Two-Material P&A Plug
Patent No. EP4242284 (titled "Two-Material P&A Plug") was filed by Conocophillips on Apr 9, 2018. The application was issued on Jul 16, 2025.
Patent Summary
A method for well plug and abandonment (P&A) involves deploying a cast-in-place plug comprising two materials to create a rock-to-rock seal. The plug consists of an expansion metal, preferably a bismuth-based eutectic alloy, positioned below an adhesion resin. The expansion metal is melted downhole and expands upon solidification to seal the annulus and wellbore, serving as a structural base for the subsequent resin layer. This dual-material configuration provides redundant sealing mechanisms, resulting in greater structural integrity under wellbore conditions than a rock-to-rock plug of equal length composed of either material alone. This approach allows for shorter plug lengths, reducing the need for extensive section milling or perforation and decreasing overall P&A costs and time.
Patent Family
Patent Oppositions
Patent oppositions filed by competitors challenge the validity of a granted patent. These oppositions are typically based on claims of prior art, lack of novelty, or non-obviousness. They are a key part of the process for determining a patent's strength and enforceability.
Dossier Documents
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Date
Description
Get instant alerts for new documents
EP4242284
- Application Number
- EP23189331A
- Filing Date
- Apr 9, 2018
- Status
- Granted And Under Opposition
- Jun 13, 2025
- Publication Date
- Jul 16, 2025
- External Links
- Slate, Register , Google Patents