug 90. The central bore 83 of the top plug 80 is sized and configured to receive the bottom dart receiver 50. The nose projecting por-tion 82 of the top plug 80 contacts and seals against the bottom plug 90.
If for some reason the top plug 80 launches with the bottom plug 90, bursting of the secondary burst sleeve 55 provides a fluid flow path through the top

- 10 -plug 80 which would not normally be possible with the top plug 80 seated on the bottom plug 90. For example, if the bottom dart is inadvertently pumped down too fast with too much momentum when it hits the bottom plug 90 the impact may be sufficient to break the collet members 14, launching the two plugs 80, 90 together. In such a situation the secondary bursting tube acts as a pressure spike or pulse relief system and, although the two plugs launch together, it may still be possible to complete a cementing operation. More particular, when pumping a bottom dart down at a high rate, e.g. rates exceeding 3181/min (2 barrels per minute) (84 US gallons per minute) or dart velocity exceeding 2m/s (7 feet per second), a pressure pulse or spike is created, e.g. as high as 159 bar (2,300 p.s.i.). Such a pulse may last one second, a half second. a fifth of a second, or three hundredths of a second or less. In one situation such a high pressure was recorded over a lapse time of 2/100 of a second on large plugs for pipe 31cm (12.25") in dia-meter. The reason for these pressure pulses or spikes is because the bottom dart is moving at a high velocity and the bottom plug is stationary. The bottom dart receiver 50 in the bottom plug 90 catches the dart, stopping its movement, and the pump pressure and fluid momentum behind the dart cause. the pressure spike or pulse which bursts the secondary bursting sleeve 55.
Once the pulse is relieved through the blown secondary bursting sleeve 55 the pump pressure is then applied to the entire top of the bottom plug 90. This pressure causes the bottom plug 90 to start moving and separate from the top plug 80 by shearing the bottom dart receiv-er 50 away from the top plug 80. However, the required shear pressure, typically less than 13.8 bar (200 p.s.i.), applied to the entire top of the bottom plug 90 is much less than the pressure required to burst the

- 11 -primary burst tube 70, typically 48 to 55 bar (700 to 800 p.s.i.). Each plug 80, 90 has two wipers 87 and two fins 97 respectively.
In one aspect the bottom plug cylinder 60 is fiber-glass and the bottom dart receiver 50 is plastic, fiber-glass, or aluminum; and the two are secured together with a suitable adhesive, e.g. epoxy. In one aspect, the secondary burst sleeve 55 has a body made of plas-tic, fiberglass or composite with a portion made of aluminum. This portion is sized to overlap the port(s) 54 in the bottom dart receiver 50. In one aspect the top dart receiver 20 is made from aluminum and, in one aspect, the bottom dart receiver 50 is made from alumi-num.
Fig. ic shows a bottom plug 90 properly separated from the top plug 80 with a bottom dart BD in the bottom dart receiver 50. Fig. ld shows the top plug 80 separa-ted from the top crossover sub 1 with a top dart 79 in the top plug cylinder 30.
Fig. 2a shows a float collar 200 according to the present invention with an outer hollow cylindrical body 101 having threaded ends 102 (top, interior threads) and 103 (bottom, exterior threads) with an amount of hard-ened material 104 (e.g. adhesive or cement) holding a valve 120 (e.g. either a known typical prior art float valve or a valve as disclosed in issued U.S. Patent 5,511,618. Positioned above the valve 120 is a flow baffle 105 (see also Fig. 33c) with a body 106, descend-ing arms 107, and flow openings or spaces 108 between the arms. A base 109 secured to or formed integrally of the body 106 is held in the hardened material 104.
Fluid is flowable through a top flow bore 110 in the body 106.
Fig. 3 shows a bottom plug 90 that has moved to seat on the baffle 105 of the float collar 200. Arrows

