Patent Grant
10612659
Downhole constructions including oil and natural gas wells, CO2 sequestration boreholes, etc. often utilize borehole components or tools that, due to their function, are only required to have limited service lives that are considerably less than the service life of the well. After a component or tool service function is complete, it must be removed or disposed of in order to recover the original size of the fluid pathway for use, including hydrocarbon production, CO2 capture or sequestration, etc. Disposal of components or tools can be accomplished by milling or drilling the component or tool out of the borehole, which is generally a time consuming and expensive operation. The industry is always receptive to new systems, materials, and methods that eliminate removal of a component or tool from a borehole without such milling and drilling operations.
Disclosed herein is a seal comprising: a metal composite including: a cellular nanomatrix comprising a metallic nanomatrix material; a metal matrix disposed in the cellular nanomatrix; and a disintegration agent; a first sealing surface; and a second sealing surface opposingly disposed from the first sealing surface.
Further disclosed is a process for preparing a seal that comprises combining a metal matrix powder, a disintegration agent, and metal nanomatrix material to form a composition; compacting the composition to form a compacted composition; sintering the compacted composition; and pressing the sintered composition to form the seal.
Also disclosed is a method for temporarily sealing a downhole element, the method comprising: applying pressure to deform a seal (as above recited); conforming the seal to a space to form a temporary seal; and contacting the temporary seal with a downhole fluid to disintegrate the temporary seal.
Additionally disclosed is a disintegration agent that comprises a metal, fatty acid, ceramic particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing disposed among a controlled electrolytic material, wherein the disintegration agent changes the disintegration rate of the controlled electrolytic material.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
The inventors have discovered that a high strength, high ductility yet fully disintegrable tubular anchoring system can be made from materials that selectively and controllably disintegrate in response to contact with certain downhole fluids or in response to changed conditions. Such a disintegrable system includes components that are selectively corrodible and have selectively tailorable disintegration rates and selectively tailorable material properties. Additionally, the disintegrable system has components that have varying compression and tensile strengths and that include a seal (to form, e.g., a conformable metal-to-metal seal), cone, deformable sleeve (or slips), and bottom sub. As used herein, “disintegrable” refers to a material or component that is consumable, corrodible, degradable, dissolvable, weakenable, or otherwise removable. It is to be understood that use herein of the term “disintegrate,” or any of its forms (e.g., “disintegration”), incorporates the stated meaning.
An embodiment of a disintegrable tubular anchoring system is show in
In an embodiment, the disintegration agent is disposed in the metal matrix. In another embodiment, the disintegration agent is disposed external to the metal matrix. In yet another embodiment, the disintegration agent is disposed in the metal matrix as well as external to the metal matrix. The metal composite also includes the cellular nanomatrix that comprises a metallic nanomatrix material. The disintegration agent can be disposed in the cellular nanomatrix among the metallic nanomatrix material. An exemplary metal composite and method used to make the metal composite are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/633,682, 12/633,688, 13/220,832, 13/220,822, and 13/358,307, the disclosure of each of which patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The metal composite is, for example, a powder compact as shown in
With reference to
In an additional embodiment, precipitation hardenable Al or Mg alloys are particularly useful because they can strengthen the metal matrix 214 through both nanostructuring and precipitation hardening through the incorporation of particle precipitates as described herein. The metal matrix 214 and particle core material 218 also can include a rare earth element, or a combination of rare earth elements. Exemplary rare earth elements include Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, or Er. A combination comprising at least one of the foregoing rare earth elements can be used. Where present, the rare earth element can be present in an amount of about 5 wt % or less, and specifically about 2 wt % or less, based on the weight of the metal composite.
The metal matrix 214 and particle core material 218 also can include a nanostructured material 215. In an exemplary embodiment, the nanostructured material 215 is a material having a grain size (e.g., a subgrain or crystallite size) that is less than about 200 nanometers (nm), specifically about 10 nm to about 200 nm, and more specifically an average grain size less than about 100 nm. The nanostructure of the metal matrix 214 can include high angle boundaries 227, which are usually used to define the grain size, or low angle boundaries 229 that may occur as substructure within a particular grain, which are sometimes used to define a crystallite size, or a combination thereof. It will be appreciated that the nanocellular matrix 216 and grain structure (nanostructured material 215 including grain boundaries 227 and 229) of the metal matrix 214 are distinct features of the metal composite 200. Particularly, nanocellular matrix 216 is not part of a crystalline or amorphous portion of the metal matrix 214.
The disintegration agent is included in the metal composite 200 to control the disintegration rate of the metal composite 200. The disintegration agent can be disposed in the metal matrix 214, the cellular nanomatrix 216, or a combination thereof. According to an embodiment, the disintegration agent includes a metal, fatty acid, ceramic particle, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, the disintegration agent being disposed among the controlled electrolytic material to change the disintegration rate of the controlled electrolytic material. In one embodiment, the disintegration agent is disposed in the cellular nanomatrix external to the metal matrix. In a non-limiting embodiment, the disintegration agent increases the disintegration rate of the metal composite 200. In another embodiment, the disintegration agent decreases the disintegration rate of the metal composite 200. The disintegration agent can be a metal including cobalt, copper, iron, nickel, tungsten, zinc, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. In a further embodiment, the disintegration agent is the fatty acid, e.g., fatty acids having 6 to 40 carbon atoms. Exemplary fatty acids include oleic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, hyroxystearic acid, behenic acid, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, recinoleic acid, palmitic acid, montanic acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. In yet another embodiment, the disintegration agent is ceramic particles such as boron nitride, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, niobium carbide, zirconium carbide, boron carbide, hafnium carbide, silicon carbide, niobium boron carbide, aluminum nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, tantalum nitride, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. Additionally, the ceramic particle can be one of the ceramic materials discussed below with regard to the strengthening agent. Such ceramic particles have a size of 5 μm or less, specifically 2 μm or less, and more specifically 1 μm or less. The disintegration agent can be present in an amount effective to cause disintegration of the metal composite 200 at a desired disintegration rate, specifically about 0.25 wt % to about 15 wt %, specifically about 0.25 wt % to about 10 wt %, specifically about 0.25 wt % to about 1 wt %, based on the weight of the metal composite.
