Hydrogel for use in downhole seal applications
First Claim
1. A composition for forming a swellable wellbore seal body comprising:
- a. base material, and b. a hydrogel, whereby the seal body is placed in a wellbore to form a seal which isolates a particular wellbore zone from another wellbore zone or region of a subterranean formation.
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Abstract
The present invention is a composition for forming seals. The composition includes a base material and a hydrogel. The base material 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.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A composition for forming a swellable wellbore seal body comprising:
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a. base material, and b. a hydrogel, whereby the seal body is placed in a wellbore to form a seal which isolates a particular wellbore zone from another wellbore zone or region of a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A swellable wellbore seal body comprising:
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a. base material, and b. a hydrogel, wherein the seal body is deployed into a wellbore in a first configuration, and wherein the seal changes to a second configuration upon exposure to a factor, thereby forming a seal isolating a particular wellbore zone from another wellbore zone or region of a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for forming a seal in a wellbore comprising:
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a. providing swellable wellbore seal body comprising a base material, and a hydrogel, b. deploying the seal body into a wellbore in a first configuration, and, c. exposing the seal body to a factor causing the seal to change to a second configuration upon exposure to a factor, thereby forming a seal isolating a particular wellbore zone from another wellbore zone or region of a subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification