A plug for plugging wells, and in particular oil and gas wells, is provided. The plug has a plug body formed from an outer metal tube of a reduced thickness. The plug also has reinforcement means, attached to an inner surface of the outer tube, that give the plug a cross-sectional structural strength that is at least equivalent to that of a thicker metal tube. The plug has a central heater receiving void located along the axis of the plug to enable a plug deployment heater to be received therein. Also provided is a plug assembly with a variable cross-sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the assembly is deployed during the plugging of underground conduits.

A method of retaining material in a bore comprises running a tool comprising a retainer member and a fusible part into a bore with the retainer member in a retracted configuration. The tool is positioned at a desired location in the bore and the fusible part is heated to reconfigure the retainer member to an extended configuration in which the retainer member engages the bore wall.

Systems and methods for sealing a problem zone of a subterranean well include a wire mesh member with a tubular shape and a plurality of openings. The wire mesh member has an initial orientation with an initial outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the wellbore, a reduced orientation with a reduced outer diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the wellbore and an induced bending stress, and an installed orientation with an installed outer diameter that is generally equal to the inner diameter of the wellbore and a residual bending stress. The wire mesh member is positioned within the problem zone and moved to the installed orientation so that an outer surface of the wire mesh member engages an inner surface of the wellbore. The plurality of openings are plugged to prevent a flow of fluid radially through the wire mesh member.

Systems and methods for sealing a problem zone of a subterranean well include a wire mesh member with a tubular shape and a plurality of openings. The wire mesh member has an initial orientation with an initial outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of the wellbore, a reduced orientation with a reduced outer diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the wellbore and an induced bending stress, and an installed orientation with an installed outer diameter that is generally equal to the inner diameter of the wellbore and a residual bending stress. The wire mesh member is positioned within the problem zone and moved to the installed orientation so that an outer surface of the wire mesh member engages an inner surface of the wellbore. The plurality of openings are plugged to prevent a flow of fluid radially through the wire mesh member.

A high expansion bridge plug comprising an elastomer element assembly and a control assembly for generating a compressive force against the elastomer element assembly. The elastomer element assembly comprises a first element stack and a second element stack with the first element stack comprising a first grouping of male and female elements and the second element stack comprising a second grouping of male and female elements. The compressive force generated causes the male element and the female element to expand and the female element to at least partially swallow the male element. The male and female elements can be conical shape, and an angle of a conical element can be between 5-25 degrees, and the length of the top female element is greater than the length of the middle or bottom male element.

A high expansion bridge plug comprising an elastomer element assembly and a control assembly for generating a compressive force against the elastomer element assembly. The elastomer element assembly comprises a first element stack and a second element stack with the first element stack comprising a first grouping of male and female elements and the second element stack comprising a second grouping of male and female elements. The compressive force generated causes the male element and the female element to expand and the female element to at least partially swallow the male element. The male and female elements can be conical shape, and an angle of a conical element can be between 5-25 degrees, and the length of the top female element is greater than the length of the middle or bottom male element.

A method of plugging a formation fracture includes drilling, with a drill string configured to flow drilling fluid, a wellbore, where, at a downhole location, the drilling fluid is lost through a formation fracture. The method also includes deploying, through the drill string, a plugging assembly to the downhole location of the wellbore. The plugging assembly includes a flexible fiber sheet releasably coupled to a pumpable dart such that when the plugging assembly reaches the downhole location, the flexible fiber sheet is released from the dart to flow, with the drilling fluid, to the formation fracture to at least partially overlay the formation fracture. The method also includes adding, to the drilling fluid, lost circulation material configured to accumulate on a portion of the flexible fiber sheet to at least partially fluidically plug the formation fracture.

A method of plugging a formation fracture includes drilling, with a drill string configured to flow drilling fluid, a wellbore, where, at a downhole location, the drilling fluid is lost through a formation fracture. The method also includes deploying, through the drill string, a plugging assembly to the downhole location of the wellbore. The plugging assembly includes a flexible fiber sheet releasably coupled to a pumpable dart such that when the plugging assembly reaches the downhole location, the flexible fiber sheet is released from the dart to flow, with the drilling fluid, to the formation fracture to at least partially overlay the formation fracture. The method also includes adding, to the drilling fluid, lost circulation material configured to accumulate on a portion of the flexible fiber sheet to at least partially fluidically plug the formation fracture.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses of the present disclosure generally relate to fluid placement tools. A fluid placement tool includes a connecting section at a proximal end of the fluid placement tool for coupling the fluid placement tool to a conveyance. The fluid placement tool also includes an actuating section coupled to the connecting section, wherein the actuating section comprises a first check valve and a piston, wherein the first check valve is positioned to allow fluid flow through the actuating section and into engagement with the piston. The fluid placement tool also includes a fluid containment section, wherein the fluid containment section comprises a fluid reservoir and a second check valve, wherein the fluid reservoir is disposed between the first check valve and the second check valve, wherein the second check valve is position to only allow flow out of the fluid containment section. The actuating section is operable to drive the piston through the fluid reservoir for displacement of a fluid from the fluid reservoir and into a wellbore.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses of the present disclosure generally relate to fluid placement tools. A fluid placement tool includes a connecting section at a proximal end of the fluid placement tool for coupling the fluid placement tool to a conveyance. The fluid placement tool also includes an actuating section coupled to the connecting section, wherein the actuating section comprises a first check valve and a piston, wherein the first check valve is positioned to allow fluid flow through the actuating section and into engagement with the piston. The fluid placement tool also includes a fluid containment section, wherein the fluid containment section comprises a fluid reservoir and a second check valve, wherein the fluid reservoir is disposed between the first check valve and the second check valve, wherein the second check valve is position to only allow flow out of the fluid containment section. The actuating section is operable to drive the piston through the fluid reservoir for displacement of a fluid from the fluid reservoir and into a wellbore.