In an exemplary embodiment, the cellular nanomatrix 216 includes aluminum, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, nickel, silicon, tungsten, zinc, an oxide thereof, a nitride thereof, a carbide thereof, an intermetallic compound thereof, a cermet thereof, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The metal matrix can be present in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 95 wt %, specifically about 60 wt % to about 95 wt %, and more specifically about 70 wt % to about 95 wt %, based on the weight of the seal. Further, the amount of the metal nanomatrix material is about 10 wt % to about 50 wt %, specifically about 20 wt % to about 50 wt %, and more specifically about 30 wt % to about 50 wt %, based on the weight of the seal.
In another embodiment, the metal composite includes a second particle. As illustrated generally in
Referring again to
In metal composite 200, the metal matrix 214 dispersed throughout the cellular nanomatrix 216 can have an equiaxed structure in a substantially continuous cellular nanomatrix 216 or can be substantially elongated along an axis so that individual particles of the metal matrix 214 are oblately or prolately shaped, for example. In the case where the metal matrix 214 has substantially elongated particles, the metal matrix 214 and the cellular nanomatrix 216 may be continuous or discontinuous. The size of the particles that make up the metal matrix 214 can be from about 50 nm to about 800 μm, specifically about 500 nm to about 600 μm, and more specifically about 1 μm to about 500 μm. The particle size of can be monodisperse or polydisperse, and the particle size distribution can be unimodal or bimodal. Size here refers to the largest linear dimension of a particle.
Referring to
According to an embodiment, the metal composite is formed from a combination of, for example, powder constituents. As illustrated in
The nanostructure can be formed in the particle core 14 used to form metal matrix 214 by any suitable method, including a deformation-induced nanostructure such as can be provided by ball milling a powder to provide particle cores 14, and more particularly by cryomilling (e.g., ball milling in ball milling media at a cryogenic temperature or in a cryogenic fluid, such as liquid nitrogen) a powder to provide the particle cores 14 used to form the metal matrix 214. The particle cores 14 may be formed as a nanostructured material 215 by any suitable method, such as, for example, by milling or cryomilling of prealloyed powder particles of the materials described herein. The particle cores 14 may also be formed by mechanical alloying of pure metal powders of the desired amounts of the various alloy constituents. Mechanical alloying involves ball milling, including cryomilling, of these powder constituents to mechanically enfold and intermix the constituents and form particle cores 14. In addition to the creation of nanostructure as described above, ball milling, including cryomilling, can contribute to solid solution strengthening of the particle core 14 and core material 18, which in turn can contribute to solid solution strengthening of the metal matrix 214 and particle core material 218. The solid solution strengthening can result from the ability to mechanically intermix a higher concentration of interstitial or substitutional solute atoms in the solid solution than is possible in accordance with the particular alloy constituent phase equilibria, thereby providing an obstacle to, or serving to restrict, the movement of dislocations within the particle, which in turn provides a strengthening mechanism in the particle core 14 and the metal matrix 214. The particle core 14 can also be formed with a nanostructure (grain boundaries 227, 229) by methods including inert gas condensation, chemical vapor condensation, pulse electron deposition, plasma synthesis, crystallization of amorphous solids, electrodeposition, and severe plastic deformation, for example. The nanostructure also can include a high dislocation density, such as, for example, a dislocation density between about 1017 m−2 and about 1018 M−2, which can be two to three orders of magnitude higher than similar alloy materials deformed by traditional methods, such as cold rolling.
The substantially-continuous cellular nanomatrix 216 (see
As used herein, the term cellular nanomatrix 216 does not connote the major constituent of the powder compact, but rather refers to the minority constituent or constituents, whether by weight or by volume. This is distinguished from most matrix composite materials where the matrix comprises the majority constituent by weight or volume. The use of the term substantially continuous, cellular nanomatrix is intended to describe the extensive, regular, continuous and interconnected nature of the distribution of nanomatrix material 220 within the metal composite 200. As used herein, “substantially continuous” describes the extension of the nanomatrix material 220 throughout the metal composite 200 such that it extends between and envelopes substantially all of the metal matrix 214. Substantially continuous is used to indicate that complete continuity and regular order of the cellular nanomatrix 220 around individual particles of the metal matrix 214 are not required. For example, defects in the coating layer 16 over particle core 14 on some powder particles 12 may cause bridging of the particle cores 14 during sintering of the metal composite 200, thereby causing localized discontinuities to result within the cellular nanomatrix 216, even though in the other portions of the powder compact the cellular nanomatrix 216 is substantially continuous and exhibits the structure described herein. In contrast, in the case of substantially elongated particles of the metal matrix 214 (i.e., non-equiaxed shapes), such as those formed by extrusion, “substantially discontinuous” is used to indicate that incomplete continuity and disruption (e.g., cracking or separation) of the nanomatrix around each particle of the metal matrix 214, such as may occur in a predetermined extrusion direction. As used herein, “cellular” is used to indicate that the nanomatrix defines a network of generally repeating, interconnected, compartments or cells of nanomatrix material 220 that encompass and also interconnect the metal matrix 214. As used herein, “nanomatrix” is used to describe the size or scale of the matrix, particularly the thickness of the matrix between adjacent particles of the metal matrix 214. The metallic coating layers that are sintered together to form the nanomatrix are themselves nanoscale thickness coating layers. Since the cellular nanomatrix 216 at most locations, other than the intersection of more than two particles of the metal matrix 214, generally comprises the interdiffusion and bonding of two coating layers 16 from adjacent powder particles 12 having nanoscale thicknesses, the cellular nanomatrix 216 formed also has a nanoscale thickness (e.g., approximately two times the coating layer thickness as described herein) and is thus described as a nanomatrix. Further, the use of the term metal matrix 214 does not connote the minor constituent of metal composite 200, but rather refers to the majority constituent or constituents, whether by weight or by volume. The use of the term metal matrix is intended to convey the discontinuous and discrete distribution of particle core material 218 within metal composite 200.
