Degradable plugs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876374-B2
Application number	US-201816193675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular can include: a mandrel having a first end shoulder; a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder and abutting against a mule shoe; a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular; a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone and being expandable outward from the mandrel; and wherein at least one component selected from the group consisting of the mandrel, the first slip, the cone, the seal element, and the mule shoe is a filler-doped degradable component that comprise a degradable material and a filler.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular, the downhole apparatus comprising:
a mandrel having a first end shoulder;
a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder and abutting against a mule shoe;
a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;
a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone and being expandable outward from the mandrel; and
wherein at least one component selected from the group consisting of the mandrel, the first slip, the cone, the seal element, and the mule shoe is a first filler-doped degradable component that comprise a degradable material and a filler, and
wherein the apparatus further comprises a ball for actuating the downhole apparatus, and wherein the ball is a second filler-doped degradable component.

2. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler is dispersed in the degradable material.

3. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler is a preform encased with the degradable material.

4. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler is at 10 vol % to 80 vol % of the filler-doped degradable component.

5. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler is at 50 vol % to 80 vol % of the filler-doped degradable component.

6. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: glass beads, hollow glass beads, sand, aluminum oxide particles, aluminum oxide particles, silicon carbide particles, tungsten carbide particles, and a combination thereof.

7. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: calcium carbonate, benzoic acid, magnesium oxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, ammonium sulfate, and a combination thereof.

8. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: titanium particles, platinum particles, rhodium particles, gold particles, gold-platinum alloy particles, silver particles, and a combination thereof.

9. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: low-density polyethlyene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethlyene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polytetrafluoroethylene, phenolic resins, polyether ether ketone, nylon, and a combination thereof.

10. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the degradable material comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), lactic acid/glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA), polyvinyl alcohol, polysaccharides, starches, polyanhydrides, polyorthoesters, polycaprolactones, and a combination thereof.

11. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the degradable material comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of: nickel, nickel-copper alloys, nickel-chromium alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, copper alloys, chromium, tin, tin alloys, iron, iron alloys, zinc, zinc alloys, magnesium, magnesium alloys, beryllium, beryllium alloys, calcium alloys, and a combination thereof.

12. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one component is at least two components and the at least two components have different fillers.

13. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one component is at least two components and the at least two components have different volume percents of fillers.

14. The downhole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one component is at least two components and the at least two components have different degradable materials.

15. A method comprising:
placing a downhole apparatus in a tubular downhole of a desired fracturing zone, wherein the downhole apparatus comprises:
a mandrel having a first end shoulder;
a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder and abutting against a mule shoe;
a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;
a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone and being expandable outward from the mandrel; and
wherein at least one component selected from the group consisting of the mandrel, the first slip, the cone, the seal element, and the mule shoe is a first filler-doped degradable component that comprise a degradable material and a filler, and
wherein the apparatus further comprises a ball for actuating the downhole apparatus, and wherein the ball is a second filler-doped degradable component;

supplying a signal to the downhole apparatus causing the seal element to expand outward from the mandrel;
performing a fracturing operation in the desired fracturing zone; and,
allowing the filler-doped degradable component to degrade.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the filler is dispersed in the degradable material.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the filler is a preform encased with the degradable material.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the filler is at 10 vol % to 80 vol % of the filler-doped degradable component.

19. A downhole apparatus for use in a tubular, the downhole apparatus comprising:
a mandrel having a first end shoulder;
a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder and abutting against a mule shoe;
a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;
a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone and being expandable outward from the mandrel; and
wherein at least one component selected from the group consisting of the mandrel, the first slip, the cone, the seal element, and the mule shoe is a filler-doped degradable component that comprise a degradable material and a filler, and
wherein the filler is a preform encased with the degradable material.

20. A method comprising:
placing a downhole apparatus in a tubular downhole of a desired fracturing zone, wherein the downhole apparatus comprises:
a mandrel having a first end shoulder;
a first slip disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first end shoulder and abutting against a mule shoe;
a cone disposed on the mandrel adjacent the first slip and movable relative to the first end shoulder to engage the first slip toward the tubular;
a seal element disposed on the mandrel adjacent the cone and being expandable outward from the mandrel; and
wherein at least one component selected from the group consisting of the mandrel, the first slip, the cone, the seal element, and the mule shoe is a filler-doped degradable component that comprise a degradable material and a filler, and
wherein the filler is a preform encased with the degradable material;

supplying a signal to the downhole apparatus causing the seal element to expand outward from the mandrel;
performing a fracturing operation in the desired fracturing zone; and,
allowing the filler-doped degradable component to degrade.

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mhaskar Nauman H
• Banta Deborah Lynn
• Rochen James

Classifications

• E21B2200/08

  Down-hole devices using materials which decompose under well-bore conditions · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B33/134

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B23/00 Primary

  Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10) · CPC title

• E21B33/12

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