Wiper plug having disintegrable flow passage obstructing portion and method of using same

Abstract

A wiper plug including a body having one or more wiping elements radially extending therefrom. An obstructing portion is disintegrable upon exposure to a selected fluid in order to permit fluid communication across the wiper plug when the obstructing portion is disintegrated. A method of using a wiper plug is also included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wiper plug, comprising:
 a body having one or more wiping elements radially extending therefrom; and   an obstructing portion disintegrable upon exposure to a selected fluid in order to permit fluid communication across the wiper plug when the obstructing portion is disintegrated.   
     
     
         2 . The wiper plug of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a flow passage formed therein and the obstructing portion is initially disposed to block flow through the flow passage. 
     
     
         3 . The wiper plug of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more seal elements sealingly engaging the obstructing portion within the flow passage. 
     
     
         4 . The wiper plug of  claim 2 , further comprising a nose member couplable to the body, the flow passage formed also through the nose member, and wherein the obstructing portion is located between the nose member and the body. 
     
     
         5 . The wiper plug of  claim 4 , wherein the obstructing portion includes a flange that is trapped between the nose member and body to hold the obstructing portion in the flow passage. 
     
     
         6 . The wiper plug of  claim 4 , further comprising one or more seal elements sealingly engaging the obstructing portion within the flow passage. 
     
     
         7 . The wiper plug of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more seal elements sealingly engage the obstructing portion with the body, the nose, or a combination including at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         8 . A completion system including the wiper plug of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a casing string disposed in a borehole and a running string disposed in the casing string, the wiper plug configured to travel through the running string to urge cement through the running string and out through the casing string into an annulus between the casing string and the borehole. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a liner wiper configured to sealingly receive the wiper plug and to together travel through a liner of the casing string to urge the cement into the annulus. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the casing string includes at least one float for enabling cement or other fluids to flow from the casing string into the annulus while preventing the flow of cement or other fluids into the casing string from the annulus. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using a wiper plug comprising:
 engaging one or more wiping elements of the wiper plug within a string;   moving the wiper plug through the string;   impeding fluid flow across the wiper plug with an obstructing portion of the wiper plug;   exposing the obstructing portion to a selected fluid;   disintegrating the obstructing portion with the selected fluid; and   communicating fluid across the wiper plug.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the obstructing portion is disposed in a flow passage formed through a body of the wiper plug. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the string is a running string disposed in a casing string installed in a borehole. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein moving the wiper plug includes urging cement out of the running string and the casing string into an annulus formed between the borehole and the casing string. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising landing the wiper plug in a liner wiper and moving the liner wiper together with the wiper plug through a liner of the casing string before communicating fluid across the wiper plug.