Embedded particle 224 can be embedded by any suitable method, including, for example, by ball milling or cryomilling hard particles together with the particle core material 18. A precipitate particle 226 can include any particle that can be precipitated within the metal matrix 214, including precipitate particles 226 consistent with the phase equilibria of constituents of the materials, particularly metal alloys, of interest and their relative amounts (e.g., a precipitation hardenable alloy), and including those that can be precipitated due to non-equilibrium conditions, such as may occur when an alloy constituent that has been forced into a solid solution of the alloy in an amount above its phase equilibrium limit, as is known to occur during mechanical alloying, is heated sufficiently to activate diffusion mechanisms that enable precipitation. Dispersoid particles 228 can include nanoscale particles or clusters of elements resulting from the manufacture of the particle cores 14, such as those associated with ball milling, including constituents of the milling media (e.g., balls) or the milling fluid (e.g., liquid nitrogen) or the surfaces of the particle cores 14 themselves (e.g., metallic oxides or nitrides). Dispersoid particles 228 can include an element such as, for example, Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, N, O, C, H, and the like. The additive particles 222 can be disposed anywhere in conjunction with particle cores 14 and the metal matrix 214. In an exemplary embodiment, additive particles 222 can be disposed within or on the surface of metal matrix 214 as illustrated in
Similarly, dispersed second particles 234 may be formed from coated or uncoated second powder particles 32 such as by dispersing the second powder particles 32 with the powder particles 12. In an exemplary embodiment, coated second powder particles 32 may be coated with a coating layer 36 that is the same as coating layer 16 of powder particles 12, such that coating layers 36 also contribute to the nanomatrix 216. In another exemplary embodiment, the second powder particles 232 may be uncoated such that dispersed second particles 234 are embedded within nanomatrix 216. The powder 10 and additional powder 30 may be mixed to form a homogeneous dispersion of dispersed particles 214 and dispersed second particles 234 or to form a non-homogeneous dispersion of these particles. The dispersed second particles 234 may be formed from any suitable additional powder 30 that is different from powder 10, either due to a compositional difference in the particle core 34, or coating layer 36, or both of them, and may include any of the materials disclosed herein for use as second powder 30 that are different from the powder 10 that is selected to form powder compact 200.
In an embodiment, the metal composite optionally includes a strengthening agent. The strengthening agent increases the material strength of the metal composite. Exemplary strengthening agents include a ceramic, polymer, metal, nanoparticles, cermet, and the like. In particular, the strengthening agent can be silica, glass fiber, carbon fiber, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, borides, oxides, carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides, phosphides, sulfides, cobalt, nickel, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium, chromium, niobium, boron, zirconium, vanadium, silicon, palladium, hafnium, aluminum, copper, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. According to an embodiment, a ceramic and metal is combined to form a cermet, e.g., tungsten carbide, cobalt nitride, and the like. Exemplary strengthening agents particularly include magnesia, mullite, thoria, beryllia, urania, spinels, zirconium oxide, bismuth oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, silica, barium titanate, cordierite, boron nitride, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, niobium carbide, zirconium carbide, boron carbide, hafnium carbide, silicon carbide, niobium boron carbide, aluminum nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, tantalum nitride, hafnium nitride, niobium nitride, boron nitride, silicon nitride, titanium boride, chromium boride, zirconium boride, tantalum boride, molybdenum boride, tungsten boride, cerium sulfide, titanium sulfide, magnesium sulfide, zirconium sulfide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. Non-limiting examples of strengthening agent polymers include polyurethanes, polyimides, polycarbonates, and the like.
In one embodiment, the strengthening agent is a particle with size of about 100 microns or less, specifically about 10 microns or less, and more specifically 500 nm or less. In another embodiment, a fibrous strengthening agent can be combined with a particulate strengthening agent. It is believed that incorporation of the strengthening agent can increase the strength and fracture toughness of the metal composite. Without wishing to be bound by theory, finer (i.e., smaller) sized particles can produce a stronger metal composite as compared with larger sized particles. Moreover, the shape of strengthening agent can vary and includes fiber, sphere, rod, tube, and the like. The strengthening agent can be present in an amount of 0.01 weight percent (wt %) to 20 wt %, specifically 0.01 wt % to 10 wt %, and more specifically 0.01 wt % to 5 wt %.
