1. Form a protective sheath around the casing thereby segregating producing formations to prevent migration of undesirable fluids;

2. Isolate or repair parts of the well; and

3. Shut off bottom water or reduce the depth of the well.

Two pieces of equipment routinely used in cementing operations are the collar and the shoe.

Typically, the collar, for example a float collar, is inserted between the top and bottom of a casing string usually one or two joints above a float shoe which is attached to the bottom of the casing string. Shoes and collars are usually equipped with a check valve to inhibit the back-flow of cement.

Various designs of float collars are available. However, all have various disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a float collar for use in well operations, characterized in that it comprises:- an elongated hollow tubular body, a seal plate disposed across the hollow tubular body and fixed thereto, the seal plate having outwardly extending arm for sealingly contacting an inner surface of the hollow tubular body, the seal plate having a bore for fluid flow therethrough.

Preferably, the float collar includes an amount of hardened cement disposed beneath and in

contact with the seal plate, the cement having a bore in fluid communication with the bore of the seal plate permitting fluid flow through the collar.

Advantageously, the float collar includes one or more _upstanding lugs on the seal plate for reception into one or more corresponding recesses on a device disposed above the collar, the lugs configured so that the recesses are not completely closed off to the flow of fluid therethrough upon contact of the collar and the device, thereby permitting fluid trapped between the collar and the device to flow from the recesses into the bore of the seal plate and thence down and out of the collar.

Preferably, a high friction surface is provided on the seal plate for contacting a corresponding surface on other apparatus inserted into the collar for providing an antirotation effect between the collar and the corresponding surface.

Advantageously, a recess is provided in the outwardly extending means for receiving and holding a sealing O-ring for sealingly abutting the inner surface of the hollow tubular body.

In addition to the collars and shoes typical cementing operations employ one or more plugs. These plugs can serve a variety of purposes, for example: -

(1) to serve as the interface between the cement slurry from the fluid it is displacing or the fluid which is being used to displace the cement to the desired level; (2) to wipe off the inner surface of the pipe string as it passes;

(3) to help prevent back-flow while the cement is setting; and

.(4) as a sealing means for checking the integrity of casing strings with high hydrostatic

pressure.

In practice the well operator makes up his pipe string so that the collar and/or shoe is lowered into the well to the desired level. When he decides to cement he may place a bottom pump down plug between the fluid already in the well and the wet cement. This bottom plug has a fluid passage through it which is sealed by a diaphragm or membrane. The cement is pumped into the well forcing the bottom plug down the well, displacing the fluid in front of it, until it reaches the top of the shoe or ^' collar. This restriction stops the plug and increased pumping pressure breaks the diaphragm or membrane and the cement passes through the plug and through the fluid passage of the collar or shoe. After the desired amount of cement is pumped into the well a top pump down plug is inserted to act as the interface between the fluid used to force the cement to the desired level. Often the bottom plug is not used and only one plug as the interface between the cement and the fluid is used to force the cement to the desired level. The top plug is usually pumped until it comes in contact with the bottom plug if one is used or the top of the cement tube part of the shoe or collar. The cement is allowed to set or harden and the well operator then carries out whatever other operations he intends to do.

Prior art plugs are usually made of a pliable or rubbery material, such as plastic, wood or rubber, sometimes with hollow metal or plastic cores and they fit snugly in the pipe string.

Once the cement has set up and the well operator has carried out his desired operations he may decide to drill out the plug and/or plugs, collar or shoe and the cement. The plugs are typically made of drillable material, as are the components of the collar

and shoe and of course, the cement which was pumped into the well. The well operator lowers the drill string into the well until the drill bit contacts the plug and he begins to drill by rotating the drill bit, usually clockwise.

Stage cementing tools are used to protect formations or when an extremely long column of cement is required. A common practice is for the tool or tools to be positioned in the string as it is run. During the cementing process an opening plug, often called a "bomb" is dropped. The bomb contacts a projection in the tool and on application of pressure causes the tool to open and cement is pumped into the annulus. Upon completion of cementing an operating tool called a "closing plug" is dropped. The closing plug contacts a projection in the tool and on application of pressure causes the tool to close. On completion of cementing, the stage tool projections, opening plug and closing plug are drilled out. It is sometimes desirable to pressure test the string with the closing plug in place. When done, a hydrostatic pressure is applied on top of the closing plug resulting in substantial loading.

