Multi-plug launching system and method

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a system includes a multiple cement plug launching system having a plug system adapter assembly, a first plug assembly comprising a first central passage and a plurality of rupture disks, wherein each rupture disk of the plurality of rupture disks occludes a respective one of a plurality of rupture disk ports extending through the first plug assembly, and a second plug assembly comprising a second central passage, wherein the plug system adapter assembly is coupled to the second plug assembly, which is coupled to the first plug assembly, such that the plug system adapter assembly, the second plug assembly, and the first plug assembly are coupled to one another in an axial arrangement.

1 . A multiple cement plug launching system, comprising:
 a plug system adapter assembly;   a first plug assembly comprising a first central passage;   a second plug assembly comprising a second central passage;   a first plurality of shear screws coupling the first plug assembly to the second plug assembly; and   a second plurality of shear screws coupling the second plug assembly to the plug system adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein a first total number of the first plurality of shear screws is less than a second total number of the second plurality of shear screws. 
     
     
         3 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein a first shear strength of the first plurality of shear screws is less than a second shear strength of the second plurality of shear screws. 
     
     
         4 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plug assembly comprises a plurality of rupture disks, wherein each rupture disk of the plurality of rupture disks occludes a respective one of a plurality of rupture disk ports extending through the first plug assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of rupture disk ports extend axially through an outer body and an inner core of the first plug assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of rupture disk ports extend radially through a central insert of the first plug assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein the plug adapter assembly, the first plug assembly, and the second plug assembly are coupled to one another in an axial arrangement, the first plug assembly is disposed at an axial bottom of the multiple cement plug launching system, and the plug adapter assembly is disposed at an axial top of the multiple cement plug launching system. 
     
     
         8 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein the plug adapter assembly comprises a threaded portion at an axial top of the plug adapter assembly, wherein the threaded portion is configured to threadingly engage with a gripping device of a drilling rig. 
     
     
         9 . The multiple cement plug launching system of  claim 1 , wherein the first central passage comprises a first tapered throat portion comprising a first smallest diameter, the second central passage comprises a second tapered throat portion comprising a second smallest diameter, and wherein the first smallest diameter is smaller than the second smallest diameter. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 inserting a multiple cement plug launching system within a casing string, wherein the multiple cement plug launching system comprises a first plug assembly, a second plug assembly coupled to the first plug assembly, and a plug system adapter assembly coupled to the second plug assembly;   launching the first plug assembly down the casing string;   rupturing a plurality of rupture disks of the first plug assembly after launching the first plug assembly down the casing string; and   launching the second plug assembly down the casing string after rupturing the plurality of rupture disks in the first plug assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein launching the first plug assembly down the casing string comprises shearing a plurality of shear screws coupling the first plug assembly to the to the second plug assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising occluding a first central passage of the first plug assembly with a first solid ball and building pressure behind the first solid ball and the first plug assembly with a fluid to shear the plurality of shear screws, wherein the fluid comprises a spacer fluid, a cement slurry, or a combination thereof, and wherein the first solid ball comprises a ball diameter larger than a first diameter of the first central passage and smaller than a second diameter of a second central passage of the second plug assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein launching the second plug assembly down the casing string comprises shearing a plurality of shear screws coupling the second plug assembly to the plug system adapter assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising occluding a central passage of the second plug assembly with a solid ball and building pressure behind the solid ball and the second plug assembly with a fluid to shear the plurality of shear screws, wherein the fluid comprises a displacement fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising pumping a cement slurry down the casing string, through the first plug assembly, and into an annulus between the casing string and a wellbore after rupturing the plurality of rupture disks of the first plug assembly and before launching the second plug assembly down the casing string. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising coupling multiple cement plug launching system to a tubular gripping system of a drilling rig and inserting the multiple cement plug launching system into the casing string with the tubular gripping system. 
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 a multiple cement plug launching system, comprising:
 a plug system adapter assembly; 
 a first plug assembly comprising a first central passage and a plurality of rupture disks, wherein each rupture disk of the plurality of rupture disks occludes a respective one of a plurality of rupture disk ports extending through the first plug assembly; and 
 a second plug assembly comprising a second central passage, 
 wherein the plug system adapter assembly is coupled to the second plug assembly, which is coupled to the first plug assembly, such that the plug system adapter assembly, the second plug assembly, and the first plug assembly are coupled to one another in an axial arrangement. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first plug assembly is coupled to the second plug assembly with a first plurality of shear screws, the second plug assembly is coupled to the plug system adapter assembly with a second plurality of shear screws, and a first total number of the first plurality of shear screws is less than a second total number of the second plurality of shear screws. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , comprising a tubular gripping device of a drilling rig, wherein the plug system adapter is coupled to the tubular gripping device via a threaded connection. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first central passage comprises a first tapered throat portion comprising a first smallest diameter, the second central passage comprises a second tapered throat portion comprising a second smallest diameter, and wherein the first smallest diameter is smaller than the second smallest diameter.