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US 12,258,723 B2Granted
Expanding metal used in forming support structures
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsStephen Michael Greci, Luke William Holderman, Brandon T. Least
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a support structure and a method for manufacture thereof. The support structure, in one aspect, includes first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis. In at least one other aspect, the support structure includes one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
Claims31
A support structure, comprising:
- first and second expanded metal structural pillars positioned within the ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expanded metal structural pillars comprising a metal that has expanded in response to hydrolysis;
- and
- one or more beams spanning the first and second expanded metal structural pillars.
A method for forming a support structure, comprising:
- placing first and second expandable metal structural pillars into ground by a distance (d1), the first and second expandable metal structural pillars offset from one another, wherein at least a portion of the first and second expandable metal structural pillars comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis;
- and
- allowing the first and second expandable structural pillar to be exposed to reactive fluid to form first and second expanded metal structural pillars located at least partially within the ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.