Abstract: Determining one or more of a fluid composition, a cement state, or a cement quality of a material located downhole a borehole by using a capacitive sensor or an inductive sensor. The sensors can be located on a pipe positioned downhole or within a swell packer. More than one sensor can be used, for example, as a set of sensor systems. The sensors can be of different sizes, utilize different frequencies, or be spaced unevenly to analyze different shaped areas and depths from the sensors. More than one set of sensors can be employed, such as axially or circumferentially spaced along the pipe or swell packer. The relative dielectric permittivity of the various downhole material can be used to determine when pumped cement has displaced the borehole fluid and when the cement has cured. The process can determine if a micro annulus or crack exists in the cement.

Abstract: A shifting sleeve tieback seal system may include a body portion and a swellable material disposed about a circumference of the body portion. The swellable material is configured to expand in response to exposure to wellbore fluids. Further, the system may include an upper end ring disposed in a position axially above the swellable material, a lower end ring disposed in a position axially below the swellable material, and a sleeve disposed radially outward from the swellable material and sealed against the upper end ring and/or the lower end ring in a run-in position to isolate the swellable material from wellbore fluids. The sleeve is configured to contact a downhole feature in a setting position and contact with the downhole feature is configured to move the sleeve to expose the swellable material to wellbore fluids such that the swellable material expands to seal against a downhole tubular.

Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring element, a sealing/anchoring tool, a well system, and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring element, in one aspect, includes a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet having one or more geometric features that allow it to mechanically deform when moved from a radially reduced mechanical state to a radially enlarged mechanical state, the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to chemically deform the circlet from a radially reduced chemical state to a radially enlarged chemical state.

Abstract: Provided is a sealing/anchoring tool, a well system and a method for sealing/anchoring within a wellbore. The sealing/anchoring tool, in one aspect, includes a mandrel and a hydraulically deformable member positioned about the mandrel. The sealing/anchoring tool, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a sealing/anchoring element positioned about the hydraulically deformable member, the sealing/anchoring element including a circlet having an inside surface having an inside diameter (di), an outside surface having an outside diameter (do), a width (w), and a wall thickness (t), the circlet comprising an expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to chemically deform the circlet from a radially reduced chemical state to a radially enlarged chemical state.

Abstract: A metal patch for patching a downhole well casing comprises a metal sealant having a shape congruent with a section of the downhole well casing and transition-able from a first state to a second state. The metal sealant expands and hardens in response to hydrolysis. The metal sealant is one of an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and a metal oxide. The metal sealant can be one of an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and a metal oxide and at least one alloy, wherein the at least one alloy is selected from a group consisting of Al, Zn, Mn, Zr, Y, Nd, Gd, Ag, Ca, Sn, and RE. The at least one alloy can be alloyed with a dopant that promotes corrosion, such as Ni, Fe, Cu, Co, Ir, Au, and Pd. The at least one alloy can be alloyed with a dopant that inhibits passivation.

Abstract: An expandable packer includes an activatable sealing element locatable in a borehole having a wall and activatable with a reactive fluid. The sealing element includes a swellable metal capable of reacting with the reactive fluid to form a swelled metal and a mechanical element separating the reactive fluid from the swellable metal and operable to cause the reactive fluid to contact the swellable metal such that swellable metal expands into sealing engagement with the wall. A method of forming a seal in a borehole comprising a wall includes locating an expandable packer comprising an activatable sealing element within the borehole, using a mechanical element of the activatable sealing element to cause a reactive fluid to contact a swellable metal, and expanding the swellable metal into sealing engagement with the wall by reacting the swellable metal with the reactive fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects of an expandable metal fishing tool for use in a wellbore. The expandable metal fishing tool, in one aspect, includes a mandrel. The expandable metal fishing tool, according to this aspect, further includes one or more expandable members positioned at least partially along an interior surface or an exterior surface of the mandrel, wherein the one or more expandable members comprise a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and further wherein a combined volume of the one or more expandable members is sufficient to expand radially to engage a downhole tubular within a wellbore in response to the hydrolysis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects of a gas lift mandrel plug for use in a wellbore. In one embodiment, a gas lift mandrel plug may comprise an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the elongate member comprises a metal sealant configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and wherein the elongate member is configured to seal a side pocket of a wellbore tubular in response to hydrolysis.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for swellable material activation and monitoring in a subterranean well. A sensor system for use in a subterranean well includes a swellable material, and at least one sensor which is displaced to a wellbore surface in response to swelling of the swellable material. Another sensor system includes a sensor which detects swelling of a swellable material. A swellable well tool system includes a base pipe, a swellable material on an exterior of the base pipe, and eccentric weighting for inducing rotation of the swellable material about a longitudinal axis of the base pipe.

Abstract: Shunt tube flowpaths extending through swellable packers. A well system includes a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid, and a shunt tube flowpath extending through the seal element for delivery of a slurry in a gravel packing operation. A swellable packer assembly includes a base pipe; a swellable annular seal element having a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material; and a valve connected to the flowpath and positioned within the swellable material. Another well system comprises a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid; a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material of the seal element; and a connection between the flowpath and a shunt tube assembly, the connection being positioned within the swellable material.

Abstract: Shunt tube flowpaths extending through swellable packers. A well system includes a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid, and a shunt tube flowpath extending through the seal element for delivery of a slurry in a gravel packing operation. A swellable packer assembly includes a base pipe; a swellable annular seal element having a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material; and a valve connected to the flowpath and positioned within the swellable material. Another well system comprises a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid; a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material of the seal element; and a connection between the flowpath and a shunt tube assembly, the connection being positioned within the swellable material.

Abstract: Shunt tube flowpaths extending through swellable packers. A well system includes a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid, and a shunt tube flowpath extending through the seal element for delivery of a slurry in a gravel packing operation. A swellable packer assembly includes a base pipe; a swellable annular seal element having a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material; and a valve connected to the flowpath and positioned within the swellable material. Another well system comprises a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid; a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material of the seal element; and a connection between the flowpath and a shunt tube assembly, the connection being positioned within the swellable material.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for swellable material activation and monitoring in a subterranean well. A sensor system for use in a subterranean well includes a swellable material, and at least one sensor which is displaced to a wellbore surface in response to swelling of the swellable material. Another sensor system includes a sensor which detects swelling of a swellable material. A swellable well tool system includes a base pipe, a swellable material on an exterior of the base pipe, and eccentric weighting for inducing rotation of the swellable material about a longitudinal axis of the base pipe.

Abstract: Shunt tube flowpaths extending through swellable packers. A well system includes a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid, and a shunt tube flowpath extending through the seal element for delivery of a slurry in a gravel packing operation. A swellable packer assembly includes a base pipe; a swellable annular seal element having a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material; and a valve connected to the flowpath and positioned within the swellable material. Another well system comprises a packer assembly including a base pipe and an annular seal element which is swellable in response to contact with a selected fluid; a shunt tube flowpath extending through a swellable material of the seal element; and a connection between the flowpath and a shunt tube assembly, the connection being positioned within the swellable material.