HYDROSTATIC SETTING TOOL WITH DEGRADABLE-ON-DEMAND CLOSURE MEMBER AND METHOD FOR SETTING A DOWNHOLE TOOL

Abstract

An hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member. A downhole system including the hydrostatic setting tool. A method for setting a downhole tool.

Description

BACKGROUND

In subsurface resource recovery operations, high temperature and high pressure (HPHT) are often unavoidable conditions that must be endured. There are therefore high pressure and high temperature setting tools available commercially to assist in deployment of tools for the subsurface environment. Such HPHT tools are effective in achieving the ends for which they are employed but many are complicated and require a good deal of length to construct. They also require numerous components each of which increases the ultimate price tag for the tool.

The art is always receptive to alternate technologies that reduce length and cost of tools while maintaining functional reliability.

SUMMARY

An hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member.

A downhole system including the hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member.

A method for setting a downhole tool including sending an electrical signal to a degradable-on-demand closure member of an hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member, degrading the closure member; and providing access of hydrostatic pressure to the piston.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of an HPHT setting tool according to the disclosure herein;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of an HPHT setting tool according to the disclosure herein;

FIG. 3 is a view of an alternate closure member for the embodiment of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view of another alternate closure member for an embodiment similar to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, an HPHT hydrostatic setting tool 10 is illustrated. The setting tool 10 includes a housing 12 having a central bore 14. The tool includes a piston 16 disposed in the central bore 14, the piston 16 bifurcating a portion 18 of the central bore 14 that is maintained at atmospheric or otherwise a lower pressure than hydrostatic pressure at a location anticipated for use of the setting tool 10. At the other side of piston 16 is a face 20 that is exposed to a pressure change portion 22 of the central bore 14 that portion 22 being maintained apart from hydrostatic pressure by a set of seals 24 such as o-rings disposed about a closure member 26 at opposing ends thereof, the member being arranged in this embodiment substantially in parallel with the central bore 14. The closure member 26 and seals 24 along with seals 28 isolate pressure from a port 30 that has direct access to hydrostatic pressure in use by the closure member bridging the port 30 and placing its seal on either side of the port 30. Removal of the closure member 26 from its position will allow hydrostatic pressure access to the face 20 of the piston 16 resulting in the piston forcefully moving toward the atmospheric or otherwise lower than hydrostatic pressure portion 18 of the central bore 14 with attendant energy useful for setting another downhole tool.

The closure member comprises a degradable-on-demand material such as Energetic material having the structural properties and degrade-on-demand properties indicated above includes material commercially available from Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston, Tex. Such material is as described below.

The energetic material can be in the form of continuous fibers, wires, foils, particles, pellets, short fibers, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. In the degradable-on-demand components, the energetic material is interconnected in such a way that once a reaction of the energetic material is initiated at one or more starting locations or points, the reaction can self-propagate through the energetic material in the degradable-on-demand components. As used herein, interconnected or interconnection is not limited to physical interconnection.

The energetic material comprises a thermite, a thermate, a solid propellant fuel, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The thermite materials include a metal powder (a reducing agent) and a metal oxide (an oxidizing agent), where choices for a reducing agent include aluminum, magnesium, calcium, titanium, zinc, silicon, boron, and combinations including at least one of the foregoing, for example, while choices for an oxidizing agent include boron oxide, silicon oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, lead oxide and combinations including at least one of the foregoing, for example.

Thermate materials comprise a metal powder and a salt oxidizer including nitrate, chromate and perchlorate. For example thermate materials include a combination of barium chromate and zirconium powder; a combination of potassium perchlorate and metal iron powder; a combination of titanium hydride and potassium perchlorate, a combination of zirconium hydride and potassium perchlorate, a combination of boron, titanium powder, and barium chromate, or a combination of barium chromate, potassium perchlorate, and tungsten powder.

Solid propellant fuels may be generated from the thermate compositions by adding a binder that meanwhile serves as a secondary fuel. The thermate compositions for solid propellants include, but are not limited to, perchlorate and nitrate, such as ammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, and potassium nitrate. The binder material is added to form a thickened liquid and then cast into various shapes. The binder materials include polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN), hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), or polyurethane. An exemplary solid propellant fuel includes ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄) grains (20 to 200 μm) embedded in a rubber matrix that contains 69-70% finely ground ammonium perchlorate (an oxidizer), combined with 16-20% fine aluminum powder (a fuel), held together in a base of 11-14% polybutadiene acrylonitrile or hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (polybutadiene rubber matrix). Another example of the solid propellant fuels includes zinc metal and sulfur powder.

