Hydrogel for use in downhole seal applications

• US 20050171248A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Li, Yanmei, Zhou, Jian
• Application Number:
  US10/789,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 524/35
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/28 Alkyl ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/00 Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/14 the macromolecular compounds being water soluble or water swellable, e.g. aqueous gels
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/08 Homopolymers or copolymers according to C08L7/00 - C08L21/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/26 Natural polymers, natural resins or derivatives thereof according to C08L1/00 - C08L5/00, C08L89/00, C08L93/00, C08L97/00 or C08L99/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/14 Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/06 Macromolecular organic compounds, e.g. prepolymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/0617 Polyalkenes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/0627 Nitrogen-containing polymers, e.g. polyacrylamide
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/0632 Polystyrenes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/0657 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2200/0685 Containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/10 Materials in mouldable or extrudable form for sealing or packing joints or covers filling pastes C09D5/34
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/12 Packers; Plugs used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16

Abstract

The present invention is a composition for forming seals. The composition includes a base material and a hydrogel. The base materials is preferably an elastomer or a thermoplastic. Seals formed with the composition are particularly suited for use in a wellbore environment. The inclusion of hydrogel in the seals allows the seals to be manipulated or altered through certain environmental factors. For instance, temperature, oil/water ratio, pH and the electronic field may all be used to alter the characteristics of the hydrogel. In this way, the seal may be caused to swell in response to a specific stimulus, thereby preventing or sealing a leak without requiring additional work or input from the operator.

Claims

1. A composition for forming a seal comprising:

(a) a hydrogel and (b) a base material.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said base material is a polymer.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein said polymer is an elastomer.

4. The composition of claim 3, wherein said elastomer is selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, carboxyl nitrile rubber, silicon rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers, fluoroelastomers and perfluoroelastomers.

5. The composition of claim 2 wherein said polymer is a thermoplastic.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein said thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of Teflon®

, polyetheretherketone, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyphenylene sulfide.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said hydrogel is selected from the group consisting of:

methylcellulose, cellulose acetate pthalate and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose polymers, poly (ethylene oxide) polymers, guar, derivatized guar, polyacrylamide, silicon-based polymers and fluorosilicone-based polymers.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein said hydrogel is a metal complex of a polymer selected from the group consisting of:

methylcellulose, cellulose acetate pthalate and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose polymers, poly (ethylene oxide) polymers, guar, derivatized guar, polyacrylamide, silicon-based polymers and fluorosilicone-based polymers.

9. A seal for use in a wellbore comprising the composition of claim 1.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition forms a seal.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is an o-ring.

12. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is a t-seal.

13. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is a chevron seal.

14. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is a spring seal.

15. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is a packer element.

16. The composition of claim 10, wherein said seal is a bridge plug.