Dissolvable plug removal with erosive tool

Abstract

Methods of plugging a hydrocarbon well by using degradable plugs are provided. When the plug is no longer needed, a degradation fluid or fluids are pumped downhole under high pressure, typically via jet, such that the degradation fluid provides an erosive force to the degradable plug, thus both speeding its degradation and preventing or minimizing the leaving of solid plug material remnants in the well.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 ) A method of temporarily plugging a hydrocarbon well, comprising:
 a. providing a section of tubing in a well, said tubing having one or more degradable plug(s) therein, thus providing a plugged section of well;   b. performing a downhole activity in said plugged section of well for a period of time; and   c. providing one or more degrading fluid(s) downhole to degrade said degradable plug, leaving no solid plug material behind and thereby opening said plugged section of well, wherein said degrading fluid is deployed at a high pressure so as to provide an erosive force to completely remove said plug in 50% of the time required to remove said plug without said high pressure and with just said one or more degrading fluid(s).   
     
     
         2 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradable plug is degradable in less than 48 hours. 
     
     
         3 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradable plug is degradable in less than 24 hours. 
     
     
         4 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradation fluid is applied with a jet. 
     
     
         5 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plug is in a side wall of a casing or tubing and said degradation fluid is applied with a jet angled at about 90° to said well. 
     
     
         6 ) The method of  claim 1 , said method further comprising providing one or more blocking devices above and below said plugged section before step b), wherein said blocking devices are selected from a plug, a packer, a basket, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high pressure is at least about 1000 psi and is provided by a jet. 
     
     
         8 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high pressure is at least about 1500 psi and is provided by a jet. 
     
     
         9 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high pressure is at least about 2000 psi and is provided by a jet. 
     
     
         10 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high pressure is at 1500-5000 psi. 
     
     
         11 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradation fluid is selected from an aqueous acid, an aqueous caustic, an aqueous brine, xylene, toluene, chloroform CHCl 3 , or other aromatic solvent, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMA), dichloromethane (DCM) CH 2 Cl 2 , tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, hexafluoroisopropanol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradation fluid is combined with an abrasive agent. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein said degradation fluid is combined with an abrasive agent. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein said degradable plug is a threaded plug and wherein said threads are wrapped with a degradable thread tape. 
     
     
         15 ) The method of  claim 14 , wherein a first degrading fluid degrades said degradable thread tape and a second degrading fluid degrades said degradable plug. 
     
     
         16 ) The method of  claim 14 , wherein a first degrading fluid degrades both said degradable thread tape and said degradable plug. 
     
     
         17 ) A method of temporarily plugging a hydrocarbon well, comprising:
 a. providing a section of tubing in a well, said tubing having one or more degradable plug(s) therein, thus providing a plugged section of well;   b. performing a downhole activity in said plugged section of well for a period of time; and   c. providing one or more degrading fluid(s) downhole to degrade said degradable plug, leaving no solid plug material behind and thereby opening said plugged section of well, wherein said degrading fluid is deployed at a high pressure of 1500 psi so as to provide an erosive force that removes said plug faster than a time required to remove said plug without said high pressure and with just said one or more degrading fluid(s).   
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said degradable plug is degradable in less than 24 hours. 
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said plug is in a side wall of a casing or tubing and said degradation fluid is applied with a jet angled at about 90° to said well. 
     
     
         20 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said plug is inline in said well and said degradation fluid is applied with a jet angled at less than +/−10° to said well. 
     
     
         21 ) The method of  claim 17 , said method further comprising providing one or more blocking devices above and below said section, wherein said blocking devices are selected from a plug, a packer, a basket, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said degradation fluid is selected from an aqueous acid, an aqueous caustic, an aqueous brine, xylene, toluene, chloroform CHCl 3 , or other aromatic solvent, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMA), dichloromethane (DCM) CH 2 Cl 2 , tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, hexafluoroisopropanol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said degradation fluid is combined with an abrasive agent. 
     
     
         24 ) The method of  claim 17 , wherein said degradable plug is a threaded plug and wherein said threads are wrapped with a degradable thread tape. 
     
     
         25 ) The method of  claim 23 , wherein a first degrading fluid degrades said degradable thread tape and a second degrading fluid degrades said degradable plug. 
     
     
         26 ) The method of  claim 23 , wherein a first degrading fluid degrades both said degradable thread tape and said degradable plug.