Shear thickening fluid controlled tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016123105-A1
Application number	US-201514922297-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tool for use in a wellbore comprising a seal assembly and a cone member configured to force the seal assembly radially outward into engagement with the wellbore. A shear thickening fluid is disposed within an area formed between the seal assembly and the cone member. The shear thickening fluid is configured to prevent relative movement between the cone member and the seal assembly when the shear thickening fluid is changed from a substantially fluid state to a substantially solid state due to a sudden force applied to the shear thickening fluid, by release of a sheared mechanism for example.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A tool for use in a wellbore, comprising:
a seal assembly; a cone member configured to force the seal assembly radially outward into engagement with the wellbore; and a shear thickening fluid disposed within an area formed between the seal assembly and the cone member.

2 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the seal assembly comprises a seal carrier, a first seal, and a second seal, and wherein the shear thickening fluid is contained within the area by the first and second seals.

3 . The tool of claim 2 , wherein the first and second seals are flexible seal members configured to contain the shear thickening fluid within the area while allowing for contraction and expansion of the shear thickening fluid.

4 . The tool of claim 3 , wherein the seal carrier comprises one or more ports for supplying the shear thickening fluid into the area.

5 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the shear thickening fluid comprises silicon suspended in glycol.

6 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the cone member is movable relative to the seal assembly when the shear thickening fluid is in a substantially fluid state.

7 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the cone member is prevented from moving relative to the seal assembly when the shear thickening fluid is in a substantially solid state.

8 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the area is reduced as the cone member is moved underneath the seal assembly, thereby compressing the shear thickening fluid.

9 . The tool of claim 1 , wherein the shear thickening fluid is compressed when the cone member is moved relative to the seal assembly.

10 . A method of controlling a tool in a wellbore, comprising:
transmitting a force from a cone member to a seal assembly, wherein a shear thickening fluid is disposed within an area formed between the cone member and the seal assembly; changing the shear thickening fluid from a substantially fluid state to a substantially solid state; and preventing relative movement between the cone member and the seal assembly by changing the shear thickening fluid from the substantially fluid state to the substantially solid state.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the shear thickening fluid is changed from the substantially fluid state to the substantially solid state by applying a compression force to the shear thickening fluid.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising containing the shear thickening fluid in the area by a first seal and a second seal of the seal assembly.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising supplying the shear thickening fluid into the area through one or more ports of a seal carrier of the seal assembly.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the shear thickening fluid comprises silicon suspended in glycol.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising moving the cone member relative to the seal assembly when the shear thickening fluid is in the substantially fluid state.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a volume of the area is reduced as the cone member is moved underneath the seal assembly, thereby compressing the shear thickening fluid.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the force from the seal assembly to shear a releasable member and force a slip assembly radially outward into engagement with the wellbore.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising subsequently forcing the cone member underneath the seal assembly to force the seal assembly radially outward into engagement with the wellbore.

19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the force comprises a mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical force.

Assignees

• Weatherford Technology Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Reinhardt Paul Andrew

Classifications

• E21B33/1208

  characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/129 Primary

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

• E21B33/1291

  anchor set by wedge or cam in combination with frictional effect, using so-called drag-blocks (E21B33/1295 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/128 Primary

  with a member expanded radially by axial pressure (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title