Degradable devices for use in subterranean wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344568-B2
Application number	US-201314394805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2013
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A device for use in a subterranean well can include a component which degrades in the well, the component being at least one of the group comprising: a) an electrical element which conducts electricity in the well, b) a magnetic element which produces a magnetic field in the well, and c) a substrate which structurally supports an electrical circuit. A method of constructing a device for use in a subterranean well can include determining an environmental condition to be experienced by a component of the device in the well, the component being at least one of the group comprising: a) an electrical element which conducts electricity in the well, b) a magnetic element which produces a magnetic field in the well, and c) a substrate which supports an electrical circuit; selecting the component which degrades when exposed to the environmental condition; and incorporating the component into the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for use in a subterranean well, the device comprising:
a spherical body that holds a component which degrades by a galvanic reaction in the well, the component being either an electrical element which conducts electricity in the well, a magnetic element which produces a magnetic field in the well, or a substrate which supports an electrical circuit.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the component is the magnetic element, and wherein the magnetic element comprises a permanent magnet.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the permanent magnet comprises neodymium boron.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the permanent magnet is enclosed in an enclosure which degrades in the well.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the component is the electrical element, and wherein the electrical element comprises a battery.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the component is the electrical element, and wherein the electrical element comprises an electrical trace.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the component is the electrical element, and wherein a case of the electrical element degrades in the well.

8. A method of constructing a device for use in a subterranean well, the method comprising:
selecting a component which degrades by a galvanic reaction when exposed to an environmental condition to be experienced by the component in the well, the component comprising either:
a) an electrical element which conducts electricity in the well,
b) a magnetic element which produces a magnetic field in the well, or
c) a substrate which supports an electrical circuit; and
supporting the component via a spherical device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the magnetic element, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a well temperature greater than a maximum operating temperature rating of the magnetic element.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the magnetic element, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a fluid which corrodes the magnetic element.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the electrical element, wherein the electrical element comprises an conductive fusible material, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a well temperature greater than a melting point of the fusible material.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the electrical element, wherein the electrical element comprises a battery, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a well temperature greater than a melting point of a case of the battery.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the electrical element, wherein the electrical element comprises a battery, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a well fluid which dissolves a case of the battery.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the electrical element, wherein the electrical element comprises a battery, and wherein the environmental condition comprises a well fluid which dissolves an electrode of the battery.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component is the electrical element, wherein the electrical element comprises a dielectric which degrades in the well.

16. A well system, comprising:
a tubular string including multiple downhole tools;
a device with a spherical body which displaces through the tubular string and causes a selected at least one of the downhole tools to actuate, the device comprising a component supported by the spherical body, the component being configured to degrade by a galvanic reaction in the well, the component comprising either an electrical element which conducts electricity in the well, a magnetic element which produces a magnetic field in the well, or a substrate which supports an electrical circuit in the device.

17. The well system of claim 16 , wherein the component is the magnetic element, and wherein the magnetic element comprises a permanent magnet.

18. The well system of claim 17 , wherein the permanent magnet comprises neodymium iron boron.

19. The well system of claim 16 , wherein the component is the electrical element, and wherein the electrical element comprises a battery.

20. The well system of claim 16 , wherein the component is the electrical element, and wherein the electrical element comprises a fusible material.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Murphree Zachary R
• Fripp Michael L

Classifications

• Y10T29/49124

  On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc. · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• Y10T29/49108

  Electric battery cell making · CPC title

• Y10T29/4902

  Electromagnet, transformer or inductor · CPC title

• E21B47/13

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title