Zonal isolation using elastic memory foam
First Claim
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1. A method for zonal isolation of an oil or gas well borehole, said method comprising:
- forming an elastic memory foam expansion element on a base element, said foam expansion element having an original outer diameter larger than a selected borehole diameter, said foam expansion element having a transition temperature at which it begins to soften;
raising said foam expansion element to said transition temperature;
radially compressing said foam expansion element to an interim outer diameter smaller than said selected borehole diameter;
cooling said compressed foam expansion element below said transition temperature;
running said compressed foam expansion element into a borehole on said base element; and
raising the temperature of said foam expansion element, to thereby radially expand said foam expansion element to seal between said base element and said borehole.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming an elastic memory foam into an expansion element with an outer diameter larger than a borehole, heating the expansion element to its transition temperature and compressing it to a smaller run-in diameter, cooling the compressed expansion element below its transition temperature and running it into the borehole, then raising the expansion element to its transition temperature to cause it to expand and seal against the borehole wall. Expansion can be enhanced by expanding a mandrel on which the expansion element is formed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for zonal isolation of an oil or gas well borehole, said method comprising:
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forming an elastic memory foam expansion element on a base element, said foam expansion element having an original outer diameter larger than a selected borehole diameter, said foam expansion element having a transition temperature at which it begins to soften; raising said foam expansion element to said transition temperature; radially compressing said foam expansion element to an interim outer diameter smaller than said selected borehole diameter; cooling said compressed foam expansion element below said transition temperature; running said compressed foam expansion element into a borehole on said base element; and raising the temperature of said foam expansion element, to thereby radially expand said foam expansion element to seal between said base element and said borehole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A packer for zonal isolation of an oil or gas well borehole, said packer comprising:
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a mandrel; a substantially cylindrical expansion element formed on said mandrel, said expansion element being formed of elastic memory foam, said expansion element having first and second stable states; and a heat source; wherein said foam expansion element in said first stable state has an outer diameter larger than a selected diameter; wherein said expansion element is convertible to said second stable state by being raised to its transition temperature, compressed to an outer diameter smaller than said selected diameter, then cooled below its transition temperature; wherein said expansion element is convertible back to said first stable state by again being raised to its transition temperature; and wherein said elastic memory foam is formulated to have said transition temperature above an anticipated downhole temperature at a selected depth in a borehole, and said selected diameter is a diameter of said borehole. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method for zonal isolation of an oil or gas well borehole, said method comprising:
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forming a shape memory foam expansion element on a base element, said foam expansion element having an original outer diameter larger than a selected borehole diameter; heating said foam expansion element; compressing said foam expansion element to reduce its radial diameter to a dimension less than said selected borehole diameter; cooling said compressed foam expansion element; running said compressed foam expansion element into a borehole on said base element; and heating said foam expansion element, to radially expand said foam expansion element to seal between said base element and said borehole. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A packer for zonal isolation of an oil or gas well borehole, said packer comprising:
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a mandrel; a substantially cylindrical expansion element formed on said mandrel, said expansion element being formed of a shape memory foam, said expansion element having first and second stable states; and a heat source; wherein said foam expansion element in said first stable state has an outer diameter larger than a selected diameter; wherein said expansion element is convertible to said second stable state by being heated, being compressed to an outer diameter smaller than said selected diameter, then cooled; wherein said expansion element is convertible back at least partially to said first stable state by again being heated. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification