Wellbore isolation devices with degradable non-metallic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613688-B2
Application number	US-201916248595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

Wellbore isolation devices, methods of use, and downhole tools and systems comprising the wellbore isolation devices. A wellbore isolation device comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the component comprises a degradable non-metallic material that degrades upon exposure to a wellbore environment; and wherein the degradable non-metallic material is a composite material comprising a non-epoxy matrix material and a reinforcing material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wellbore isolation device comprising:
a component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the component comprises a degradable non-metallic material that degrades upon exposure to a wellbore environment; and wherein the degradable non-metallic material is a composite material comprising a non-epoxy matrix material and a reinforcing material; wherein the non-epoxy matrix material is selected from the group consisting of: a thiol-based polymer; a hyaluronic acid rubber; a polyethylene terephthalate polymer; a polybutylene succinate polymer; a polyhydroxy alkanoic acid polymer; a polybutylene terephthalate polymer; a polyepichlorohydrin; a copolymer of ethylene oxide/polyepichlorohydrin; a terpolymer of epichlorohydrin/ethylene oxide/allyl glycidyl ether; copolymers thereof; terpolymers thereof; and any combination thereof; wherein the reinforcing material is a fiber material selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphene, fullerene, silica fibers, natural fibers, and any combination thereof; wherein the fiber material is treated with a silane-, siloxane-, or amine-based coupling agent.

2. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the matrix material is an elastomer.

3. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , further comprising a second reinforcing material that is a particulate material selected from the group consisting of organophilic clay, silica flour, metal oxide, silicates, aluminosilicates, carbon, sand, bauxite, ceramic materials, silicon carbide, alumina, glass materials, polymer materials, polytetrafluoroethylene materials, nut shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising nut shell pieces, seed shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising seed shell pieces, fruit pit pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising fruit pit pieces, wood, minerals, composite particulates, and any combination thereof.

4. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the fiber has a length-to-diameter ratio in excess of 5:1.

5. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the second component comprises a degradable metal material.

6. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the second component comprises a degradable metal material; wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a third component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the third component comprises a degradable elastomer.

7. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the degradable non-metallic material is a first degradable non-metallic material; wherein the second component comprises a second degradable non-metallic material; wherein the second degradable non-metallic material is a non-composite material.

8. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the second component comprises a degradable glass material.

9. The wellbore isolation device of claim 1 , wherein the non-epoxy matrix material comprises a polyethylene terephthalate polymer; and wherein the reinforcing material comprises a glass fiber having a length of about two inches or less.

10. A method comprising:
introducing a downhole tool into a wellbore, wherein the downhole tool is a wellbore isolation device comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the component comprises a degradable non-metallic material that degrades upon exposure to a wellbore environment; and wherein the degradable non-metallic material is a composite material comprising a non-epoxy matrix material and a reinforcing material; wherein the non-epoxy matrix material is selected from the group consisting of: a thiol-based polymer; a hyaluronic acid rubber; a polyethylene terephthalate polymer; a polybutylene succinate polymer; a polyhydroxy alkanoic acid polymer; a polybutylene terephthalate polymer; a polyepichlorohydrin; a copolymer of ethylene oxide/polyepichlorohydrin; a terpolymer of epichlorohydrin/ethylene oxide/allyl glycidyl ether; copolymers thereof; terpolymers thereof; and
any combination thereof; wherein the reinforcing material is a fiber material selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphene, fullerene, a silica fibers, natural fibers, and any combination thereof; wherein the fiber material is treated with a silane-, siloxane-, or amine-based coupling agent;
anchoring the downhole tool within the wellbore at a target location;
performing at least one downhole operation; and
degrading the degradable non-metallic material upon exposure to a wellbore environment.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a second reinforcing material that is a particulate material selected from the group consisting of organophilic clay, silica flour, metal oxide, silicates, aluminosilicates, carbon, sand, bauxite, ceramic materials, silicon carbide, alumina, glass materials, polymer materials, polytetrafluoroethylene materials, nut shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising nut shell pieces, seed shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising seed shell pieces, fruit pit pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising fruit pit pieces, wood, minerals, composite particulates, and any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the second component comprises a degradable metal material.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the component is a first component and wherein the wellbore isolation device comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of a mandrel, a packer element, a sealing ball, a wedge, a slip, a mule shoe, a wiper element, a wiper body, and any combination thereof; wherein the degradable non-metallic material is a first degradable non-metallic material; wherein the second component comprises a second degradable non-metallic material; wherein the second degradable non-metallic material is a non-composite material.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the component is a firs

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc
• Halliburton Energy Sevices Inc

Inventors

• Fripp Michael Linley
• Walton Zachary William

Classifications

• E21B2200/08

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

• C09K8/426 Primary

  for plugging · CPC title

• C22C23/02

  with aluminium as the next major constituent · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• C22C23/04

  with zinc or cadmium as the next major constituent · CPC title