Often during drill out, problems are encountered because of the elastomeric nature of the material used in many plugs; i.e., drilling is made more difficult because a drill bit may seize or "grab" the material rather than drilling through it easily as it does through taut, hardened materials such as cement. One solution to this problem has been to throw a sack full of glass bottles down the well prior to lowering the drill. However, this has limited use particularly where several plugs have to be drilled out.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a plug for well operations,

which plug comprises a body member insertable into a well bore or a bore of a tubular member, characterized in that said body member is provided with cavity means for containing a plurality of pieces of material for enhancing drillability of the plug.

Preferably, said cavity means contains pieces of material for enhancing drillability of the plug. Advantageously, said material is glass. Preferably, said cavity is closed to inhibit. loss of material therefrom.

Advantageously, the bottom of the body member is provided with a sealing member to seal the plug against a surface which the plug contacts.

Other problems with plugs are related to the fact that, although no two wells are identical, the available plugs are fairly standardized stock items which do not permit customization for a specific job.

Customized plugs for each job would be prohibitively expensive. It is also expensive, however, tp maintain an inventory of the variety of available standard plugs.

For example, although a piece of casing may be nominally designated as "17.8 cm casing", inside diameters of such casing can vary significantly depending on the weight per metre of the casing; e.g., 17.8 cm casing of 30.3 kg/m can have an inside diameter of 16.4 cm and a wall thickness of 6.9 mm, while that of 57.6 kg/m will have an inside diameter of 15.04 cm and a wall thickness of 13.7 mm.

In order to reduce this problem another aspect of the present invention provides a plug for well operations, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of spacer members and connection means for connecting the spacer members together.

The connection means may be an adhesive employed between adjacent spacer members to adhere them

to each other.

Alternatively, or in addition, the connection means may be a shaft extending between two or more spacer members. Preferably, the plug includes a plurality of wiper members, each wiper member connected to an adjacent wiper member or spacer member by connection means.

Advantageously, at least one of the wiper members is a generally flat disc with a wiping lip extending outwardly therefrom for wiping a bore into which the plug is inserted.

Alternatively, or in addition, at least one of the wiper members is a disc with its centre cut out, said disc having a generally cylindrical inner member with an outwardly extending wiping lip, the inner member having a top and a bottom which are suitable for insertion into corresponding recesses in spacer members disposed adjacent to the at least one wiper member. Preferably, at least one spacer member has a protruding lug and an adjacent spacer member has a recess for receiving said lug to hold the two spacer members together, to position them correctly in the plug, and to prevent them from rotating with respect to each other.

Advantageously, the plug includes a cavity for holding a plurality of pieces of material for enhancing drillability.

Preferably, the plug comprises a plug bottom with a surface made of high friction material for contacting a corresponding surface on other apparatus in a bore into which the plug is inserted for providing an antirotation effect between the plug and the corresponding surface. Advantageously, the plug comprises a sealing

0-ring on a bottom connected to the plug to seal the plug against a surface which the plug contacts.

Preferably, the plug comprises one or more flow recesses in the plug bottom, the one or more flow recesses configures so that, upon contact of the plug with a surface, fluid between the plug bottom, O-ring and surface may flow through recesses down into a bore through the centre of the plug rather than being trapped between the plug and the surface.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side view, partially cut away, of a prior art plug;

Figs. 2-6 are side views, partially cut away, of five embodiments of plugs according to the present invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view in partial cross-section of a float collar according to the invention with plugs according to the present invention thereon;

Figs. 8-11 are side views, partially in cross-section, of float collars according to the invention with plugs according to the invention thereon; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view on line A-A of Fig. 11. Referring to the drawings. Fig. 1 discloses a typical prior art plug for well operations. The plug, which is generally identified by reference numeral 1, has a wiper body 2 with a plurality of integral wiper lips 3, an internal body member 4 and a ruptureable membrane 5 which extends over a hole 6 in the internal body member 4. A bottom surface 7 provides sealing against a collar plate (not shown) or other items encountered in a well bore.

The wiper body 2 is made from an elastomeric material such as rubber and the internal body member 4 is made from a relatively hard, strong material such as bakelite or metal (e.g., aluminium) and, optimally, as little of this material is used as possible. This results in a reduction in the effectiveness of the bottom surface 7 as a seal since high pressure can push

up on the portion of the bottom surface 7 behind which there is no hard material to serve as a support.

