Disposable Downhole Tool Dissolvable Plug Seat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current frac tools require additional drill string operations and equipment to remove balls and ball seats after fracturing operations, which increases time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A disposable downhole tool with a valve structure and plug seat made from natural rock materials that can be dissolved using suitable fluids, allowing for the removal of frac tools without drilling, enabling the recovery of the full ID of the drill string.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ball seats and balls are used in frac tools, then the valve structure can effectively control fluid flow during fracturing operations, but additional drill string operations and equipment are required to remove the balls and ball seats after fracturing, increasing time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat is designed as a disposable component made of dissolvable material (such as soluble alloy or reactive metal) that can be easily removed after serving its function during fracturing operations. The ball itself is also made disposable by coating it with a dissolvable material or making it from a soluble material, eliminating the need for complex retrieval operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical removal system (drilling operations, specialized tools) is replaced with a chemical dissolution system. The ball seat material is selected to dissolve in specific downhole conditions or injected fluids, automatically clearing the bore without mechanical intervention. This substitutes complex mechanical retrieval with simpler chemical processes.
2Volume of moving object
If ball seats are drilled out to recover full ID of the drill string, then the drill string inner diameter is restored, but additional equipment and time on the drill rig are required
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat is designed with predetermined dissolution properties before being installed in the frac tool. The material composition is selected in advance to dissolve under specific downhole conditions or when exposed to certain fluids, ensuring automatic clearance without requiring post-fracturing intervention. This preliminary design of dissolution characteristics eliminates the need for time-consuming drilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical-chemical parameters of the ball seat material are changed to enable dissolution. By selecting materials with specific solubility characteristics (such as soluble alloys, reactive metals, or chemically unstable compounds), the ball seat transforms from a permanent mechanical obstacle into a transient component that automatically disappears under controlled conditions, restoring full ID without mechanical removal.
3Ease of operation
If dissolvable materials are used for the plug seat, then the frac tools can be removed without additional equipment or operations, but the material selection and manufacturing process become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat is constructed from composite materials that combine structural integrity with dissolvable properties. For example, a metal matrix composite with soluble alloy particles, or a polymer matrix with reactive metal fillers. These composites provide the necessary mechanical strength during operation while containing the dissolvable component that enables easy removal. The composite structure allows tuning of both mechanical and dissolution characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ball seat are made with different material properties. The outer surface or load-bearing areas use more durable material for structural integrity, while inner regions or specific removal zones use highly dissolvable material. This local differentiation allows the seat to function mechanically during operation while providing targeted dissolution zones for easy removal, balancing manufacturing complexity with operational simplicity.
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
Facilitates the removal of frac tools without the need for additional equipment or operations, reducing time and complexity by dissolving the disposable components, thus allowing for efficient recovery of the drill string diameter.
Implementation Method 1
A disposable downhole tool with a valve structure and plug seat made from natural rock materials that can be dissolved using suitable fluids
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable downhole tool is disclosed. The tool is suitable for use as a frac tool. The tool includes a housing having an inner wall surface defining a bore. The tool also includes a valve structure disposed within the bore, the valve structure comprising a disposable plug seat, the disposable plug seat comprising a first natural rock material. The disposable tool may also include a disposable plug in fluid sealing engagement with the seat, the plug comprising a second natural rock material, the plug and the plug seat comprising a plug valve. The first and second natural rock materials may include sedimentary rock, such as various forms of limestone, including Carrara marble or Indiana limestone.