Enhancing swelling rate for subterranean packers and screens
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsOleg A. Mazyar, Michael H. Johnson, Keith J. Murphy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The swelling rate of a swelling packer element or a conforming foam screen material is accelerated with heat. In one variation reactants that create an exothermic reaction plus a catalyst, if needed, are allowed to come into contact upon placement at the desired location. The heat accelerates the swelling process and cuts the time to when the next operation can commence downhole.
Claims25
A method of acceleration of swelling of an element at a subterranean location, comprising:
- locating the element at a desired location using a tubular string;
- generating heat within said element using reactants stored in said element during said locating to accelerate swelling of said element;
- moving said element to seal against a targeted surface from said swelling.
A method of acceleration of swelling of an element at a subterranean location, comprising:
- locating the element at the desired location using a tubular string;
- generating heat within said element using reactants stored in said element;
- separating said reactants until said element is located at the desired location;
- using a removable barrier to separate said reactants;
- using said barrier as a wall for adjacent sealed chambers that hold discrete reactants;
- allowing said reactants to mix by defeating said barrier;
- defeating said barrier by chemical reaction or dissolving;
- making said barrier a sacrificial member of a galvanic pair to defeat said barrier.
A method of acceleration of swelling of an element at a subterranean location, comprising:
- locating the element at the desired location using a tubular string;
- generating heat within said element using reactants stored in said element;
- separating said reactants until said element is located at the desired location;
- using a removable barrier to separate said reactants;
- using said barrier as a wall for adjacent sealed chambers that hold discrete reactants;
- allowing said reactants to mix by defeating said barrier;
- defeating said barrier by chemical reaction or dissolving;
- making one of said reactants corrosive to said barrier;
- providing a sacrificial anode in contact with said barrier to initially protect said barrier from corrosion;
- separating said anode from said barrier to accelerate barrier corrosion.
A method of acceleration of swelling of an element at a subterranean location, comprising:
- locating the element at the desired location using a tubular string;
- generating heat within said element using reactants stored in said element;
- separating said reactants until said element is located at the desired location;
- using a removable barrier to separate said reactants;
- using said barrier as a wall for adjacent sealed chambers that hold discrete reactants;
- allowing said reactants to mix by defeating said barrier;
- defeating said barrier by chemical reaction or dissolving;
- making one of said reactants corrosive to said barrier;
- providing a cathodic material in one of said compartments;
- moving the cathodic material against said barrier to accelerate corrosion of said barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.