As shown in Fig. 3 a plug 10 according to the present invention comprises a body member 11 formed by a plurality of inter-connected parts including wipers 15, spacers 13, a top wiper 12, a top 31 with a closure 33, and a bottom 29 with a closure 32. Various parts are connected together with a plurality of pins 23 and a plurality of pins 16 (two shown). A pin 16 extends from a hole 18 in the top 31, through a hole 17 in the top wiper 12, and into a hole 19 in the spacer 13 which abuts the top wiper 12. The pin 16 has threaded ends (not shown) and threaded nuts 36 engage the ends of the pin 16 to hold the pin 16 in place and to hold together the top 31, top wiper 12 and uppermost spacer 13 through which the pin 16 extends. The nuts 36 are received in recesses 22 in the top 31 and in the spacer 13. The pin 16 which extends through the top wiper 12 also serves as an anti-rotation device to prevent the top 31, top wiper 12, and spacer 13 from rotating with respect to one another. Another pin 16 extends from a hole 21 in the bottom 29, through a hole 37 in the lowermost wiper 14 and into a hole 19 in a lowermost spacer 13. The bottom 29 and lowermost spacer 13 have recesses 22 for receiving nuts 36 which are threadedly connected to the ends of the pin 16 which extends into the bottom 29. It is preferred that adjacent pairs of spacers 13 be connected by a pin 16 and that these pins be offset when viewed from above so that a spacer between two spacers will have two pins therethrough, one extending into the spacer above and one into the spacer below, these two pins being offset from each other.

The bottom 29 has a closure 32 and the top 31 has a closure 33 which closures are either glued to the bottom 29 or top 31 respectively or formed integrally

thereof. The closures 32, 33 are formed of a material such as rubber which assists in sealing the plug against a member which it contacts. The closure 33 covers a recess in the top 31 which forms a cavity 34 in which are many pieces of glass 35 for enhancing the drillability of the plug 10. The opening 20 of the cavity 34 extends generally circumferentially around the top 31. The top wiper 12 has a wiping lip 11 extending outwardly from and sloping away from the longitudinal axis of the plug 10. A wiper lip 14 extends outwardly from and slopes away from each wiper 15. Pins 23 extend through each wiper 15. At the top of the plug 10 a pin 23 extends into a hole 24 in the top 31 and at the bottom a pin 23 extends into a hole 28 in the bottom 29. Pins 23 have a press fit in the members through which they extend and/or to which they are glued. Each pin 23 holds together the members into which it extends and also inhibits relative rotation therebetween. The ends of pins 23 are slightly chamfered or pointed to facilitate their insertion. The plug 10 is a bottom plug and has a bore 39 therethrough which, upon rupture of the closures 32, 33, allows fluids or cements to flow through the plug 10.

A plug 40 is shown in Fig. 2 which is made up of a plurality of spacers 43, a top 49, a bottom 52 and a plurality of wipers 47, 48. The wiper 47 extends into and is held by a press fit in recesses 58 and 59 in the top 49 and the spacer 43, respectively. The wipers 48 extend into and are held by a press fit in recesses 60 and 61 in the spacers 43 and in recess 62 in the bottom 52. Pins 55 (similar to the pins 16 of Fig. 1) extend between two spacers 43 to hold them together. Nuts 63 can be used as the nuts 36 of Fig. 1. Antirotation lugs 56 extend from a spacer 46 into a recess 57 in an adjacent spacer 43. A closure 53 is adhered to the

bottom 52 for providing a sealing element and a top closure 51 is adhered to the top 49 for providing a sealing element. Glass pieces 35 for enhancing the drillability of the plug 40 are contained in a cavity 54 in the top 49. Of course such a cavity with material therein can be provided in plugs according to this invention other than those shown in Figs. 2-6. For example a plug according to one aspect of the invention could be made like the plug of Fig. 1 but with a cavity therein containing pieces of material for enhancing the plug's drillability. Furthermore, plugs according to another aspect of the invention can include a plug (useful for things other than wiping) which has a body member and a cavity therein containing pieces of material for enhancing the plug's drillability. Also, although plugs are shown with wiper members it is within the scope of one aspect of the invention to provide a plug without wipers yet which has either a cavity for holding material to enhance drillability and/or component modules (top, bottom and/or spacers) for producing a modular plug of desired configuration.

The items 47, 48, 55, 56 and 57, of the plug 70 shown in Fig. 4 are similar to the parts of plug 40 of Fig. 2 and are identified by the same reference numerals.. However, the plug 70 has no cavity with glass pieces and it does not have top or bottom closures. However, a sealing O-ring 64 is disposed in the bottom 65 of the plug 70. The O-ring 64 can be a separate O-ring or it can be an integral part of the closure. Again, as with the other plugs, the wipers can be a press fit in spacers, top, and bottom and/or they can be glued in to hold the plug together.