In a process for preparing a component of a disintegrable anchoring system (e.g., a seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, bottom sub, and the like) containing a metal composite, the process includes combining a metal matrix powder, disintegration agent, metal nanomatrix material, and optionally a strengthening agent to form a composition; compacting the composition to form a compacted composition; sintering the compacted composition; and pressing the sintered composition to form the component of the disintegrable system. The members of the composition can be mixed, milled, blended, and the like to form the powder 10 as shown in
The metal matrix 200 can have any desired shape or size, including that of a cylindrical billet, bar, sheet, toroid, or other form that may be machined, formed or otherwise used to form useful articles of manufacture, including various wellbore tools and components. Pressing is used to form a component of the disintegrable anchoring system (e.g., seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, bottom sub, and the like) from the sintering and pressing processes used to form the metal composite 200 by deforming the powder particles 12, including particle cores 14 and coating layers 16, to provide the full density and desired macroscopic shape and size of the metal composite 200 as well as its microstructure. The morphology (e.g. equiaxed or substantially elongated) of the individual particles of the metal matrix 214 and cellular nanomatrix 216 of particle layers results from sintering and deformation of the powder particles 12 as they are compacted and interdiffuse and deform to fill the interparticle spaces of the metal matrix 214 (
The metal composite has beneficial properties for use in, for example a downhole environment. In an embodiment, a component of the disintegrable anchoring system made of the metal composite has an initial shape that can be run downhole and, in the case of the seal and sleeve, can be subsequently deformed under pressure. The metal composite is strong and ductile with a percent elongation of about 0.1% to about 75%, specifically about 0.1% to about 50%, and more specifically about 0.1% to about 25%, based on the original size of the component of the disintegrable anchoring system. The metal composite has a yield strength of about 15 kilopounds per square inch (ksi) to about 50 ksi, and specifically about 15 ksi to about 45 ksi. The compressive strength of the metal composite is from about 30 ksi to about 100 ksi, and specifically about 40 ksi to about 80 ksi. The components of the disintegrable anchoring system can have the same or different material properties, such as percent elongation, compressive strength, tensile strength, and the like.
Unlike elastomeric materials, the components of the disintegrable anchoring system herein that include the metal composite have a temperature rating up to about 1200° F., specifically up to about 1000° F., and more specifically about 800° F. The disintegrable anchoring system is temporary in that the system is selectively and tailorably disintegrable in response to contact with a downhole fluid or change in condition (e.g., pH, temperature, pressure, time, and the like). Moreover, the components of the disintegrable anchoring system can have the same or different disintegration rates or reactivities with the downhole fluid. Exemplary downhole fluids include brine, mineral acid, organic acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The brine can be, for example, seawater, produced water, completion brine, or a combination thereof. The properties of the brine can depend on the identity and components of the brine. Seawater, as an example, contains numerous constituents such as sulfate, bromine, and trace metals, beyond typical halide-containing salts. On the other hand, produced water can be water extracted from a production reservoir (e.g., hydrocarbon reservoir), produced from the ground. Produced water is also referred to as reservoir brine and often contains many components such as barium, strontium, and heavy metals. In addition to the naturally occurring brines (seawater and produced water), completion brine can be synthesized from fresh water by addition of various salts such as KCl, NaCl, ZnCl2, MgCl2, or CaCl2 to increase the density of the brine, such as 10.6 pounds per gallon of CaCl2 brine. Completion brines typically provide a hydrostatic pressure optimized to counter the reservoir pressures downhole. The above brines can be modified to include an additional salt. In an embodiment, the additional salt included in the brine is NaCl, KCl, NaBr, MgCl2, CaCl2, CaBr2, ZnBr2, NH4Cl, sodium formate, cesium formate, and the like. The salt can be present in the brine in an amount from about 0.5 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, specifically about 1 wt. % to about 40 wt. %, and more specifically about 1 wt. % to about 25 wt. %, based on the weight of the composition.
In another embodiment, the downhole fluid is a mineral acid that can include hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, boric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, perchloric acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. In yet another embodiment, the downhole fluid is an organic acid that can include a carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. Exemplary carboxylic acids include formic acid, acetic acid, chloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, proprionic acid, butyric acid, oxalic acid, benzoic acid, phthalic acid (including ortho-, meta- and para-isomers), and the like. Exemplary sulfonic acids include alkyl sulfonic acid or aryl sulfonic acid. Alkyl sulfonic acids include, e.g., methane sulfonic acid. Aryl sulfonic acids include, e.g., benzene sulfonic acid or toluene sulfonic acid. In one embodiment, the alkyl group may be branched or unbranched and may contain from one to about 20 carbon atoms and can be substituted or unsubstituted. The aryl group can be alkyl-substituted, i.e., may be an alkylaryl group, or may be attached to the sulfonic acid moiety via an alkylene group (i.e., an arylalkyl group). In an embodiment, the aryl group may be substituted with a heteroatom. The aryl group can have from about 3 carbon atoms to about 20 carbon atoms and include a polycyclic ring structure.