- 12 -indicate two fluid flow paths from above the plug 90 to the valve 120. A first path 121 includes flow: between the plug 90 (and bent down fins 97, i.e_ bent down due to fluid force more than is shown in Fig_ 3) and an interior 123 of the casing to and through the spaces 96, through the top flow bore 110 of the baffle 105 and thence to the valve 120. A second path 122 includes flow: between the plug 90 (and bent down fins 97, i.e., bent down more than is shown in Fig. 3 so flow is per-mitted) and the interior 123 of the casing, to and through the spaces 108 of the baffle 105, and thence to the valve 120. Either the first path 121, the second path 122, or both paths ma_v include flow in through the hole65 and through the bore 93 when the hole 65 is not blocked to flow.
Fig. 4 shows a landing collar 150 useful with plug release systems and plug landing devices for receiving a plug and seating it against a landing ring. Plug 80 is shown within the landing collar 150. A plug landing ring 152'is held within a hollow collar body 151 with a retaining ring 153. Alternatively the landing ring may be formed integrallv of the collar body_ A
tapered surface 155 on the landing ring 152 and, when driven together by fluid pressure, the two surfaces "wedge-lock" together. The body 15.1 is threaded at both ends. In one particular embodiment the landi-ng ring and/or retaining ring are made of drillable material, including, but not limited to: aluminum, aluminum alloy, zinc, zinc allov, plastic, fiberglass, composite, carbon fiber material, wood, low grade steel, brass, cast iron, or a combination thereof_ in one aspect the nose of plug 80 is made of aluminum or some other drillable material.
In certain plug systems, a bottom cementing plug of a plug set functions to wipe the casing or pipe ahead of

- 13 -the cement and to separate the cement slurry or spacer which is behind the plug from drilling fluid or a spacer in front of the plug. When the bottom plug lands on the float collar it bursts or ruptures a disk or diaphragm to allow cement to pass through the plug unobstructed.
In prior art stage cementing equipment the top cementing plug goes behind the cement and wipes the pipe and separates the cement slurry from well fluids pumped behind the top cementing plug. The top cementing plug lands on top of the bottom cementing plug effecting a shut off of the fluid being pumped into the well. In some cases, the top cementing plug is used to pressure test the casing or pipe immediately after the plug is landed. In prior art stage cementing equipment, a first stage top cementing plug lands on a baffle above a bottom cementing plug. Often the bottom cementing plug and top cementing plug perform their respective jobs as required. However, a bottom cementing plug may fail to allow cement through the bottom plug. When this occurs, the entire mix of cement in the pipe cannot exit, and thus sets in the pipe.
Bottom plug cores taken when the bottom plug has shut off the flow of fluid in the well and the cement set up inside the casing have been studied and have contained rust, scale, and other debris stuck to the casing or pipe interior on top of the bottom plug. The bottom plug "pop's off" the debris-from the interior of the pipe or casing while the bottom plug is being pumped down the casing allowing it to settle on top of the bottom plug. In other cases debris (such as large pieces of wood and slicker suits) pumped down by the bottom plug effects the shut off. In a few instances nothing but set cement has been found, indicating the cement directly on top of the plug set prior to the cement exiting the casing.

- 14 -Another problem with bottom plugs, particularly in high angle holes, is that the bottom plug pushes debris ahead to the flow collar and compacts the material prior to rupturing or bursting the diaphragm. The compacted debris settles to the "bottom side" and fluid flows around the material into the float collar. However, when the top plug lands on top of the bottom plug it cannot effect or seal a good seal .(cementing plugs in general depend on a face seal to stop the flow of fluid) because the bottom plug is not sealed against the col-lar. Thus wipers on the top and bottom plug turn and the cement can be over displaced, i.e. pushed too far up in the annulus creating an undesirable situation re-ferred to as a "wet shoe".
A float collar like the float collar 200 has a landing baffle 105 that provides a "roof" over the inlet to the float collar. The baffle forces fluid to go around the edges and then back into the float valve.
interior. The baffle prevents debris (such as wood or a slicker suit) from shutting off the flow of the fluid into the float valve and to protect the float valve from debris pumped down the casing such as rocks, gloves, eyeglasses, etc. and possibly knocking the plunger out of the float valve. The bottom plug allows fluid to flow through the center of the plug (e.g. as in the conventional bottom SSR plugs), but it also allows fluid by-pass around the outer fins if the center of the plug is blocked to flow with debris such as rust, wire, or set cement. The baffle and plug are designed to lock together during drill out. The ribs 111 of the baffle 105 are received and held in the spaces 196 between the member 95 of the plug 90. Such locking may not occur when the plug initially lands on the baffle, but will be effected when drilling of the plug commences.
In one aspect the top plug is a 9e" top plug landed

