Downhole Tool Reactive Metal Slips Drillability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional downhole tools face challenges in withstanding extreme wellbore conditions, such as high pressures and temperatures, leading to seal degradation and difficulty in removal, often requiring costly and time-consuming intervention services, and are prone to pre-setting and poor sealing performance.
Innovation Solution
A downhole tool comprising a mandrel made of composite material, a metal slip from reactive metallic materials like dissolvable aluminum or magnesium, and a composite slip with deformable portions, designed for efficient sealing and easy drill-through, reducing the need for intervention and enhancing operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional metallic components are used in the downhole tool, then structural strength is improved, but drillability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional metal to reactive metal (aluminum or magnesium) that transforms under downhole conditions. The reactive metal provides sufficient structural strength during operation but becomes soft and drillable after exposure to downhole temperature and pressure, resolving the contradiction between strength and drillability.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactive metal components undergo a phase transition when exposed to downhole conditions, changing from a hard, strong state during setting and operation to a soft, drillable state afterward. This phase change enables the material to satisfy both requirements: providing strength when needed and ease of drilling when removal is required.
2Reliability
If conventional compressible seal elements are used, then sealing capability is improved, but resistance to extreme temperature deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element material parameters are changed to accommodate extreme temperatures. Instead of conventional elastomers that degrade at high temperatures, the patent uses materials specifically selected or formulated to maintain sealing properties at downhole temperatures exceeding 200°F, preserving both sealing capability and temperature resistance.
3Ease of manufacture
If reactive metallic materials are used for slips, then ease of removal is improved, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reactive metal slips are designed to undergo transformation after a predetermined period or under specific downhole conditions. The slips maintain full structural strength during the fracing operation, then automatically begin to degrade or soften, facilitating easy removal. This preliminary action of material transformation resolves the contradiction between maintaining strength during operation and enabling easy removal afterward.
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 tool provides a reliable and resilient seal, facilitates faster and cost-effective wellbore isolation, and simplifies the removal process by using drillable materials that degrade under specific conditions, reducing operational time and costs.
Implementation Method 1
The reactive metallic material may include dissolvable aluminum-based material, dissolvable magnesium-based material, or dissolvable aluminum-magnesium-based material
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole tool for use in a wellbore, the tool having a metal slip made of a reactive metallic material. The downhole tool further includes a mandrel made a composite material, a seal element, and a composite slip. The composite slip has a circular composite slip body having one-piece configuration with at least partial connectivity around the entire circular composite slip body, and an at least two slip grooves disposed therein.