The energetic material may also include energetic polymers possessing reactive groups, which are capable of absorbing and dissipating energy. During the activation of energetic polymers, energy absorbed by the energetic polymers causes the reactive groups on the energetic polymers, such as azido and nitro groups, to decompose releasing gas along with the dissipation of absorbed energy and/or the dissipation of the energy generated by the decomposition of the active groups. The heat and gas released promote the degradation of the degradation-on-demand components.

Energetic polymers include polymers with azide, nitro, nitrate, nitroso, nitramine, oxetane, triazole, and tetrazole containing groups. Polymers or co-polymers containing other energetic nitrogen containing groups can also be used. Optionally, the energetic polymers further include fluoro groups such as fluoroalkyl groups.

Exemplary energetic polymers include nitrocellulose, azidocellulose, polysulfide, polyurethane, a fluoropolymer combined with nano particles of combusting metal fuels, polybutadiene; polyglycidyl nitrate such as polyGLYN, butanetriol trinitrate, glycidyl azide polymer (GAP), for example, linear or branched GAP, GAP diol, or GAP triol, poly[3-nitratomethyl-3-methyl oxetane] (polyNIMMO), poly(3,3-bis-(azidomethyl)oxetane (polyBAMO) and poly(3-azidomethyl-3-methyl oxetane) (polyAMMO), polyvinylnitrate, polynitrophenylene, nitramine polyethers, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

The closure member 26 is connected to a source of energy 32 such as electrical energy from a remote location such as the surface in the form of for example an electric line so that a charge may be applied to the closure member 26 when it is desired for the closure member to degrade thereby allowing the hydrostatic pressure access to face 20 of piston 16 to set another tool. Once pressure is allowed to access the face 20, the tool 10 work quite similarly to Baker Hughes Incorporated's commercially available HPHT hydrostatic pressure setting assembly (product family H43708). The setting of the other tool (not shown) then is at the whim of the operator who can degrade the degradable-on-demand material at will by sending an electric signal to the closure member 26. Upon the application of the charge to the degradable-on-demand material, that material is ignited and rapidly degrades leaving the space previously occupied by the closure member open to pressure migration. In this embodiment, the closure member is entirely formed from the degradable-on-demand material or it is possible for the material from the port to the right thereof in FIG. 1 to be made of the degradable-on-demand material while the material on the left side of the port may be some other material since all that is necessary for the setting tool to have effect is for the pressure extant outside of the port 30 (in use) to have access to the face 20 of the piston 16. The left side of the closure member 26 may simply be pushed out of the way in a leftwardly (of FIG. 1) direction.

Because the closure member 26 in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is subjected to tensile strain when the tool 10 is disposed in an environment with hydrostatic pressure acting thereon through the port 14, since such pressure will act in both directions from the port 14 to the seals 24 and 28, the material will require a tensile strain capability exceeding the actual tensile strain anticipated to be generated by the tool being run to a target depth in a borehole. Fortunately the material discussed above does indeed possess a high tensile strength and can manage the intended application perfectly.

In an alternate embodiment, referring to FIG. 2, a configuration that does not require significant tensile strength of the material of a closure member 40 is illustrated. This embodiment puts the closure member 40 in compression only and hence allows for the use of material with a lesser degree of tensile strength, if desired. It will of course be understood that the higher tensile strength material is still quite suitable for this embodiment as well. In this embodiment, the closure member may be entirely formed from the degradable-on-demand material or may be configured with a portion of the closure member 40 as a nondegradable material while another portion of the closure member is of the degradable-on-demand material see FIG. 3.

