Composite Slip and Cone Assembly for Downhole Frac Plugs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current downhole tools used in horizontal drilling operations, such as frac plugs, are prone to pre-setting and failure due to high pressure and temperature conditions, leading to operational delays and increased costs, as they are often designed for vertical drilling and lack reliable engagement with tubular surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A composite slip and cone assembly made from filament wound drillable material with grooved regions designed to induce fracture upon load application, allowing for reliable engagement and expansion to grip the tubular surface, reducing the likelihood of pre-setting and enhancing durability under extreme conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional metal plugs with compressible seal elements are used in horizontal drilling, then the tool can withstand high pressure and temperature conditions, but the tool is prone to pre-setting and failure due to loosening or disconnecting of parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by constructing the plug body from a composite of drillable material and reinforcement elements. This composite structure provides both the necessary strength to withstand high pressure and temperature conditions and the reliability needed for consistent engagement, resolving the contradiction between strength and reliability in traditional metal plugs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the plug into distinct functional components: a composite plug body, separate seal elements, and reinforcement elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve both strength under extreme conditions and reliable engagement, preventing the loosening and disconnecting issues of traditional monolithic designs.
2Reliability
If bailing wire is wrapped around slips to prevent pre-setting, then pre-setting is reduced, but additional surfaces are created that increase the chance of getting caught up or catching against the tubular
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the bailing wire from the slip configuration. Instead of wrapping wire around slips to prevent pre-setting, the invention uses a simplified slip design with integrated retention features that prevent pre-setting without adding external surfaces that could catch against the tubular, thus resolving the contradiction between preventing pre-setting and reducing device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If plugs are designed for vertical drilling operations, then the design is simpler and more reliable for vertical applications, but the tool does not work as well in horizontal operations due to different pressure and flow rate conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the plug design parameters specifically for horizontal drilling conditions. This includes adjusting the slip configuration, seal element design, and reinforcement placement to accommodate the higher pressure and faster flow rates characteristic of horizontal operations, enabling the plug to perform reliably in horizontal drilling while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
4Productivity
If high pressure frac fluid is pumped to isolate the wellbore section, then the target zone can be treated, but the plug must withstand extreme pressure and temperature conditions without destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials in the plug construction to withstand the extreme pressure and temperature conditions generated during fracing operations. The composite structure combines drillable material with reinforcement elements to create a plug that maintains its integrity and sealing capability under the extreme conditions required for effective wellbore isolation and fracing treatment.
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
The composite slip and cone assembly provides reliable engagement and stability under high pressure and temperature conditions, reducing the risk of pre-setting and operational delays, while being easier and faster to drill through, thus improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the seal element is expanded radially outward to engage the tubular and seal off a section of the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
the composite slip and the cone may be configured for application of a load therebetween that results in a fracture in material between the at least two grooves
Implementation Method 3
the plug must be capable of withstanding these conditions without destruction of either the plug or the seal formed by the seal element
Implementation Method 4
High pressures are generally defined herein as downhole pressures above 7,500 psi, and even in excess of 15,000 psi
Implementation Method 5
the cone may have a first end configured for engagement with the composite slip, wherein the composite slip and the cone may be configured for application of a load therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
A slip and cone assembly for a downhole tool that includes a composite slip having a one-piece configuration and having at least two grooves disposed therein; and a cone having a first end configured for engagement with the composite slip, wherein the composite slip and the cone are configured for application of a load therebetween that results in a fracture in material between the at least two grooves.