Corrodible wellbore plugs and systems and methods including the same

A corrodible frac plug configured to be retained within a wellbore conduit and to regulate a fluid flow within the wellbore conduit, wherein the wellbore conduit extends within a subterranean formation that includes a naturally occurring corrosive reservoir fluid, the corrodible frac plug comprising:

• a plug body that is shaped to be placed within the wellbore conduit;
• and a retention mechanism that is configured to selectively transition between a mobile conformation, in which the corrodible frac plug is free to translate within the wellbore conduit, and a retained conformation wherein the corrodible frac plug operatively engages a wellbore tubular that defines the wellbore conduit to retain the corrodible frac plug at a downhole location within the wellbore conduit, the retention mechanism comprising:
• (a) a slip ring that defines a retracted conformation when the retention mechanism is in the mobile conformation and an expanded conformation when the retention mechanism is in the retained conformation, wherein the slip ring is formed from a corrodible metal that is selected to corrode responsive to contact with the corrosive reservoir fluid;
• (b) an engagement structure, wherein the engagement structure is configured to operatively engage the wellbore tubular when the slip ring is in the expanded conformation;
• and
• (c) a reinforcing material that defines a plurality of reinforcing bodies that define a portion of the corrodible frac plug, wherein the reinforcing material does not corrode within the reservoir fluid, and wherein the corrodible metal retains the plurality of reinforcing bodies within the corrodible frac plug.

A hydrocarbon well, comprising:

• a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation;
• a wellbore tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a wellbore conduit;
• a corrodible frac plug configured to be retained within a wellbore conduit and to regulate a fluid flow within the wellbore conduit, wherein the wellbore conduit extends within a subterranean formation that includes a naturally occurring corrosive reservoir fluid, the corrodible frac plug comprising;
• a plug body that is shaped to be placed within the wellbore conduit;
• and a retention mechanism that is configured to selectively transition between a mobile conformation, in which the corrodible frac plug is free to translate within the wellbore conduit, and a retained conformation wherein the corrodible frac plug operatively engages a wellbore tubular that defines the wellbore conduit to retain the corrodible frac plug at a downhole location within the wellbore conduit, the retention mechanism comprising;
• (a) a slip ring that defines a retracted conformation when the retention mechanism is in the mobile conformation and an expanded conformation when the retention mechanism is in the retained conformation, wherein the slip ring is formed from a corrodible metal that is selected to corrode responsive to contact with the corrosive reservoir fluid;
• (b) an engagement structure, wherein the engagement structure is configured to operatively engage the wellbore tubular when the slip ring is in the expanded conformation;
• (c) a reinforcing material that defines a plurality of reinforcing bodies that define a portion of the corrodible frac plug, wherein the reinforcing material does not corrode within the reservoir fluid, and wherein the corrodible metal retains the plurality of reinforcing bodies within the corrodible frac plug;
• and
• wherein the retention mechanism of the corrodible frac plug is in the retained conformation and the corrodible frac plug is retained within the wellbore conduit;
• and
• a corrosive reservoir fluid, wherein the corrosive reservoir fluid is in fluid contact with the corrodible metal of the corrodible frac plug, and further wherein at least a portion of the corrodible metal has been corroded by the corrosive reservoir fluid.

A method of retaining a corrodible wellbore plug within a wellbore conduit that is defined by a wellbore tubular, wherein the wellbore tubular extends within a subterranean formation that includes a naturally occurring corrosive reservoir fluid, the method comprising:

• flowing the corrodible wellbore plug to a downhole location within the wellbore conduit;
• and
• retaining the corrodible wellbore plug at the downhole location, wherein the corrodible wellbore plug includes a retention mechanism and the retaining includes transitioning the retention mechanism from a mobile conformation, in which the corrodible wellbore plug is free to translate within the wellbore conduit, to a retained conformation, in which the corrodible wellbore plug operatively engages the wellbore tubular to resist motion of the corrodible wellbore plug within the wellbore tubular, wherein the retention mechanism includes:
• (i) a slip ring that defines a retracted conformation when the retention mechanism is in the mobile conformation and an expanded conformation when the retention mechanism is in the retained conformation, wherein the slip ring is formed from a corrodible metal that is selected to corrode responsive to contact with the corrosive reservoir fluid;
• (ii) an engagement structure that is configured to operatively engage the wellbore tubular when the slip ring is in the expanded conformation, wherein the retaining includes operatively engaging the engagement structure with the wellbore tubular;
• and
• (iii) a reinforcing material that defines a plurality of reinforcing bodies that define a portion of the corrodible frac plug, wherein the reinforcing material does not corrode within the reservoir fluid, and wherein the corrodible metal retains the plurality of reinforcing bodies within the corrodible frac plug.