- 15 --on the landing collar 150 located some distance above the float collar. The landing ring has an inner dia-meter of 7.75" (197mm) and thus allows a standard bottom plug to pass at between 250 and 400 p.s.i. pumped fluid pressure. Certain embodiments of a bottom plug 90 will pass at an even.lower pressure, e.g. at about 120 p.s.i.
or less. In this particular embodiment, the maximum outer diameter of the plug nose is 8.23" (209mm) for use in standard API casiing- ID's (inner diameters) for 9e"
including 9e" 53.5n with a nominal ID of 8.535"
(216.8mm) and a drift ID of 8.379" (212.8mm). Applying pressure to the nose and landing ring causes the two pieces to lock together as two wedges, one driven against the other. Such "wedge locking" is known in the prior art for locking two rings together. Thus, in certain aspects, meeting the requirements for non-rota-ting for drill out. The maximum pump pressure of cer-tain embodiments of such a system is 7,500 p.s_i.(52 MPa) ("Bump pressure" is pressure applied to a casing inner diameter after a top plug has landed.) Fig. 5a and 5b show a system 300 like the system of Fig. 3 (like numerals indicate the same components), but with an inner cylinder 201 having flat-ended projections 202 for compressing fins 97 of the plug 90. Disposed between projections 202 are flow areas 203 which provide flow path area or additional flow path area for fluid flowing from above the plug 90 to the valve 120.
Fig. 6a and 6b show a system 250 like the systems of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5a (like numerals i.ndicate the same comoonents), but with an inner cylinder 2.51 having sharp edged projections 252 fcr cutting fins 97 of the plug 90. Disposed between projections 252 are flow areas 253 which provide flow path area or additional flow path area for fluid flowing from above the plug 90 to the valve 120.

- 16 -Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, there is shown two example arrangements in which the above described appar-atus could be used. Figs. 7 and 8 show the plugs in their final resting positions after the cementing opera-tion is complete. The bottom plug 90 is shown received on a float collar 200. The nose 92 of the bottom plug 90 is rotationally locked with respect to the float collar 200 to facilitate drilling out at a later stage.
The top plug 80 'is received by the landing collar 150.
The nose 81 of the upper plug 80 is sized such that tapered surface face 155 thereof mates with tapered surface 154 of the landing ring 152. The float shoe is spaced from the float collar in Fig. 7 in two.separate units. The float shoe and float,collar are combined into one unit 230 in Fig. B.
The landing collar 150 as shown in Fig. 4 may be provided with castilations and/or rounded castilations.
The nose 81 of the top plug 80 may be provided with corresponding castilations such that in use, when the plug 80 is received by the landing collar 150, the castilations engage, rotationally locking therebetween.
This will facilitate fast drill through thereof.

Claims (31)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A plug landing system comprising a landing collar with a cylindrical body, a ring disposed therein, said ring having a tapered surface corresponding to a tapered surface of a wellbore plug for sealing contact therebetween and for wedge locking therebetween.

2. The plug landing system of claim 1, wherein the ring is made of drillable material.

3. The plug landing system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the system includes the wellbore plug.

4. The plug landing system of claim 3, wherein the wellbore plug is made of drillable material.

5. The plug landing system of claim 3 or 4, wherein the wellbore plug has a nose at a bottom end thereof for contacting the ring, the nose and the ring made from a material from the group consisting of aluminium, aluminium alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, brass, low grade steel, and cast iron.

6. A method of cementing tubulars in a wellbore comprising the steps of launching a first plug in said tubular, pumping cement thereafter and launching a second plug thereafter, said first plug landing on a float collar or a float shoe and pumping cement across or through said first plug, wherein said second plug lands on a landing collar above said first plug, wherein the landing collar comprises a cylindrical body, a ring disposed therein, said ring having a tapered surface, corresponding to a tapered surface of the second plug for sealing contact therebetween and for wedge locking therebetween.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ring is made of drillable material.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the second plug is made of drillable material.

9. The method of claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the second plug has a nose at a bottom end thereof which contacts the ring, the nose and the ring made from a material from the group consisting of aluminium, aluminium alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, brass, low grade steel, and cast iron.

10. A wellbore plug landing system, comprising:
a landing collar with a hollow cylindrical body with a bore therethrough from a top end thereof to a bottom end thereof; and a ring disposed in the hollow cylindrical body and having a ring opening therethrough for fluid flow therethrough, the ring having a top and a bottom;
the ring having a tapered surface surrounding the ring opening, the tapered surface tapering inwardly from the top of the ring; and the ring's tapered surface being tapered to correspond to a tapered surface of a wellbore plug for sealing contact of the wellbore plug with the ring and for wedge locking of the wellbore plug with the ring.

