PROTECTION OF DOWNHOLE TOOLS AGAINST MECHANICAL INFLUENCES WITH A PLIANT MATERIAL

• US 20170167206A1
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Bernard, Stephan, Buda, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/10 Wear protectors; Centralising devices , e.g. stabilisers

Abstract

A downhole tool in a wellbore may be at least partially enclosed by a protector. The protector may form a physical barrier between the downhole tool and a wellbore environment. The protector include a sheath formed of a pliant material or a textile and may include one or more hard inserts.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a downhole tool configured to physically transform to execute a specified downhole operation; and

a protector at least partially enclosing the downhole tool and forming a physical barrier between the downhole tool and a wellbore environment, the protector including a sheath formed of a pliant material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath is structurally integrated into the downhole tool.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protector continues to at least partially enclose the downhole tool after the downhole tool has completed a physical transformation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protector structurally degrades while the downhole tool physically transforms.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the downhole tool is an expandable packer, the pliant material includes a textile, and the sheath is structurally separate from the downhole tool.

6. A method for using a downhole tool in a wellbore, comprising:

at least partially enclosing the downhole tool using a protector, the protector forming a physical barrier between the downhole tool and a wellbore environment, the protector including a sheath formed of at least one of;

a pliant material, and a textile;

conveying the downhole tool and the protector into the wellbore; and

executing a specified downhole operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the protector continues to at least partially enclose the downhole tool after the downhole tool has completed a physical transformation.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the protector structurally degrades while the downhole tool physically transforms.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the specified downhole operation is executed by physically transforming the downhole tool.

10. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a downhole tool configured to be conveyed into a wellbore to perform a specified downhole function; and

a protector at least partially enclosing the downhole tool and forming a physical barrier between the downhole tool and a wellbore environment, the protector including a sheath formed at least partially of a textile.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sheath is structurally separate from the downhole tool.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sheath is structurally integrated into the downhole tool.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sheath includes at least one insert formed of a material harder than the pliant material.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the textile is structured as at least one of:

netting, knitting, braiding, weaving, meshing, and lacing.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sheath is formed at least partially of one of:

(i) glass fibers, (ii) metal fibers, (iii) metal wires, and (iv) a polymeric fiber.