The disintegration rate (also referred to as dissolution rate) of the metal composite is about 1 milligram per square centimeter per hour (mg/cm2/hr) to about 10,000 mg/cm2/hr, specifically about 25 mg/cm2/hr to about 1000 mg/cm2/hr, and more specifically about 50 mg/cm2/hr to about 500 mg/cm2/hr. The disintegration rate is variable upon the composition and processing conditions used to form the metal composite herein.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, the unexpectedly high disintegration rate of the metal composite herein is due to the microstructure provided by the metal matrix and cellular nanomatrix. As discussed above, such microstructure is provided by using powder metallurgical processing (e.g., compaction and sintering) of coated powders, wherein the coating produces the nanocellular matrix and the powder particles produce the particle core material of the metal matrix. It is believed that the intimate proximity of the cellular nanomatrix to the particle core material of the metal matrix in the metal composite produces galvanic sites for rapid and tailorable disintegration of the metal matrix. Such electrolytic sites are missing in single metals and alloys that lack a cellular nanomatrix. For illustration,
Moreover, the microstructure of the metal composites herein is controllable by selection of powder metallurgical processing conditions and chemical materials used in the powders and coatings. Therefore, the disintegration rate is selectively tailorable as illustrated for metal composites of various compositions in
Not only does the microstructure of the metal composite govern the disintegration rate behavior of the metal composite but also affects the strength of the metal composite. As a consequence, the metal composites herein also have a selectively tailorable material strength yield (and other material properties), in which the material strength yield varies due to the processing conditions and the materials used to produce the metal composite. To illustrate,
To further illustrate the selectively tailorable material properties of the metal composites having a cellular nanomatrix,
Thus, the metal composites herein can be configured to provide a wide range of selectable and controllable corrosion or disintegration behavior from very low corrosion rates to extremely high corrosion rates, particularly corrosion rates that are both lower and higher than those of powder compacts that do not incorporate the cellular nanomatrix, such as a compact formed from pure Mg powder through the same compaction and sintering processes in comparison to those that include pure Mg dispersed particles in the various cellular nanomatrices described herein. These metal composites 200 may also be configured to provide substantially enhanced properties as compared to compacts formed from pure metal (e.g., pure Mg) particles that do not include the nanoscale coatings described herein. Moreover, metal alloys (formed by, e.g., casting from a melt or formed by metallurgically processing a powder) without the cellular nanomatrix also do not have the selectively tailorable material and chemical properties as the metal composites herein.
As mentioned above, the metal composite is used to produce articles that can be used as tools or implements, e.g., in a downhole environment. In a particular embodiment, the article is a seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, or bottom sub. In another embodiment, combinations of the articles are used together as a disintegrable tubular anchoring system.
Referring to
The seat 532 of the seal 528 also includes a collar 544 that is positioned between the seal 528 and the second frustoconical portion 520. The collar 544 has a wall 548 whose thickness is tapered due to a radially inwardly facing frustoconical surface 552 thereon. The varied thickness of the wall 548 allows for thinner portions to deform more easily than thicker portions. This can be beneficial for at least two reasons. First, the thinner walled portion 549 can deform when the collar 544 is moved relative to the second frustoconical portion 520 in order for the seal 528 to expand radially into sealing engagement with a structure 540. Second, the thicker walled portion 550 should resist deformation due to pressure differential thereacross that is created when pressuring up against a plug (e.g., plug 578) seated at the seat 532 during treatment operations, for example. The taper angle of the frustoconical surface 552 may be selected to match a taper angle of the second frustoconical portion 520 thereby to allow the second frustoconical portion 520 to provide radial support to the collar 544 at least in the areas where they are in contact with one another.
The disintegrable tubular anchoring system 510 is configured to set (i.e., anchor) and seal to a structure 540 such as a liner, casing, or closed or open hole in an earth formation borehole, for example, as is employable in hydrocarbon recovery and carbon dioxide sequestration applications. The sealing and anchoring to the structure 540 allows pressure against the plug 578 seated thereat to increase for treatment of the earth formation as is done during fracturing and acid treatment, for example. Additionally, the seat 532 is positioned in the seal 528 such that pressure applied against a plug seated on the seat 532 urges the seal 528 toward the sleeve 524 to thereby increase both sealing engagement of the seal 528 with the structure 540 and the frustoconical member 514 as well as increasing the anchoring engagement of the sleeve 524 with the structure 540.
The sealing system 510 can be configured such that the sleeve 524 is anchored (positionally fixed) to the structure 540 prior to the seal 528 sealingly engaging with the structure 540, or such that the seal 528 is sealingly engaged with the structure 540 prior to the sleeve 524 anchoring to the structure 540. Controlling which of the seal 528 and the sleeve 524 engages with the structure 540 first can be selected through material properties relationships (e.g., relative compressive strength) or dimensional relationships between the components involved in the setting of the seal 528 in comparison to the components involved in the setting of the sleeve 524. Regardless of whether the sleeve 524 or the seal 528 engages the structure 540 first may be set in response to directions of portions of a setting tool that set the disintegrable tubular anchoring system 510. Damage to the seal 528 can be minimized by reducing or eliminating relative movement between the seal 528 and the structure 540 after the seal 528 is engaged with the structure 540. In this embodiment, having the seal 528 engage with the structure 540 prior to having the sleeve 524 engage the structure 540 can achieve this goal.
The surface 536 of the seat 532 is positioned longitudinally upstream (as defined by fluid flow that urges a plug against the seat 532) of the sleeve 524. Additionally, the seat 536 of the seal can be positioned longitudinally upstream of the collar 544 of the seal 528. This relative positioning allows forces generated by pressure against a plug seated against the land 536 further to urge the seal 528 into sealing engagement with the structure 540.
