Composite Frac Plug Components Integrated Body Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional composite frac plugs used in oil and gas operations are limited by their design, which is inherited from cast iron technology, leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in manipulation due to their heavy components.
Innovation Solution
A downhole isolation tool is developed using composite materials, where multiple parts are combined into a single, integrated body during manufacturing, reducing the number of components and enhancing functionality, such as integrating a slip ring and mule shoe with a locking mechanism on a mandrel, and utilizing filament winding or other processes to create a unified sealing element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional cast iron components are used for frac plugs, then structural strength and reliability are maintained, but weight increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials (specifically fiber-reinforced polymers) to replace traditional cast iron components in frac plugs. The composite body provides sufficient structural strength while significantly reducing weight, allowing the plug to maintain reliability without the excessive weight of metal components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are assembled to create composite frac plugs, then design flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (body, seal, slip rings, mule shoe) into a single integrated composite body formed by filament winding. This consolidation reduces assembly complexity while maintaining design flexibility through the ability to create complex geometries in a single manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional modular composite components are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but loading time increases and productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional elements into a single pre-assembled composite body that is lowered into the wellbore as one unit. This eliminates the need for complex downhole assembly operations and significantly reduces loading time, improving productivity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through off-site fabrication.
4Reliability
If cast iron components are used, then reliability is maintained, but ease of operation worsens due to heavy weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to replace heavy cast iron components, reducing weight for easier handling and deployment while maintaining operational reliability through the high strength-to-weight ratio of fiber-reinforced polymers and proper structural design.
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole isolation tool for sealing a casing in a well, the downhole isolation including plural parts made of a composite material, each part having a preset functionality with regard to sealing the casing; and a sealing element configured to seal the casing. At least two parts of the plural parts have a single, combined body.