Fracking Tools and Methods of Forming the Same
AssigneeAdvanced Composites, Inc.
InventorsDaniel B. Hannula, Cody J. Janes, Randall J. Philpot, Carlton J. Sudbury
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a fracking tool, such as a frac ball or a frac plug mandrel, may include: applying a resin to wet a filament; winding the wetted filament to form a cylinder; placing the cylinder in a cylindrical mold; increasing a pressure in the cylindrical mold to at least 3,000 psi; curing the resin at the pressure and a temperature of at least 250° F.; and extracting the cylinder from the mold. In some instances, the method may further include adding the resin and/or another resin into the cylindrical mold.
Claims20
A method of forming a frac ball, comprising:
- applying a resin to wet a filament;
- winding, without a core, the wetted filament to form a cylinder;
- placing the cylinder in a cylindrical mold;
- increasing a pressure in the cylindrical mold to at least 500 psi;
- curing the resin at the pressure and a temperature of at least 250° F.;
- extracting the cylinder from the mold;
- and
- carving the cylinder into a spherical frac ball.
A method of forming a mandrel of a frac plug, comprising:
- applying a resin to wet a filament;
- winding, with a core, the wetted filament to form a cylinder having a bore extending therethrough;
- placing the cylinder in a cylindrical mold;
- increasing a pressure in the cylindrical mold to at least 500 psi;
- curing the resin at the pressure and a temperature of at least 250° F.;
- and
- extracting the cylinder from the mold.
A frac ball, comprising:
- a plurality of overlapping filament fragments formed from a single, wound filament;
- a resin, wherein the resin and the filament fragments have been exposed to a pressure of at least 3,000 psi and a temperature of at least 300° F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.