The portion of the collar 544 that deforms conforms to the second frustoconical portion 520 sufficiently to be radially supported thereby, regardless of whether the taper angles match. The second frustoconical portion 520 can have taper angles from about 1° to about 30°, specifically about 2° to about 20° to facilitate radial expansion of the collar 544 and to allow frictional forces between the collar 544 and the second frustoconical portion 520 to maintain positional relationships therebetween after removal of longitudinal forces that caused the movement therebetween. The first frustoconical portion 516 can also have taper angles from about 10° to about 30°, specifically about 14° to about 20° for the same reasons that the second frustoconical portion 520 does. Either or both of the frustoconical surface 552 and the second frustoconical portion 520 can include more than one taper angle as is illustrated herein on the second frustoconical portion 520 where a nose 556 has a larger taper angle than the surface 520 has further from the nose 556. Having multiple taper angles can provide operators with greater control over amounts of radial expansion of the collar 544 (and subsequently the seal 528) per unit of longitudinal movement between the collar 544 and the frustoconical member 514. The taper angles, in addition to other variables, also provide additional control over longitudinal forces needed to move the collar 544 relative to the frustoconical member 514. Such control can allow the disintegrable tubular anchoring system 510 to expand the collar 544 of the seal 528 to set the seal 528 prior to expanding and setting the sleeve 224.
In an embodiment, the setting tool 558 is disposed along the length of the system 510 from the bottom sub 570 to the seal 528. The setting tool 558 can generate the loads needed to cause movement of the frustoconical member 514 relative to the sleeve 524. The setting tool 558 can have a mandrel 560 with a stop 562 attached to one end 564 by a force failing member 566 such as a plurality of shear screws. The stop 562 is disposed to contact the bottom sub 570. A plate 568 disposed to contact the seal 528 guidingly movable along the mandrel 560 (by means not shown herein) in a direction toward the stop 562 at the bottom sub 570 can longitudinally urge the frustoconical member 514 toward the sleeve 524. Loads to fail the force failing member 566 can be set to only occur after the sleeve 524 has been radially altered by the frustoconical member 514 a selected amount. After failure of the force failing member 566, the stop 562 may separate from the mandrel 560, thereby allowing the mandrel 560 and the plate 568 to be retrieved to surface, for example.
According to an embodiment, the surface 572 of the sleeve 524 includes protrusions 574, which may be referred to as teeth, configured to bitingly engage with a wall 576 of the structure 540, within which the disintegrable system 510 is employable, when the surface 572 is in a radially altered (i.e., expanded) configuration. This biting engagement serves to anchor the disintegrable system 510 to the structure 540 to prevent relative movement therebetween. Although the structure 540 disclosed in this embodiment is a tubular, such as a liner or casing in a borehole, it could be an open hole in an earth formation, for example.
After setting the disintegrable system 510 with the protrusions 574 of the sleeve 514, a plug 578 can be disposed on the surface 536 of seat 532. Once the plug 578 is sealingly engaged with the seat 536, pressure can increase upstream thereof to perform work such as fracturing an earth formation or actuating a downhole tool, for example, when employed in a hydrocarbon recovery application.
In an embodiment, as show in
According to another embodiment, the disintegrable tubular anchoring system 510 is configured to leave a through bore 580 with an inner radial dimension 582 and outer radial dimension 584 defined by a largest radial dimension of the disintegrable system 510 when set within the structure 540. In an embodiment, the inner radial dimension 582 can be large enough for mandrel 560 of the setting tool 558 to fit through the system 510. The stop 562 of the setting tool 558 can be left in the structure 540 after setting the disintegrable system 510 and removal of the mandrel 560. The stop 562 can be fished out of the structure 540 after disintegrating the system 510 at least to a point where the stop 562 can pass through the inner radial dimension 582. Thus, a component of the disintegrable system 510 can be substantially solid. By incorporation of the through bore 580 in the disintegrable system 510, a fluid can be circulated through the disintegrable system 510 from either the downstream or upstream direction in the structure 540 to cause disintegration of a component (e.g., the sleeve).
In another embodiment, the disintegrable tubular anchoring system 510 is configured with the inner radial dimension 582 that is large in relation to the outer radial dimension 584. According to one embodiment, the inner radial dimension 582 is greater than 50% of the outer radial dimension 584, specifically greater than 60%, and more specifically greater than 70%.
The seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, and bottom sub can have beneficial properties for use in, for example a downhole environment, either in combination or separately. These components are disintegrable and can be part of a completely disintegrable anchoring system herein. Further, the components have mechanical and chemical properties of the metal composite described herein. The components thus beneficially are selectively and tailorably disintegrable in response to contact with a fluid or change in condition (e.g., pH, temperature, pressure, time, and the like). Exemplary fluids include brine, mineral acid, organic acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
A cross sectional view of an embodiment of a frustoconical member is shown in
A cross sectional view of a bottom sub is shown in
A sleeve is shown in a perspective, cross sectional, and top views respectively in
Referring to
In addition to being selectively corrodible, the seal herein deforms in situ to conform to a space in which it is disposed in response to an applied setting pressure, which is a pressure large enough to expand radially the seal or to decrease the wall thickness of the seal by increasing the length of the seal. Unlike many seals, e.g., an elastomer seal, the seal herein is prepared in a shape that corresponds to a mating surface to be sealed, e.g., a casing, or frustoconical shape of a downhole tool. In an embodiment, the seal is a temporary seal and has an initial shape that can be run downhole and subsequently deformed under pressure to form a metal-to-metal seal that deforms to surfaces that the seal contacts and fills spaces (e.g. voids) in a mating surface. To achieve the sealing properties, the seal has a percent elongation of about 10% to about 75%, specifically about 15% to about 50%, and more specifically about 15% to about 25%, based on the original size of the seal. The seal has a yield strength of about 15 kilopounds per square inch (ksi) to about 50 ksi, and specifically about 15 ksi to about 45 ksi. The compressive strength of the seal is from about 30 ksi to about 100 ksi, and specifically about 40 ksi to about 80 ksi. To deform the seal, a pressure of up to about 10,000 psi, and specifically about 9,000 psi can be applied to the seal.