The items 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 39, 63 and 64 of the plug 80 shown in Fig. 5 are similar to the parts of the plugs shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and are

identified by the same reference numeral. The plug 80 also has a top 66 and a bottom 67.

The plug 90 shown in Fig. 6 is like the plug 40 shown in Fig. 2 but for the use of an O-ring 91 5 disposed in a recess 92 in the bottom 93 of the plug 90. The O-ring 91 can seal against a closure on an adjacent plug or against an upstanding rib such as a rib 95 on the plug 10 of Fig. 3.

Although cavities 34 and 54 are shown in plugs

10 10 and 40 respectively as being of specific dimensions and being in specific locations; it is within the scope of this invention to have cavities of any desired dimensions and located anywhere in the top, wipers, spacers, or bottom. Also, it is within the scope of the

15 invention to vary the number of wipers and spacers as desired and it is also possible to have one or more spacers such as the spacers 13 adjacent each other and one or more wipers 15 adjacent each other, each of these types of elements in any combination to achieve a

20. desired customized plug. It is also within the scope of this invention to make different wipers, spacers or other components in the same plug out of different materials; for example (but not limited to) rubber, elastomers, harder plastics, soft metals, and/or

25 cement-based materials for spacers. It is also within the scope of the invention to make different wipers and spacers in the same plug of different dimensions including different thicknesses.

Various plugs according to this invention can

30 be made so that the amount of rubber or other similar material used is minimized. Rubber and similar materials sometimes cause problems in drilling, e.g., they can "smear" or pull, reducing a drill's effectiveness since they are not as taut or hard as relatively easily

35 drilled materials. In the plugs shown in Figs. 2, 4 and

6 the wipers 47, 48 are made of rubber or similar material so that desired wiping and sealing effects can be achieved; but the tops, spacers, bottoms, pins and bolts of these plugs can be made from harder materials such as plastic, soft metal, or cement-based materials which are easier to drill than rubber. Thus reducing the amount of rubber (or similar material) in a plug and providing a plug which is easier to drill.

Figs. 7-11 show plugs and float collars according to the present invention.

It is common practice in the course of drilling a well to insert strings of casing of diminishing diametric extent into the well bore as drilling of the well progresses. This is accomplished by telescopically engaging the next string of casing of reduced diameter into the preceding larger string of casing, lowering it into the well through the preceding string or strings of casing by means of a setting tool at the lower end of a string of drill pipe, so that it depends into the well bore below the lower terminal end of the preceding string of casing, and then suspending it from the lower end of said preceding string of casing by means of a casing hanger, which hanger is engaged at the upper end of the string of new casing and which is actuated into gripping engagement with the said preceding string of casing by means of the setting tool. After the new casing is suspended in the well in the manner set forth above, the drill pipe and setting tool are pulled or removed from the well. It is also common practice, after a new string of casing is suspended in a well in this manner, to cement it in fixed position in the well by introducing a slurry of cement into the annulus occurring between the well bore and the exterior of the new casing. This cementing operation is accomplished by providing a float

collar in the new string of casing at a desired position intermediate its ends and then running a cementing tool, on the lower end of a string of drill pipe, into the new casing and introducing the cement into the casing under pressure, so that it flows downwardly through the float collar and the casing and into the well bore about the casing.

A typical float collar has a tubular body interposed in the string of casing to be set and can be provided with a check valve mechanism adapted to prevent the upward flow of fluid. The float collar is intended to prevent the cement introduced into the well from flowing back up through the casing when the pressure above the float collar is reduced and/or when the cementing tool and drill pipe carrying it are removed or withdrawn from the well. The valve mechanism is mounted in the body of the ordinary float collar in a core of drillable material, such as cement, and so that when the cementing operation is completed, the new string of casing can be opened by drilling through the float collar and the cement occurring in the casing below the collar.

A float collar 100 as shown in Fig. 7 has an elongated tubular body 102 with an upper end 104 that has internal threads 103 for threadedly mating with threads 107 of a lower end 108 of a casing 106. A seal plate 110 having an inner body 112, a plate member 113, and a plurality of upstanding lugs 114 is sealingly and firmly disposed across the float collar 100. The seal plate 110 has an internal bore or flow channel 167. A desired amount of concrete 115 is emplaced beneath the seal plate 110. The plate member 113 extends to abut and sealingly contact the inner surface of the tubular body 102 to effect a fluid-tight seal. As shown in Fig. 7 two plugs have moved down