The housing and operational components of this embodiment are similar to the foregoing embodiment although for clarity, the port 30 is illustrated with a larger diameter than is shown in FIG. 1. The closure member 40 comprises seals 42 and 44 that are positioned between external hydrostatic pressure when in use and the internal pressure of the tool which as mentioned above will be atmospheric pressure or otherwise a lower than hydrostatic pressure. It will be appreciated that the closure member 40 as configured in FIG. 2 will act as a piston itself as the seals hold a differential pressure thereacross but it will also be noted that the closure member 40 extends to an opposing wall of the housing 12 and hence the closure member 40 cannot be forced inwardly under the insistence of the hydrostatic pressure when in use. As in the previous embodiment the closure member is connected to a source of energy 32 such as electrical energy from a remote location such as the surface in the form of for example an electric line so that a charge may be applied to the closure member 40 when it is desired for the closure member to degrade thereby allowing the hydrostatic pressure access to face 20 of piston 16 to set another tool. Upon the application of the charge to the degradable-on-demand material, that material is ignited and rapidly degrades leaving the space previously occupied by the closure member open to pressure migration. In some embodiments a retainer 34 such as a snap ring, threaded ring, fastener, etc. may be included to prevent the closure member 40 falling out of the housing 12 accidentally prior to the tool 10 experiencing a higher hydrostatic pressure than pressure internal to the tool 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, the closure member 40 comprises portion 40a and portion 40b. The portion 40a is composed of nondegradable material and the portion 40b is of the degradable-on-demand material. Upon ignition the portion 40b is degraded and because that portion of the closure member 40 is the reason the hydrostatic pressure through port 30 could not push the portion 40a into the housing, the loss of the portion 40b will be immediately followed by the hydrostatic pressure forcing the portion 40a out of the port and into the central bore 14 of the housing 12 thereby allowing hydrostatic pressure to contact face 20 of piston 16.

Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate degradable-on-demand closure member 50 is illustrated in a housing 52 that is slightly altered from the others illustrated herein. The housing presents a port 54 structure that is stepped. There is a first dimension opening 56 and a second dimension opening 58 wherein the second dimension opening is radially inwardly located relative to an axis 60 of the housing 52. The result is that the closure member 50 will fit into the first dimension opening 56 and be sealed thereto with a seal 62 while physically contacting a stop surface 64 occasioned by the existence of the second dimension opening 58. The closure member in this position will resist hydrostatic pressure when in use and does not need to be configured to extend to the wall of the housing as in the FIG. 2 embodiment discussed above to prevent the closure member acting as a piston and opening prematurely.

Upon selection, the operator may degrade the degradable-on-demand closure member 50 on-demand as in the previous embodiments by the delivery of a signal through line 66.

Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:

Embodiment 1

An hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member.

Embodiment 2

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member is composed entirely of degradable-on-demand material.

Embodiment 3

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member includes seals at opposing ends, the closure member bridging the port.

Embodiment 4

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member is oriented in parallel with the central bore.

Embodiment 5

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member bears a tensile load.

Embodiment 6

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member is arranged in parallel to the port and substantially perpendicular to the central bore.

Embodiment 7

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the port is stepped.

Embodiment 8

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member contacts a stop surface of the port.

Embodiment 9

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the closure member extends into contact with a wall of the housing preventing differential pressure based movement of the closure member.

Embodiment 10

The tool as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the tool further includes a retainer.

Embodiment 11

A downhole system including the hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member.

Embodiment 12

A method for setting a downhole tool including sending an electrical signal to a degradable-on-demand closure member of an hydrostatic setting tool including a housing defining a central bore, a piston in the housing, a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use, a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member comprising a degradable-on-demand material; and a source of energy connected to the closure member, degrading the closure member; and providing access of hydrostatic pressure to the piston.

Embodiment 13

The method as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the degrading is of the entirety of the closure member.

Embodiment 14

The method as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the degrading is of a portion of the closure member.

Embodiment 15

The method as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the degrading includes sending a signal to the closure member.

Embodiment 16

The method as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the signal is electrical.

Embodiment 17

The method as claimed in any prior embodiment wherein the degrading includes igniting of the degradable-on-demand material.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).

The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.

Claims

1. A hydrostatic setting tool comprising;

a housing defining a central bore;

a piston in the housing;

a port in the housing exposed to hydrostatic pressure in use;

a closure member preventing access of the hydrostatic pressure to the piston, the closure member being made at least in part of an energetic degradable-on-demand material; and

a source of energy connected to the closure member.

2. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member is composed entirely of degradable-on-demand material.

3. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member includes seals at opposing ends, the closure member bridging the port.

4. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member is oriented in parallel with the central bore.

5. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member bears a tensile load.

6. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member is arranged in parallel to the port and substantially perpendicular to the central bore.

7. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the port is stepped.

8. The tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein the closure member contacts a stop surface of the port.

9. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure member extends into contact with a wall of the housing preventing differential pressure based movement of the closure member.

10. The tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tool further includes a retainer.

11. A downhole system including the hydrostatic setting tool as claimed in claim 1.

12. A method for setting a downhole tool comprising:

sending an electrical signal to a degradable-on-demand closure member of a hydrostatic setting tool as claimed in claim 1;

degrading the closure member; and providing access of hydrostatic pressure to the piston.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the degrading is of the entirety of the closure member.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the degrading is of a portion of the closure member.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the degrading includes igniting of the degradable-on-demand material.