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US 12,624,611 B2Granted
Expanding metal for plug and abandonment
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsMichael Linley Fripp, Kenneth Craig Kaser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is an expandable metal plug for use in a wellbore tubular. The expandable metal plug, in one aspect, includes a downhole member positionable proximate a plug and abandonment section in a wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal the wellbore tubular.
Claims27
An expandable metal plug, comprising:
- a downhole member positionable proximate a plug and abandonment section in a wellbore tubular,
- wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal the wellbore tubular, wherein an amount of the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is sufficient to expand to a volume of at least 3500 cm3, further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
A well system, comprising:
- a wellbore tubular positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation;
- an expanded metal plug positioned proximate a plug and abandonment section in the wellbore tubular, the expanded metal plug including a downhole member comprising a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, the downhole member having expanded radially into contact with the wellbore tubular to plug the wellbore tubular, wherein a volume of the expanded downhole member is at least 3500 cm3, further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
A well system, comprising:
- a wellbore tubular positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation, the wellbore tubular having an uphole end and a downhole end;
- one or more removed sections in the wellbore tubular located between the uphole end and the downhole end;
- an expandable metal plug positioned within the wellbore tubular, the expandable metal plug comprising:
- a downhole member positioned proximate the one or more removed sections in the wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and further wherein an amount of the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is sufficient to expand to a volume of at least 3500 cm3 to seal the wellbore tubular and the one or more removed sections, further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.