through the casing above the float collar 100. A bottom plug 120 similar to the plugs 40 and 70 described previously (but not identical) has moved down to engage and contact the seal plate 110. Items of the plug 120 which are like those items in the plugs 40 and 70 bear the same identifying numerals. A spacer 160 adjacent the bottom 162 of the plug 120 has slight recesses 158 for receiving, contacting, and holding the tops of the lugs 114 of the seal plate 110. The bottom 162 has recesses 156 for receiving, contacting, and holding the main portion of the lugs 114. The combination of the lugs 114 and recesses 156, 158 serve to hold the plug to the seal plate and to prevent rotation therebetween. The recesses 156 and 158 are disposed and configured so that there are small gaps 154 between the top of the lugs 114 and the bottoms of the recesses 158 and small gaps 152 between the main, portion of the lugs 114 and the sides of the recesses 156, 158 so that any fluid caught in an area 134, rather than being trapped therein and preventing effective plug-seal contact and engagement, has a relief flow path out through the gaps 152, thence to the gaps 154 which are in fluid communication with the gaps 152, and thence into the bore 167 with which the gaps 152 are in fluid communication. An O-ring seal 164 is disposed in a recess 163 in the bottom 162 of the plug 120. The O-ring seal 164 sealingly abuts the top of the seal plate 110.

A ruptureable diaphragm 132 with a rib 124 is disposed in recesses 138 and 137 in the top 150 and a spacer 151 of the plug 120 respectively. The diaphragm 132 as shown has been ruptured so that the area above it is in fluid communication with a bore 168 of the plug 120 via a bore 131 in the diaphragm formed by the rupturing of the diaphragm. A plurality of lugs 129 extend upwardly from the top 150 (lugs similar in

16

structure and function to the lugs 114). The parts of the plugs described herein are generally configured so that they can easily be correctly combined and assembled in the field in a "foolproof" manner. A gap can be provided between lugs 56 and bottom of recesses 57 for tolerance in assembly.

A plug 130 as shown in Fig. 7 has moved to contact and engage the plug 120. Items of the plug 130 which are like those items in the plug 120 bear the same identifying numerals. A top 142 of the plug 130 extends across and closes off a bore 166 through the plug 130.

A float collar 180 as shown in Fig. 8 includes an elongate tubular body 181 in which is secured a seal plate 190 over concrete 183. The seal plate 190 has antirotation slots 188 for receiving a rubber bulb nose seal 186 of a plug 182 disposed in a casing 184 and the float collar 180. A bottom 191 of the plug 182 has a strengthening extension 192.

A float collar 200 as shown in Fig. 9 has an elongate tubular body 210 and a seal plate 206 above concrete 208. A descending rib 209 and an upwardly-outwardly extending rim 211 which abuts and sealingly contacts the interior surface of the body 201. The plug 204 is similar to the previously described plugs. It has a bottom 213 with a side ridge 205 for contacting the rim 211. When the ridge 205 and the rim 211 are made of a high friction material such as brake band material or a soft metal (e.g., aluminium), the contact of these two members inhibits slippage of the plug against the seal plate during drilling and also can enhance the sealing effect. A central bore 212 through the float collar 200 is in fluid communication with a central bore 214 of the plug 204.

A float collar 240 shown in Fig. 10 is like the collar 200 shown in Fig. 9 and similar items bear

17

the same identifying numerals. A seal plate 246 of the collar 240 has a descending rib 248, a main body 242 and an upwardly-outwardly extending rim 244. An O-ring 250 is disposed in a recess 252 in the rim 244 for enhancing the sealing contact of the rim 244 with the interior of the elongate tubular body 201 of the float collar 240.

A float collar 260 shown in Fig. 11 has a seal plate 262 above concrete 208 and is shown with a plug 268 above the seal plate 262. The seal plate 262 has a downwardly descending rib 266, an outwardly extending rim 264 and a plurality of upwardly extending lugs 280 (one shown) which extends into recesses 282 (one shown) in the bottom 270 of the plug 268. Fluid in areas 276, 278 between the plug 268 and the seal plate 262 can flow therefrom through gaps 274 and 272 into a central bore 212 of the collar 260. The reception and holding of the lugs 280 in the recesses 282 provides an antirotation function between plug and collar.

Fig. 12 illustrates a configuration of the lug 280 and the recess 282 which facilitate engagement.

Various modifications may be made to the embodiments described, for example the antirotation lugs 56 may be shaped so that they lock into the recess 57 to hold the spacer 46 and spacer 43 together. If desired, a single elongate bolt or pin may be used to connect all, or the majority of the components of the plug together.