11. The wellbore plug landing system of claim 10, wherein the ring is made of drillable material.

12. The wellbore plug landing system of claim 10 or 11, including the wellbore plug.

13. The wellbore plug landing system of claim 12, wherein the wellbore plug is made of drillable material.

14. The wellbore plug landing system of any one of claims to 13, including the wellbore plug and wherein the wellbore plug has a nose at a bottom end thereof for contacting the ring, the nose and the ring being made from a material from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, brass, low grade steel, and cast iron.

15. The wellbore plug landing system of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the ring is a separate piece held in the hollow cylindrical body with a hollow locking cylinder which extends partially into a body recess in the hollow cylindrical body and partially into a ring recess in the ring.

16. A wellbore plug, comprising:
a body with a top and a bottom;
a nose on the bottom; and a tapered surface on the nose and extending therearound and tapering inwardly toward the bottom of the plug;
wherein the tapered surfaces are such that the wellbore plug is wedge lockable with the landing ring.

17. The wellbore plug of claim 16, wherein the tapered surface of the nose is configured and disposed to correspond to and seal against a tapered surface on a landing ring.

18. A wellbore plug, comprising:
a body with a bore therethrough defined by an inner wall of the body; and at least one fin projecting out from and extending around an exterior wall of the body;
the body having a thickness between the inner wall and the exterior wall of less than one-half inch, and the body made of plastic material.

19. The wellbore plug of claim 18, wherein the body is made of a material from the group consisting of urethane, filled urethane and polyurethane and the body thickness is no more than three-eights of an inch.

20. The wellbore plug of claim 19, wherein the body includes a bottom portion with a plurality of downwardly projecting spaced-apart members with fluid flow spaces between the spaced-apart members.

21. A float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough;
a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar; and a baffle having a fluid flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve, the baffle further comprising:

a body ring with a ring fluid flow bore therethrough, and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending downwardly from the body ring with fluid flow spaces between adjacent projections;
and a plurality of top ribs projecting upwardly from the body ring and the top ribs disposed and sized for receipt within openings of a plug landing on the ribs so that the plug will not rotate with respect to the baffle.

22. The float collar of claim 21, wherein the baffle has a base connected to the spaced-apart projections and at least a portion of the base is within the amount of hardened material.

23. The float collar of claim 21 or 22, wherein the float valve is mounted in an amount of hardened material in the bore of the hollow cylindrical body and the spaced-apart projections of the baffle contact the amount of hardened material.

24. A float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough;
a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar;
a baffle having a fluid flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve; and a hollow cylinder within the hollow cylindrical body for receiving a plug pumped down to the float collar;
the cylinder having a cylinder bore therethrough and at least two spaced-apart projections extending into the cylinder bore for contacting fins of a plug, said projections defining a fluid flow path therebetween.

25. The float collar of claim 24, wherein each of the at least two projections has a cutting edge for cutting fins of the plug.

26. The float collar of claim 24 or 25, wherein the baffle comprises:
a body ring with a ring fluid flow bore therethrough, and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending downwardly from the body ring with fluid flow spaces between adjacent projections.

27. The float collar of claim 26, wherein the float valve is mounted in an amount of hardened material in the bore of the hollow cylindrical body and the spaced-apart projections of the baffle contact the amount of hardened material.

28. The float collar of claim 26 or 27, wherein the baffle further comprises:
a plurality of top ribs projecting upwardly from the body ring.

29. The float collar of claim 28, wherein the ribs are disposed and sized for receipt within openings of a plug landing on the ribs so that the plug will not rotate with respect to the baffle.

30. The float collar of any one of claims 26 to 29, wherein the baffle has a base connected to the spaced-apart projections and at least a portion of the base is within the amount of hardened material.

31. A float collar for wellbore operations, the float collar comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body having a body bore therethrough;
a float valve mounted in the bore for controlling fluid flow through the float collar; and a baffle having a fluid flow bore therethrough in fluid communication with the body bore and mounted above the float valve for preventing a foreign object from clogging the float valve, the baffle further comprising:
a body ring with a ring fluid flow bore therethrough, the body ring providing a roof over the body bore of the hollow cylindrical body; and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending vertically and downwardly from the body ring with fluid flow spaces between adjacent projections.