Ball Dropping System with Retention Feature for Frac Plug

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the drilling and completion industry, the current methods for stimulating unconventional resources through plug and perf operations are time-sensitive and prone to downtime due to repetitive operations, particularly the dropping of frac balls, which poses risks if perforating guns fail to fire, leading to the need for additional equipment and personnel movement.

Innovation Solution

A ball dropping system with a ball retention feature and ejection arrangement that is blocked in a first condition, activatable in a second condition, and activated to eject a ball in a third condition, utilizing a setting sleeve to control the ejection mechanism, ensuring the ball is dropped only after perforation guns have fired and a threshold flow rate is reached, thus preventing premature ejection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the frac ball is carried to depth with the frac plug, then the ball is positioned for immediate deployment, but if perforating guns fail to fire, the next BHA cannot be pumped downhole requiring coiled tubing intervention and causing downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of ball deploymentVSAvoiddowntime for equipment and personnel

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The ball is carried downhole with the frac plug in advance, positioned ready for deployment. The retention feature holds the ball until the setting tool is actuated, which occurs after perforating guns have fired. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need to pump the ball from surface later, avoiding downtime if perforations are successful.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The retention feature acts as an intermediary mechanism between the ball and the deployment system. It securely holds the ball during descent and prevents premature release, while allowing controlled ejection when the setting tool is actuated. This intermediary ensures the ball is released only under the correct conditions (after perforation), eliminating the need for coiled tubing intervention if perforations fail.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the ejection arrangement is always activatable, then the ball can be ejected immediately, but this causes premature ball deployment before perforation and requires additional equipment movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of ball deploymentVSAvoidtime for asset and personnel movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The ejection arrangement transitions from a blocked/inactive state to an activatable state based on operational conditions. The setting sleeve physically blocks the ejection arrangement during descent and setting operations, then becomes removable or movable when perforation is complete. This dynamic state change ensures the ball is ejected at the optimal time (after perforation) rather than prematurely, eliminating unnecessary equipment movement and downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the setting sleeve blocks the ejection arrangement during setting operations, then premature ball ejection is prevented, but the ball cannot be ejected until the setting sleeve is moved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol of ball ejection timingVSAvoidcomplexity of ejection control mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The setting sleeve serves dual functions: it guides the setting tool during frac plug setting operations and simultaneously blocks the ejection arrangement to prevent premature ball release. By merging these two functions into a single component, the patent avoids adding separate control mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable control over ball ejection timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces downtime by ensuring the frac ball is dropped only after successful perforation, eliminating the need for premature ball deployment and minimizing asset and personnel movement, while maintaining flow through the frac plug even if perforation guns fail to fire.

Implementation Method 1

activated to eject a ball from the ball dropping system that is releasably secured by the ball retention feature in a third condition of the ball dropping system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentUS10428623B2Ball dropping system and method

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A ball dropping system includes a ball retention feature. The ball retention feature includes an ejection arrangement blocked from activating in a first condition of the ball dropping system, activatable in a second condition of the ball dropping system, and activated to eject a ball from the ball dropping system that is releasably secured by the ball retention feature in a third condition of the ball dropping system. A setting sleeve is movable from a first position to a second position with respect to the ejection arrangement. The setting sleeve has the first position to block the ejection arrangement from activating in the first condition of the ball dropping system. The setting sleeve is movable to the second position to render the ejection arrangement activatable in the second condition of the ball dropping system.