Tracer integrated smart materials
AssigneeDamorphe
InventorsIndranil Roy, Ting Chen, Kamel Ben Naceur, Hifzi Ardic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tracer materials that are identifiable in a fluid using electromagnetic signals are integrated into a host material that can be machined into a tool for use in a wellbore. The host material can be dissolvable and designed to dissolve at a certain rate and under certain environmental conditions in the wellbore. As the host material dissolves the tracer material is released into the wellbore where it is measured. Methods of integrating the tracer material and host dissolvable material together are also disclosed.
Claims30
A tracer system, comprising:
- a signal emitter configured to emit a signal;
- a tracer material having a known response to the signal, wherein the tracer material is integrated into a host material, and wherein the signal emitter is configured to emit the signal to a mix of the host material and the tracer material;
- and
- a sensor configured to monitor the mix of host material and tracer material, the sensor being sensitive to the known response, wherein the sensor is configured to identify a presence and a quantity of tracer material within the host material.
A method for manufacturing a dissolvable tool having tracer material integrated therein, the method comprising:
- providing a host alloy in powder form;
- providing a tracer material in powder form;
- mixing the host alloy and tracer material together into a mixture having a tap density of between 25% and 90%;
- consolidating the mixture to produce a green compact;
- and
- sintering the green compact to achieve a bulk density between 60% and 100% of theoretical density of a designed matrix at a temperature between 100 degrees C. and 1,250 degrees C. for a duration of between 15 minutes and three hours.
A tool, comprising:
- a host material;
- a tracer material integrated into the host material to form a composite solid shape, the tracer material being responsive to a signal such that the tracer material is detectable upon release from the host material by emitting the signal onto the tracer material, wherein:
- the composite solid shape has a tracer/host ratio defined as a weight percentage of the tracer material and host material;
- the host material degrades in an environment at a predetermined dissolution rate in terms of mass per unit time;
- the tracer material is released by the host material into the environment at a tracer release rate in terms of mass per unit time;
- a release rate ratio is defined as a ratio of the tracer release rate and the dissolution rate;
- and
- wherein the release rate ratio is proportional to the tracer/host weight ratio.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.