Unlike elastomeric seals, the seal herein that includes the metal composite has a temperature rating up to about 1200° F., specifically up to about 1000° F., and more specifically up to about 800° F. The seal is temporary in that the seal is selectively and tailorably disintegrable in response to contact with a downhole fluid or change in condition (e.g., pH, temperature, pressure, time, and the like). Exemplary downhole fluids include brine, mineral acid, organic acid, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
Since the seal interworks with other components, e.g., a frustoconical member, sleeve, or bottom sub in, e.g., the disintegrable tubular anchoring system herein, the properties of each component are selected for the appropriate relative selectively tailorable material and chemical properties. These properties are a characteristic of the metal composite and the processing conditions that form the metal composite, which is used to produce such articles, i.e., the components. Therefore, in an embodiment, the metal composite of a component will differ from that of another component of the disintegrable system. In this way, the components have independent selectively tailorable mechanical and chemical properties.
According to an embodiment, the sleeve and seal deform under a force imparted by the frustoconical member and bottom sub. To achieve this result, the sleeve and seal have a compressive strength that is less than that of the bottom sub or frustoconical member. In another embodiment, the sleeve deforms before, after, or simultaneously as deformation of the seal. It is contemplated that the bottom sub or frustoconical member deforms in certain embodiments. In an embodiment, a component has a different amount of a strengthening agent than another component, for example, where a higher strength component has a greater amount of strengthening agent than does a component of lesser strength. In a specific embodiment, the frustoconical member has a greater amount of strengthening agent than that of the seal. In another embodiment, the frustoconical member has a greater amount of strengthening agent than that of the sleeve. Similarly, the bottom sub can have a greater amount of strengthening agent than either the seal or sleeve. In a particular embodiment, the frustoconical member has a compressive strength that is greater than that of either the seal or sleeve. In a further embodiment, the frustoconical member has a compressive strength that is greater than that of either of the seal or sleeve. In one embodiment, the frustoconical member has a compressive strength of 40 ksi to 100 ksi, specifically 50 ksi to 100 ksi. In another embodiment, the bottom sub has a compressive strength of 40 ksi to 100 ksi, specifically 50 ksi to 100 ksi. In yet another embodiment, the seal has a compressive strength of 30 ksi to 70 ksi, specifically 30 ksi to 60 ksi. In yet another embodiment, the sleeve has a compressive strength of 30 ksi to 80 ksi, specifically 30 ksi to 70 ksi. Thus, under a compressive force either the seal or sleeve will deform before deformation of either the bottom sub or frustoconical member.
Other factors that can affect the relative strength of the components include the type and size of the strengthening agent in each component. In an embodiment, the frustoconical member includes a strengthening of smaller size than a strengthening agent in either of the seal or sleeve. In yet another embodiment, the bottom sub includes a strengthening agent of smaller size than a strengthening agent in either of the seal or sleeve. In one embodiment, the frustoconical member includes a strengthening agent such as a ceramic, metal, cermet, or a combination thereof, wherein the size of the strengthening agent is from 10 nm to 200 μm, specifically 100 nm to 100 μm.
Yet another factor that impacts the relative selectively tailorable material and chemical properties of the components is the constituents of the metal composite, i.e., the metallic nanomatrix of the cellular nanomatrix, the metal matrix disposed in the cellular nanomatrix, or the disintegration agent. The compressive and tensile strengths and disintegration rate are determined by the chemical identity and relative amount of these constituents. Thus, these properties can be regulated by the constituents of the metal composite. According to an embodiment, a component (e.g., seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, or bottom sub) has a metal matrix of the metal composite that includes a pure metal, and another component has a metal matrix that includes an alloy. In another embodiment, the seal has a metal matrix that includes a pure metal, and the frustoconical member has a metal matrix that includes an alloy. In an additional embodiment, the sleeve has a metal matrix that is a pure metal. It is contemplated that a component can be functionally graded in that the metal matrix of the metal composite can contain both a pure metal and an alloy having a gradient in the relative amount of either the pure metal or alloy in the metal matrix as disposed in the component. Therefore, the value of the selectively tailorable properties varies in relation to the position along the component.
In a particular embodiment, the disintegration rate of a component (e.g., seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, or bottom sub) has a greater value than that of another component. Alternatively, each component can have substantially the same disintegration rate. In a further embodiment, the sleeve has a greater disintegration rate than another component, e.g., the frustoconical member. In another embodiment, the amount of disintegration agent of a component (e.g., seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, or bottom sub) is present in an amount greater than that of another component. In another embodiment, the amount of disintegration agent present in the sleeve is greater than another component. In one embodiment, the amount of disintegrating agent in the seal is greater than another component.
Referring to
An amount of radial alteration that the surface 1122 of the sleeve 1118 undergoes is controlled by how far the frustoconical member 1114 is forced into the sleeve 1118. A frustoconical surface 1144 on the frustoconical member 1114 is wedgably engagable with a frustoconical surface 1148 on the sleeve 1118. As such, the further the frustoconical member 1114 is moved relative to the sleeve 1118, the greater the radial alteration of the sleeve 1118. Similarly, the seal 1126 is positioned radially of the frustoconical surface 1144 and is longitudinally fixed relative to the sleeve 1118 so the further the frustoconical member 1114 moves relative to the sleeve 1118 and the seal 1126, the greater the radial alteration of the seal 1126 and the surface 1130. The foregoing structure allows an operator to determine the amount of radial alteration of the surfaces 1122, 1130 after the system 1110 is positioned within a structure 1150.
