Self-Removing Plug for Pressure Isolation in Tubing of Well

Abstract

A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular include a mandrel, a first slip, a cone, and a seal element. The mandrel, which can be permanent or temporary, has a first end shoulder. The first slip is disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder, and the cone is disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip. The cone is movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular. The seal element is disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone. At least a portion of the seal element is composed of a dissolvable metallic material and is expandable outward from the mandrel. The expanded portion of the seal element forms a metal seal against the tubular and seals off fluid communication in the annular space between the seal element and the tubular.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular, the apparatus comprising:
 a mandrel having a first end shoulder;   a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder;   a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;   a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone, at least a portion of the seal element composed of a dissolvable metallic material and being expandable outward from the mandrel, the expanded portion of the seal element forming a metal seal against the tubular and sealing off fluid communication in the annular space between the seal element and the tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end shoulder is disposed on the mandrel and is removable therefrom in response to a predetermined load. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the mandrel freed of the first end shoulder is removable from the slip, the cone, and the seal element. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the seal element defines a seating area engageable by a plug deployed down the tubular to the apparatus; or wherein the cone defines a seating area engageable by a plug deployed down the tubular to the apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end shoulder is disposed toward a first end of the mandrel, wherein the mandrel has a second end shoulder disposed at a second end adjacent the seal element, wherein the mandrel defines a through-bore from the first end to the second end, and wherein the second end defines a seating area about the through-bore, the seating area engageable by a plug deployed down the tubular to the apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal element comprises:
 first and second rings disposed on the mandrel and movable longitudinally thereon;   an expansion ring disposed on the mandrel between the first and second rings and expanding radially outward with the longitudinal movement of the first and second rings toward one another.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sheath disposed circumferentially about at least the expansion ring, the sheath deforming outward toward the tubular with the radial expansion of the expansion ring.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a sealing ring bonded circumferentially about the sheath and engageable against the tubular; and/or wherein the first ring is integrally part of the cone. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the sheath comprises one or more lips extending at least between the first ring and the cone, at least between the second ring and a push ring disposed on the mandrel, or between the first ring and the cone as well as the second ring and the push ring. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second rings, the expansion ring, and the sheath are each composed of a reactive metal. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first ring defines a first inclined face, the second ring defines a second inclined face opposing the first inclined face, the expansion ring having first and second inclined sides disposed respectively against the first and second inclined faces. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the expansion ring comprise first and second split rings interlocked together and each having one of the first and second inclined sides. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the expansion ring comprises an elastomeric material disposed at least between the first and second interlocked split rings. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first elastomeric element disposed adjacent the first inclined face of the first ring and engageable with the first side; and/or   a second elastomeric element disposed adjacent the second inclined face of the second ring and engageable with the second side.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first elastomeric element comprises a lip disposed in an edge of the first ring and at least partially engaging the mandrel; and/or wherein the second inclined face defines a cutaway accommodating the second elastomeric element. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the expansion ring defines an external surface disposed circumferentially thereabout and engageable toward the tubular, the external surface comprising a plurality of fins extending therefrom. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second inclined face defines a cutaway accommodating portion of the first inclined face moved longitudinally toward the second inclined surface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first inclined face defines a lip engageable against the mandrel. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the second ring; and   a second end shoulder disposed on the mandrel adjacent the second slip and movable toward the first end shoulder to engage the second slip toward the tubular.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the second ring comprises a body lock ring engageable with a portion of the mandrel. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal element comprises:
 a push ring disposed on the mandrel and movable longitudinally thereon;   an expansion ring disposed on the mandrel between the push ring and an inclined face of the cone and expanding radially outward with the longitudinal movement of the push ring and the cone toward one another; and   a sheath disposed circumferentially about at least the expansion ring and having a lip extending at least toward the push ring, the sheath deforming outward toward the tubular with the radial expansion of the expansion ring.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal element is disposed about the cone and against an end of the first slip, the seal element expandable along an incline of the cone. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first slip is disposed against a first incline of the cone, wherein the seal element is disposed about a second incline of the cone opposed to the second incline, and wherein the seal element is expandable along the second incline of the cone. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel defines a first incline; wherein the seal element is expandable along the first incline of the mandrel; wherein the cone defines a second incline opposing the first incline, wherein a setting element disposed between the first slip and the seal element concurrently expands the first slip and the seal element along the respective incline and is frangible in response to a predetermined load thereagainst. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the seal element comprises a swage seal having: a ring body composed of the dissolvable metallic material; and inner and outer seal members disposed respectively about the inner and outer circumferences of the ring body. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal element comprises:
 a first ring disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone, the first ring having first petals flexible outward therefrom, the first ring having a lip disposed at least partially between the cone and the mandrel;   a second ring disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first ring and having second petals flexible outward therefrom; and   a push cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the second ring and being moveable longitudinally on the mandrel toward the first end shoulder.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein at least one or more of the first ring, second ring, and push cone comprises a coating of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is an expandable sleeve; wherein the first slip is disposed on an outer surface of the expandable sleeve; wherein the seal element is disposed on the outer surface of the expandable sleeve; and wherein the cone is disposed in the expandable sleeve, the cone movable toward the first end shoulder to expand the expandable sleeve and engage the first slip and the seal element toward the tubular. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 ,
 wherein the first end shoulder comprises an at least partially closed end of the expandable sleeve, the cone having a portion sealably engaging the at least partially closed end; or   wherein the cone is removable from the expandable sleeve.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a perforating gun running into the tubular and operable to perforate the tubular; and   a running tool extending from the perforating gun and temporarily affixable to the apparatus, the running tool being operable to set the apparatus in the tubular.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dissolvable metallic material is selected from the group consisting of a reactive metal; a magnesium alloy; and calcium, magnesium, and aluminum including alloying elements of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, lithium, gallium, indium, zinc, and bismuth. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more components of the apparatus other than the seal element are composed of one or more of a reactive metal, a degradable composite polymer, a self-removing material, and an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         33 . A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular, the apparatus comprising:
 a mandrel having a first end shoulder;   a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder;   a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;   a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone, at least a portion of the seal element composed of a dissolvable metallic material, at least partially coated with a coating material, and being expandable outward from the mandrel, the expanded portion of the seal element forming a metal seal against the tubular and sealing off fluid communication in the annular space between the seal element and the tubular.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the coating material is selected from the group consisting of elastomer, rubber, degradable material, dissolvable material, and epoxy.