# US 2021/0277741 A1 · Metal-based dissolvable ball seat, setting system and setting method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277741 A1 - Document ID: US20210277741A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/039,909 - Filed: 2020-09-30 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: PetroChina Company Limited - Applicants: PetroChina Company Limited - Inventors: Xiaowei Xue; Jianguo Yao; Zhiguo Wang; Guofu Ren; Xiangjun Hu; Siwen Guo; Minqi Zhao; Changqing Feng; Kai Li; Penggang Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277741A1 ## CPC - E21B 33/1208: {characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence)} - E21B 33/134: Bridging plugs - E21B 23/01: for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) - E21B 23/06: for setting packers - E21B 33/1293: {with means for anchoring against downward and upward movement (E21B33/1291, E21B33/1295 take precedence)} - E21B 2200/08: Down-hole devices using materials which decompose under well-bore conditions - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A metal-based dissolvable ball seat comprises a mandrel, a tail base, a sliding body, a slip and a sealing ring. The mandrel can be disengaged from the tail base under predefined shearing force. The sliding body is disposed to sleeve the mandrel and located above the tail base; the slip is disposed outside the mandrel and slidably abutted against the tail base and the sliding body respectively; the slip and the sliding body are slidably abutted against each other through a first conical surface structure, and/or the slip and the tail base are slidably abutted against each other through a second conical surface structure; the sealing ring is movable along axial direction of the mandrel together with the slip; when the sliding body and the tail base are approaching each other, the slip opens up and the sealing ring expands outward. A setting system and a setting method are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A metal-based dissolvable ball seat, comprising a mandrel, a tail base, a sliding body, a slip and a sealing ring, wherein the tail base is coupled to a lower end of the mandrel so that the mandrel can be disengaged from the tail base under a predefined shearing force, the sliding body is disposed to sleeve the mandrel and located above the tail base; the slip is disposed outside the mandrel and between the tail base and the sliding body, and the slip is slidably abutted against the tail base and the sliding body respectively; the slip and the sliding body are slidably abutted against each other through a first conical surface structure, and/or the slip and the tail base are slidably abutted against each other through a second conical surface structure; the sealing ring is coupled to the slip, and is able to move along an axial direction of the mandrel together with the slip, the metal-based dissolvable ball seat is configured so that when the sliding body and the tail base are approaching each other, the slip is opened up and the sealing ring is expanded outward; and that when the sliding body and the tail base are close to each other to a predefined position, the sliding body and the slip are locked to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein a substrate of the slip, the sliding body and the tail base are all made of dissolvable metal materials. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the first conical surface structure comprises a first outer conical surface provided on the sliding body and a first inner conical surface provided on the slip and matching with the first outer conical surface, the first outer conical surface being tapered from top to bottom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 3, wherein the first outer conical surface is a circular conical surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 3, wherein a taper angle of the first outer conical surface is in a range from 3° to 7°. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 5, wherein the taper angle of the first outer conical surface is one of 3°, 3.5°, 4°, 4.9°, 5°, 5.1°, 6°, 6.4° or 7°. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 3, wherein the slip and the tail base are slidably abutted against each other through a guide groove structure, which comprises a guide groove provided on the tail base and extended from inside to outside and a guide protrusion provided on the slip and matching with the guide groove. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 7, wherein the guide groove extends in a radial direction of the mandrel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 7, wherein a cross section of the guide groove is rectangular. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 3, wherein the sealing ring is disposed above the slip, and the sealing ring is provided with a second inner conical surface matching with the first outer conical surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 10, wherein the sealing ring is made of a dissolvable metal material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 11, wherein the sealing ring is made of a magnesium-aluminum alloy or a lithium-magnesium alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 11, wherein dissolution rates of the tail base, the sliding body, a substrate of the slip and the sealing ring descend in sequence. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the slip comprises a plurality of slip petals distributed circumferentially around an axis of the mandrel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 14, wherein each of the slip petals comprises a substrate, and a slip block fixed to the substrate for engaging with a wellbore. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 14, wherein the number of the slip petals is in a range from 6 to 8. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 14, wherein the slip comprises at least one hoop hooping the slip petals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 14, wherein at least one columnar pin is provided on the slip petal, a columnar hole matching with the columnar pin is provided on the sealing ring, and the columnar pin is accommodated in the columnar hole. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the tail base is in threaded connection with the mandrel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein a lower end of the sliding body is provided with a sliding body horse-tooth buckle, and the tail base is provided with a tail base horse-tooth buckle matching with the sliding body horse-tooth buckle to lock the sliding body and the tail base. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the sliding body is provided with a cylindrical portion. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein when the metal-based dissolvable ball seat is placed into a well, a maximum outer diameter of the sliding body is larger than that of the sealing ring, and/or a maximum outer diameter of the tail base is larger than that of the sealing ring. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the sliding body is provided with a ball seat hole, which is a conical ball seat hole tapered from top to bottom. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the sliding body is provided with a ball seat hole, which is a spherical crown-shaped ball seat hole. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the sliding body is provided with a plurality of first through holes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 25, wherein a diameter of the first through hole is in a range from 5 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the tail base is provided with a plurality of second through holes. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 27, wherein a diameter of the second through hole is in a range from 5 mm to 10 mm. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the second conical surface structure comprises a second outer conical surface provided on the tail base, and a third inner conical surface provided on the slip and matching with the second outer conical surface, the second outer conical surface expands gradually from top to bottom. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 29, wherein the second outer conical surface is a circular conical surface, and a taper angle of the second outer conical surface is in a range from 3° to 7°. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein a top surface of the sliding body is provided with an annular boss. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) A system for setting a downhole equipment, comprising a setting tool and the metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, wherein the setting tool comprises a setting tool outer barrel abutted against an upper end of a sliding body in the metal-based dissolvable ball seat, and a setting tool push rod connected to an upper end of a mandrel in the metal-based dissolvable ball seat, the setting tool outer barrel is configured to apply a downward pushing force to the sliding body, and the setting tool push rod is configured to apply an upward pulling force to the mandrel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The system according to claim 32, further comprising an extrusion sleeve which is disposed between the setting tool outer barrel and the sliding body, and which has an upper end in threaded connection with the setting tool outer barrel and a lower end abutted against an upper end face of the sliding body. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The system according to claim 33, further comprising an adapter which is disposed in the extrusion sleeve, and which has a lower end in threaded connection with an upper end of the mandrel and an upper end in threaded connection with the setting tool push rod. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) A method for setting a downhole equipment working with the metal-based dissolvable ball seat according to claim 1, comprising steps of: S100, driving the sliding body to approach the tail base, so that the slip is opened up and the sealing ring is expanded outward by the first conical surface structure and/or the second conical surface structure; S200, causing the slip to open up to be anchored to an inner wall of a wellbore, causing the sealing ring to expand to form a sealing contact with the inner wall of the wellbore, and causing the sliding body and the slip to lock to each other; S300, causing the mandrel to be disengaged from the tail base under an upward pulling force and lifted out of the wellbore; and S400, putting a dissolvable ball into the wellbore, and causing the dissolvable ball to move to form a sealing fit with an upper portion of the sliding body. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein a lower end of the sliding body is provided with a sliding body horse-tooth buckle, and the tail base is provided with a tail base horse-tooth buckle matching with the sliding body horse-tooth buckle to lock the sliding body and the tail base; and in step S200, the sliding body and the tail base are locked by engaging the sliding body horse-tooth buckle and the tail base horse-tooth buckle, so as to lock the sliding body and the slip to each other. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the slip and the sliding body are slidably abutted against each other through a first conical surface structure, which comprises a first outer conical surface provided on the sliding body, and a first inner conical surface provided on the slip and matching with the first outer conical surface, the first outer conical surface being tapered from top to bottom; a taper angle of the first outer conical surface is in a range from 3° to 7°; and in step S200, the sliding body and the slip are locked to each other by a friction force between the first outer conical surface and the first inner conical surface. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the tail base is in threaded connection with the mandrel; and in step S300, the mandrel is disengaged from the tail base by breaking a threaded connection structure between the tail base and the mandrel.