Degradable material time delay system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156126-B2
Application number	US-201615053417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Feb 25, 2016
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A time delay tool and method in a wellbore casing is disclosed. The tool/method includes a mechanical restraining element, a reservoir for containing a reactive fluid, an actuating device and a wellbore device. When a stored energy is applied on the wellbore device, the actuation device is actuated and enables the reactive fluid in the reservoir to come in contact with the mechanical restraining element. While the mechanical restraining element undergoes a change in shape due to a chemical reaction, a stored energy applied on the wellbore device is delayed by a pre-determined time delay. The amount of the pre-determined time delay is determined by factors that include the reactive fluids, concentration of the reactive fluids, geometry and size of the mechanical restraining element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wellbore time delay tool for use in a wellbore casing, the wellbore time delay tool comprising:
a body defining an internal volume, the internal volume being closed at a first end by a first actuating device and at a second end by a second actuating device;
a mechanical restraining element configured to react with a reactive liquid, the mechanical restraining element being located around an end of a wellbore device;
the internal volume within the body of the wellbore time delay tool being configured to contain the reactive liquid, which causes a physical change in the mechanical restraining element; and
the first actuating device being located in the wellbore time delay tool, between the internal volume and the mechanical restraining element, and blocking fluid communication between the internal volume and the mechanical restraining element, and enabling the fluid communication when the first actuating device is opened to fluid flow, and the second actuating device being located in the wellbore time delay tool and being actuated when a pressure in the wellbore casing exceeds a rated pressure;
whereby when in use, the mechanical restraining element restrains the wellbore device and releases the wellbore device from restraint after a time delay, the time delay based on a reaction time for the physical property change of the mechanical restraining element.

2. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid is a chemical that reacts with the mechanical restraining element at a temperature expected to be encountered in the wellbore casing.

3. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 2 wherein the reactive liquid reacts with the mechanical restraining element at a temperature in the range from 25° C. to 250° C.

4. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the first actuating device is configured to be activated by energy applied to a firing pin assembly.

5. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the wellbore time delay tool is configured to be deployed with a wireline tool.

6. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the wellbore time delay tool is configured to be deployed with tubing conveyed perforating.

7. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the wellbore time delay tool is configured to be pumped down as a pump down tool.

8. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid comprises salt water.

9. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the time delay ranges from 1 hour to 48 hours.

10. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the delay time ranges from 0.01 seconds to 1 hour.

11. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the first actuating device is a rupture disk, the rupture disk activated by the pressure in the wellbore casing.

12. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the wellbore device is a firing pin for an energetic device, the firing pin configured to be released when the mechanical restraining element undergoes a change of physical property.

13. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the mechanical restraining element comprises a nut.

14. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the time delay is determined by a composition of the reactive liquid.

15. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid comprises hydrochloric acid.

16. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive fluid comprises a hydrocarbon.

17. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the time delay is determined by masking off a potential contact area between the mechanical restraining element and the reactive fluid.

18. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid comprises water.

19. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein a material of said mechanical restraining element comprises magnesium.

20. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the tool is configured to enable any wellbore fluid in the wellbore casing to further react with said mechanical restraining element.

21. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the mechanical restraining element comprises aluminum.

22. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the mechanical restraining element comprises an aluminum-magnesium alloy.

23. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid comprises sodium chloride.

24. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the reactive liquid comprises potassium chloride.

25. The wellbore time delay tool of claim 1 wherein the first actuating device is configured to be opened by application of pressure from a wellbore casing.

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Hardesty John T
• Roessler Dennis
• George Kevin R

Classifications

• E21B34/063

  Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc (E21B34/103 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/1185 Primary

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B43/11852

  hydraulically actuated · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title