Optionally, the system 1110 can include a collar 1154 positioned radially between the seal 1126 and the frustoconical member 1114 such that a radial dimension of the collar 1154 is also altered by the frustoconical member 1114 in response to the movement relative thereto. The collar 1154 can have a frustoconical surface 1158 complementary to the frustoconical surface 1144 such that substantially the full longitudinal extent of the collar 1154 is simultaneously radially altered upon movement of the frustoconical member 1114. The collar 1154 may be made of a metal composite that is different than that of the seal 1126 or that of the frustoconical member 1114. Thus, collar 1154 can maintain the seal 1126 at an altered radial dimension even if the frustoconical surface 1144 is later moved out of engagement with the frustoconical surface 1158, thereby maintaining the seal 1126 in sealing engagement with a wall 1162 of the structure 1150. This can be achieved by selecting the metal composite of the collar 1154 to have a higher compressive strength than that of the seal 1126.
The disintegrable system 1110 further includes a land 1136 on the frustoconical member 1114 sealably engagable with the plug 1138. Also included in the disintegrable system are a recess 1166 (within a wall 1058) of the sleeve 1118 receptive to shoulders 1170 on fingers 1174, which provisions are engagable together once the setting tool 558 compresses the disintegrable system 1110 in a similar manner as the disintegrable system 510 is settable with the setting tool 558 as shown in
Referring to
To clarify, if the surface 1346 were positioned in a direction upstream of even a portion of the longitudinal extend of the collar 1334 (which it is not) then pressure built across the plug 1350 seated against the surface 1346 would generate a pressure differential radially across the portion of the collar 1334 positioned in a direction downstream of the surface 1346. This pressure differential would be defined by a greater pressure radially outwardly of the collar 1334 than radially inwardly of the collar 1334, thereby creating radially inwardly forces on the collar 1334. These radially inwardly forces, if large enough, could cause the collar 1334 to deform radially inwardly potentially compromising the sealing integrity between the collar 1334 and the structure 1322 in the process. This condition is specifically avoided by the positioning of the surface 1346 relative to the collar 1334.
Optionally, the disintegrable tubular anchoring system 1310 includes a seal 1354 positioned radially of the collar 1334 configured to facilitate sealing of the collar 1334 to the structure 1322 by being compressed radially therebetween when the collar 1334 is radially expanded. The seal 1354 is fabricated from a metal composite that has a lower compressive strength than that of the first frustoconical member 1314 to enhance sealing of the seal 1354 to both the collar 1334 and the structure 1322. In an embodiment, the seal 1354 has a lower compressive strength than that of the collar 1334.
Thus in this embodiment, the disintegrable system 1310 can include a first frustoconical member 1314, sleeve 1318, and an optional seal 1354. In the instance when the seal 1354 is not present, the collar 1334 of the first frustoconical member 1314 can form a metal-to-metal seal with the casing or liner or conform to an openhole surface. In some embodiments, the first frustoconical member 1314 contains a functionally graded metal composite such that the collar 1334 has a lower compressive strength value than that of the rest of the first frustoconical member 1314. In another embodiment the collar 1334 has a lower compressive strength than that of the second frustoconical member 1338. In yet another embodiment, the second frustoconical member 1338 has a greater compressive strength than that of the seal 1354.
The components herein can be augmented with various materials. In one embodiment, a seal, e.g., seal 528, can include a backup seal such as an elastomer material 602 as shown in
As described herein, the components, e.g., the seal, can be used in a downhole environment, for example, to provide a metal-to-metal seal. In an embodiment, a method for temporarily sealing a downhole element includes disposing a component downhole and applying pressure to deform the component. The component can include a seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, bottom, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The method also includes conforming the seal to a space to form a temporary seal, compressing the sleeve to engage a surface, and thereafter contacting the component with a downhole fluid to disintegrate the component. The component includes the metal composite herein having a metal matrix, disintegration agent, cellular nanomatrix, and optionally strengthening agent. The metal composite of the seal forms an inner sealing surface and an outer sealing surface disposed radially from the inner sealing surface of the seal.
According to an embodiment, a process of isolating a structure includes disposing a disintegrable tubular anchoring system herein in a structure (e.g., tubular, pipe, tube, borehole (closed or open), and the like), radially altering the sleeve to engage a surface of the structure, and radially altering the seal to the isolate the structure. The disintegrable tubular anchoring system can be contacted with a fluid to disintegrate, e.g., the seal, frustoconical member, sleeve, bottom sub or a combination of at least one of the foregoing. The process further can include setting the disintegrable anchoring system with a setting tool. Additionally, a plug can be disposed on the seal. Isolating the structure can be completely or substantially impeding fluid flow through the structure.
Moreover, the seal can have various shapes and sealing surfaces besides the particular arrangement shown in
Although variations of a disintegrable tubular anchoring system have described that include several components together, it is contemplated that each component is separately and independently applicable as an article. Further, any combination of the components can be used together. Moreover, the components can be used in surface or downhole environments.
While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation. Embodiments herein are can be used independently or can be combined.
All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. The suffix “(s)” as used herein is intended to include both the singular and the plural of the term that it modifies, thereby including at least one of that term (e.g., the colorant(s) includes at least one colorants). “Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, and that the description includes instances where the event occurs and instances where it does not. As used herein, “combination” is inclusive of blends, mixtures, alloys, reaction products, and the like. All references are incorporated herein by reference.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. “Or” means “and/or.” Further, it should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity (such that more than one, two, or more than two of an element can be present), or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/466,311 filed May 8, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170138479 A1 | May 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13466311 | May 2012 | US |
| Child | 15411060 | US |
