Degradable Debris Catcher for Wellbore Tubular Filtration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Downhole materials in oilfield wellbores pose a risk of damaging equipment as they flow back to the surface, and existing filtering methods are inadequate for effectively capturing and degrading these materials.
Innovation Solution
A debris catcher with a degradable filter, anchored to the wellbore tubular, that includes a disintegrable accelerator material in a carrier body, which degrades upon exposure to downhole materials, filtering out unwanted particles and allowing harmless fluids to pass through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is used to capture downhole materials, then equipment damage is prevented, but the filter may block fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The filter's permeability parameter is changed over time through controlled degradation. The filter starts with low permeability to capture debris effectively, then gradually increases permeability as the degradable material breaks down, allowing full fluid flow while maintaining debris capture capability for the critical period
Solution Approach 2:
The filter employs a disposable design using degradable materials that fulfill its debris capture function temporarily during well operations, then naturally degrades and disappears, eliminating the need for permanent installation or retrieval operations
2Reliability
If a permanent filter is installed, then debris capture is effective, but removal and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is designed as a temporary disposable component that degrades naturally after serving its debris capture purpose, eliminating complex retrieval operations and reducing overall system complexity despite effective debris capture performance
Solution Approach 2:
The filter performs self-degradation through controlled breakdown of its degradable material structure, automatically removing itself from the system without requiring external intervention for retrieval, thereby simplifying the overall device complexity
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
Effectively captures and degrades downhole materials, preventing damage to wellbore components while allowing fluid flow, with the filter degrading at a controlled rate to ensure efficient operation and removal.
Implementation Method 1
initiating a functionally intended chemical reaction between the disintegrable accelerator material and the downhole material, degrading the downhole material
Data Source
AI summary
A debris catcher can include an anchor connected to the wellbore tubular and a filter fixed to the anchor. The filter is positioned in a bore of the wellbore tubular and has an disintegrable accelerator material located in a carrier body. The debris catcher formed at least partially of a disintegrable accelerator material located in a carrier body is conveyed in a wellbore tubular. The disintegrable accelerator material is exposed to a downhole material in a subterranean fluid flowing through the wellbore tubular. The debris catcher filters the downhole material. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the general subject matter of the technical disclosure.