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US 10,167,534 B2Granted
Fresh water degradable downhole tools comprising magnesium and aluminum alloys
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsMichael Linley Fripp, Zachary William Walton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Downhole tools, methods, and systems of use thereof, the downhole tools comprising at least one component made of a doped alloy that at least partially degrades by micro-galvanic corrosion in the presence of fresh water having a salinity of less than about 1000 ppm, and wherein the doped alloy is selected from the group consisting of a doped magnesium alloy, a doped aluminum alloy, and any combination thereof.
Claims14
A downhole tool comprising:
- at least one component of the downhole tool made of a doped alloy that at least partially degrades by micro-galvanic corrosion in the presence of fresh water, the fresh water having a salinity of less than about 1000 ppm,
- wherein the doped alloy is selected from the group consisting of:
- a doped magnesium alloy comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of a nickel dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, a copper dopant in the range of about 6% to about 12%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, and any combination thereof;
- a doped magnesium alloy selected from the group consisting of a doped WE magnesium alloy, a doped AZ magnesium alloy, a doped ZK magnesium alloy, a doped AM magnesium alloy, and any combination thereof;
- and
- a doped aluminum alloy comprising greater than about 50% by weight of aluminum and a dopant selected from the group consisting of a copper dopant in the range of about 8% to about 15%, a gallium dopant in the range of about 0.2% to about 4%, a nickel dopant in the range of about 1% to about 7%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 7%, and any combination thereof.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- introducing a downhole tool into a subterranean formation, the downhole tool comprising at least one component made of a doped alloy selected from the group consisting of:
- a doped magnesium alloy comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of a nickel dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, a copper dopant in the range of about 6% to about 12%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, and any combination thereof, a doped magnesium alloy selected from the group consisting of a doped WE magnesium alloy, a doped AZ magnesium alloy, a doped ZK magnesium alloy, a doped AM magnesium alloy, and any combination thereof, a doped aluminum alloy comprising greater than about 50% by weight of aluminum and a dopant selected from the group consisting of a copper dopant in the range of about 8% to about 15%, a gallium dopant in the range of about 0.2% to about 4%, a nickel dopant in the range of about 1% to about 7%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 7%, and any combination thereof, performing a downhole operation;
- and degrading by micro-galvanic corrosion at least a portion of the doped alloy in the subterranean formation by contacting the doped alloy with fresh water having a salinity of less than about 1000 ppm.
A system comprising:
- a tool string connected to a derrick and extending through a surface into a wellbore in a subterranean formation;
- and a downhole tool connected to the tool string and placed in the wellbore, the downhole tool comprising at least one component made of a doped alloy that at least partially degrades by micro-galvanic corrosion in the presence of fresh water, the fresh water having a salinity of less than about 1000 ppm, wherein the doped alloy is selected from the group consisting of:
- a doped magnesium alloy comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of a nickel dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, a copper dopant in the range of about 6% to about 12%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 6%, and any combination thereof, a doped magnesium alloy selected from the group consisting of a doped WE magnesium alloy, a doped AZ magnesium alloy, a doped ZK magnesium alloy, a doped AM magnesium alloy, and any combination thereof, a doped aluminum alloy comprising greater than about 50% by weight of aluminum and a dopant selected from the group consisting of a copper dopant in the range of about 8% to about 15%, a gallium dopant in the range of about 0.2% to about 4%, a nickel dopant in the range of about 1% to about 7%, an iron dopant in the range of about 2% to about 7%, and any combination thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.