Inserts having geometrically separate materials for slips on downhole tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415335-B2
Application number	US-201514739962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A downhole tool, such as a fracture plug used during a fracture operation, installs in a downhole tubular, such as casing. The tool has a mandrel with a sealing element disposed thereon between uphole and downhole ends. Slip assemblies on the mandrel can be moved to engage the downhole tubular. When the tool is used as a bridge plug, the uphole assembly supports the sealing element compressed, and the downhole assembly supports fluid pressure downhole of the tool. The slip assemblies have inserts composed of at least two materials that are different from one another and are geometrically separate from one another. In addition or as an alternative, the slip assemblies can be composed of at least two different materials that are geometrically separate from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole apparatus for plugging a downhole tubular of a well, the apparatus comprising:
a tool deploying in the downhole tubular, the tool plugging the downhole tubular for use and being removed in place from the downhole tubular after use;
at least one slip disposed on the tool and being movable relative to the tool; and
at least one insert disposed on the at least one slip and adapted to engage the downhole tubular, the at least one insert having an initial size and being at least composed of first and second materials, the first and second materials being different from one another and being disposed in a plurality of planar layers geometrically separate from one another, first of the planar layers of the first material being configured to remove after use, second of the planar layers of the second material being configured to at least remain after use as smaller than the initial size of the at least one insert.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slip comprises a slip body composed of a non-metallic material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the non-metallic material comprises a plastic, a molded phenolic, a laminated non-metallic composite, an epoxy resin polymer with a glass fiber reinforcement, an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW), a polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), or a combination thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slip comprises a plurality of segments disposed about the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first material of the first of the planar layers comprises a ceramic material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the ceramic material comprises alumina, zirconia, or cermet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second material of the second of the planar layers comprises a metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second material of the second of the planar layers comprises a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite material, a cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first material of the first of the planar layers comprises a dissolvable material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises:
a mandrel having the at least one slip disposed thereon; and
a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the at least one slip, the cone and the at least one slip being movable relative to one another and moving the at least one slip toward the downhole tubular.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the tool comprises a sealing element disposed on the mandrel and being compressible to engage the downhole tubular.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , the second of the planar layers are interposed between the first planar layers of the at least one insert.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second planar layers are arranged at an angle relative to an axis of the at least one insert.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the angle is orthogonal or parallel to the axis of the at least one insert.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slip is at least composed of third and fourth materials, the third and fourth materials being different from one another and being geometrically separate from one another.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the third material comprises a core of the at least one slip having an outside surface; wherein the fourth material of the at least one slip comprises a sheath disposed about at least a portion of the outside of the core.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the third material comprises a plurality of third planar layers of the at least one slip; and wherein the fourth material of the at least one slip comprises a plurality of fourth planar layers interposed between the third planar layers of the at least one slip.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the third and fourth planar layers are arranged at an angle relative to an axis of the at least one slip.

19. A downhole apparatus for plugging a downhole tubular of a well, the apparatus comprising:
a tool deploying in the downhole tubular, the tool plugging the downhole tubular for use and being removed in place from the downhole tubular after use;
at least one slip disposed on the tool and being movable relative to the tool; and
at least one insert disposed on the at least one slip and adapted to engage the downhole tubular, the at least one insert having an initial size and being at least composed of a dissolvable material and a second material, the dissolvable material and the second material being different from one another and being disposed in a plurality of planar layers geometrically separate from one another, first of the planar layers of the dissolvable material being configured to dissolve after use, second of the planar layers of the second material being configured to at least remain after use as smaller than the initial size of the at least one insert.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second material comprises a metallic material, a non-metallic material, a composite material, a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite material, a cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof configured to at least remain after use even with milling of the tool from the downhole tubular.

21. A downhole apparatus for plugging a downhole tubular of a well, the apparatus comprising:
a tool deploying in the downhole tubular, the tool plugging the downhole tubular for use and being removed in place from the downhole tubular after use;
at least one slip disposed on the tool and being movable relative to the tool; and
at least one insert disposed on the at least one slip and adapted to engage the downhole tubular, the at least one insert having an initial size and being at least composed of first and second materials, the first and second materials being different from one another and being disposed as geometrically separate elements from one another, first of the geometrically separate elements of the first material being configured to remove after use, second of the geometrically separate elements of the second material being configured to at least remain after use as smaller than the initial size of the at least one insert.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first material comprises a millable material or a dissolvable material.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the second material comprises a metallic material, a non-metallic material, a composite material, a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite material, a cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mhaskar Nauman H
• Rochen James A
• Young Jonathan A

Classifications

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B23/01 Primary

  for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) · CPC title