Downhole assembly including degradable-on-demand material and method to degrade downhole tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364630-B2
Application number	US-201715598977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A downhole assembly includes a downhole tool including a degradable-on-demand material and a triggering system. The degradable-on-demand material includes a matrix material and an energetic material configured to generate energy upon activation to facilitate the degradation of the downhole tool. The triggering system includes an igniter arranged to ignite the downhole tool, an electrical circuit, and a pre-set timer. In an open condition of the circuit the igniter is not activated, and in a closed condition of the circuit the igniter is activated. The pre-set timer is operable to close the electrical circuit after a pre-set time period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole assembly comprising:
a downhole tool including a degradable-on-demand material, the degradable-on-demand material including:
a matrix material; and,
an energetic material configured to generate energy upon activation to facilitate the degradation of the downhole tool; and,

a triggering system including:
an igniter, wherein the igniter is arranged to ignite the downhole tool;
an electrical circuit, wherein in an open condition of the circuit the igniter is not activated, and in a closed condition of the circuit the igniter is activated; and,
a pre-set timer operable to close the electrical circuit after a pre-set time period.

2. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit further includes a battery, the battery arranged to provide electric current to set off the igniter in the closed condition of the circuit.

3. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the timer includes a battery separate from the battery arranged to provide electric current to set off the igniter.

4. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the triggering system and the downhole tool are joined together in a self-contained package.

5. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is a frac plug, and the degradable-on-demand material is provided in at least one component of the frac plug.

6. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is a flapper valve, and the degradable-on-demand material is provided in a flapper of the flapper valve.

7. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the triggering system is embedded within or attached to the downhole tool.

8. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the degradable-on-demand material is at least substantially fully disintegrable.

9. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the matrix material has a cellular nanomatrix, a plurality of dispersed particles dispersed in the cellular nanomatrix, and a solid-state bond layer extending through the cellular nanomatrix between the dispersed particles.

10. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the degradable-on-demand material further includes a sensor, the sensor operative to monitor a parameter of at least one of the degradable-on-demand material, the downhole tool, the downhole assembly, and a well condition.

11. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the igniter is arranged to directly engage with at least one starting point of a network of the energetic material.

12. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the energetic material comprises continuous fibers, wires, or foils, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, which form a three dimensional network; and the matrix material is distributed throughout the three dimensional network.

13. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the igniter is arranged to directly ignite the downhole tool.

14. A method of controllably removing a downhole article of a downhole assembly, the method comprising:
setting a timer of the downhole assembly for a first time period;
disposing the downhole assembly in a downhole environment, the downhole article including degradable-on-demand material having a matrix material and an energetic material configured to generate energy upon activation to facilitate the degradation of the downhole article;
performing a downhole operation using the downhole assembly during a second time period shorter than the first time period;
activating the energetic material at the end of the first time period using an igniter; and
degrading the downhole article, wherein the timer is part of a triggering system having an electrical circuit that further includes the igniter and a battery, and at the end of the first time period, the timer closes the electrical circuit and the battery provides electric current to activate the igniter.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the timer is pre-set at surface.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the igniter is in direct contact with the energetic material, and the energetic material comprises continuous fibers, wires, or foils, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, which form a three dimensional network; and the matrix material is distributed throughout the three dimensional network.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the degradable-on-demand further includes a sensor, and further comprising determining a parameter of the downhole article, the downhole assembly comprising the downhole article, a downhole environment, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing using the sensor.

18. A downhole assembly comprising:
a tubing string having a flowbore; and,
a fluid loss control flapper pivotally connected to the tubing string at a hinge, the flapper formed of a degradable-on-demand material including:
a matrix material; and,
an energetic material configured to generate energy upon activation to facilitate the degradation of the flapper; and,

an igniter activatable upon receipt of a signal, wherein the igniter is arranged to ignite the energetic material.

19. The downhole assembly of claim 18 , wherein the energetic material comprises continuous fibers, wires, or foils, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, which form a three dimensional network; and the matrix material is distributed throughout the three dimensional network.

20. The downhole assembly of claim 18 , wherein the igniter is included within the flapper.

21. A frac plug comprising:
at least one component formed of a degradable-on-demand material including:
a matrix material; and,
an energetic material configured to generate energy upon activation to facilitate the degradation of the at least one component; and,

a triggering system including an igniter arranged to ignite the energetic material, and an electrical circuit, wherein in an open condition of the circuit the igniter is not activated, and in a closed condition of the circuit the igniter is activated.

22. The frac plug of claim 21 , wherein the at least one component is at least one first component, and further comprising at least one second component formed of the matrix material, the at least one second component not including the energetic material, and the at least one second component in contact with the at least one first component.

Assignees

• Xu Zhiyue
• Doane James
• Xu Yingqing
• Zhang Zhihui
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Xu Zhiyue
• Doane James
• Xu Yingqing
• Zhang Zhihui

Classifications

• E21B33/1204

  permanent; drillable · CPC title

• E21B34/063

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

• E21B29/02 Primary

  by explosives or by thermal or chemical means {(freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002)} · CPC title

• E21B43/1185

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title