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US 10,119,358 B2Granted
Degradable wellbore isolation devices with varying degradation rates
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsZachary William Walton, Michael Linley Fripp, Zachary Ryan Murphree, John Todd Broome
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example downhole tool includes a wellbore isolation device that provides a plurality of components including one or more first components and one or more second components. Each component is made of a degradable material that degrades when exposed to a wellbore environment, and the one or more first components degrades at a first degradation rate while the one or more second components degrades at a second degradation rate that is slower than the first degradation rate.
Claims25
A downhole tool, comprising:
- a wellbore isolation device that provides a plurality of components including one or more first components, one or more second components, and one or more third components, wherein the one or more third components anchor the downhole tool, each component is made of a degradable material that degrades when exposed to a wellbore environment, and the one or more third components degrade to detach the downhole tool, and
- wherein the one or more first components degrades at a first degradation rate, the one or more second components degrades at a second degradation rate that is slower than the first degradation rate, and the one or more third components degrades at a third degradation rate that is slower than the second degradation rate to degrade the one or more second components to a state of lost integrity prior to the detachment of the downhole tool due to the degradation of the one or more third components.
A method, comprising:
- introducing a wellbore isolation device into a wellbore, the wellbore isolation device providing a plurality of components including one or more first components, one or more second components, and one or more third components, wherein each component is made of a degradable material that degrades when exposed to a wellbore environment;
- anchoring the wellbore isolation device within the wellbore at a target location via the one or more third components;
- performing at least one downhole operation via the one or more first components;
- degrading the one or more first components at a first degradation rate;
- degrading the one or more second components at a second degradation rate that is slower than the first degradation rate;
- and
- degrading the one or more third components at a third degradation rate to detach the wellbore isolation device, wherein the third degradation rate is slower than the second degradation rate to degrade the one or more second components to a state of lost integrity prior to the detachment of the wellbore isolation device via the degradation of the one or more third components.
4 more elements
A hydraulic frac plug, comprising:
- a mandrel having a central flow passage defined therethrough;
- a mule shoe secured to the mandrel;
- a frac ball disposed at an upper end of the mandrel;
- one or more packer elements disposed about the mandrel and expandable to seal against a wellbore;
- an upper slip wedge and a lower slip wedge each disposed about the mandrel on opposing sides of the one or more packer elements;
- and
- an upper slip and a lower slip each disposed about the mandrel on opposing sides of the one or more packer elements and actuatable to anchor the hydraulic frac plug within the wellbore, wherein at least the mandrel, the mule shoe, the frac ball, the upper and lower slip wedges, and the upper and lower slips are each made of a degradable material that degrades when exposed to a wellbore environment, and the upper and lower slip wedges, or the upper and lower slips degrade to detach the hydraulic frac plug,
- wherein the degradable material of the mule shoe and the frac ball degrades at a first degradation rate,
- wherein the degradable material of the mandrel degrades at a second degradation rate that is slower than the first degradation rate, and
- wherein the degradable material of at least one of the upper and lower slip wedges, or the upper and lower slips degrades at a third degradation rate that is slower than the second degradation rate to degrade the mandrel to a state of lost integrity prior to the detachment of the hydraulic frac plug due to the degradation of the at least one of the upper and lower slip wedges, or the upper and lower slips.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- introducing a hydraulic frac plug into a wellbore, the hydraulic frac plug including a mandrel having a central flow passage defined therethrough, a mule shoe secured to the mandrel, a frac ball disposed at an upper end of the mandrel, an upper slip wedge and a lower slip wedge each disposed about the mandrel, and an upper slip and a lower slip each disposed about the mandrel, wherein the mandrel, the mule shoe, the frac ball, the upper and lower slip wedges, and the upper and lower slips are each made of a degradable material that degrades when exposed to a wellbore environment;
- actuating the upper and lower slips and thereby anchoring the hydraulic frac plug within the wellbore at a target location;
- performing at least one downhole operation via the frac ball;
- degrading the degradable material of the mule shoe and the frac ball at a first degradation rate;
- degrading the degradable material of the mandrel, at a second degradation rate that is slower than the first degradation rate;
- and
- degrading the degradable material of at least one of the upper and lower slip wedges, or the upper and lower slips at a third degradation rate to detach the hydraulic frac plug, wherein the third degradation rate is slower than the first second degradation rate to degrade the mandrel to a state of lost integrity prior to the detachment of the hydraulic frac plug due to the degradation of the at least one of the upper and lower slip wedges, or the upper and lower slips.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.