Dormant Packer Actuation Using Dissolvable Components for Leak Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packerless fracture in place systems in coiled tubing shiftable stimulation operations require manual intervention for leak repair due to leaks through sliding sleeves, disrupting operations.
Innovation Solution
A dormant isolation packer system using degradable components that remain inactive until activated by a fluid, allowing seamless integration with existing packerless operations and enabling activation upon fluid contact to address leaks, utilizing dissolvable components like collet retainers and demobilizing sleeves to facilitate actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a packerless fracture in place system is used to avoid isolation packers, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to leaks through sliding sleeves requiring manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation packer is pre-installed in a dormant state within the coiled tubing BHA before deployment. The dissolvable components are positioned to maintain the packer in a dormant, non-interfering state during normal packerless operations. When a leak occurs, fluid pumped downhole dissolves these components, automatically activating the packer without requiring manual intervention or tool retrieval to surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Dissolvable components serve as an intermediary mechanism between the dormant packer and the active state. These components (dissolvable bridge plugs or retainers) maintain the packer in a dormant configuration during normal operations and automatically disappear when exposed to downhole fluid, thereby triggering packer activation. This intermediary enables automatic transition from packerless to isolated mode without manual intervention.
2Reliability
If manual intervention is required to insert an isolation packer after a leak, then reliability can be restored, but loss of time increases due to removing coiled tubing BHA and reinserting tools
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation packer is pre-positioned within the coiled tubing BHA in a dormant state before any leak occurs. All components are pre-assembled and ready for automatic activation. When a leak is detected, fluid pumped downhole automatically dissolves the retaining components and activates the packer in-situ, eliminating the time-consuming process of retrieving the BHA to surface and reinserting isolation tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-activation through automatic detection and response to leak conditions. When fluid contacts the dissolvable components, they automatically dissolve and trigger packer deployment without requiring external manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically transitioning from packerless mode to isolated mode, maintaining continuous operations without personnel intervention.
3Reliability
If a dormant isolation packer is added to the coiled tubing BHA, then reliability is improved by providing backup isolation capability, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The dormant isolation packer is nested within the coiled tubing BHA in a compact, space-efficient configuration. The packer components are collapsed or retracted within the tubing profile during normal packerless operations. When activated, the packer expands or deploys from its nested state to provide full isolation functionality, minimizing the increase in device complexity while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The packer system transitions dynamically from a dormant, compact state to an active, functional state. During normal operations, the packer remains in a retracted or collapsed configuration that minimizes interference with packerless operations. Upon activation through dissolvable component dissolution, the packer dynamically transitions to its full isolation configuration, providing the needed reliability without permanently increasing device complexity.
4Ease of operation
If dissolvable components are used to maintain dormant state, then ease of operation is improved by enabling automatic activation, but manufacturing precision requirements increase for controlled dissolution
Solution Approach 1:
The dissolvable components are engineered with specific material properties and geometric parameters that control their dissolution rate and pattern. By adjusting parameters such as material composition, surface area-to-volume ratio, and exposure geometry, the system achieves reliable activation within a predictable time frame after fluid contact, balancing automatic operation ease with manufacturable precision requirements.
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
Enables leak repair without additional coil movements, maintaining operational continuity by actuating the packer upon fluid contact, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
The collet retainer and the demobilizing sleeve dissolve when contacted by a fluid and the fluid is an acid or brine
Implementation Method 2
The dissolvable collet retainer and the dissolvable demobilizing sleeve have grooves in the other surface to accelerate the degradation by decreasing the surface area
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of utilizing degradable components on a coiled tubing fracturing system to place a packer in a dormant state. Degrading or dissolving the component remove to remove an obstruction in the actuation system. The removal of the obstruction causes a drag collet assembly of the dormant packer to be activated allowing the packer to actuate. The degradable components will dissolve or degrade when exposed to an acid or brine.