Consumable downhole tools

• US 8,322,449 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company), MCR Oil Tools, LLC (MCR Oil Tools Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company), MCR Oil Tools, LLC (MCR Oil Tools Corp.)
• Inventors: Berscheidt, Kevin, Robertson, Michael C., Clayton, Robert Preston
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Giovanna
• Application Number:
  US13/277,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 166/376, 166/58, 166/59, 166/387, 166/179, 166/118
• US Class Current: 166/376
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/02 by explosives or by thermal or chemical means freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002

Abstract

A method of removing a downhole tool from a wellbore comprising contacting the tool with a heat source wherein the tool comprises at least one load-bearing component comprising a thermally degradable material. A method of reducing the structural integrity of a downhole tool comprising fabricating the load-bearing components of the tool from a thermally degradable material. A method of removing a downhole tool comprising mechanically milling and/or drilling the tool from a wellbore wherein the tool comprises at least one load bearing component comprising a phenolic resin wherein the phenolic resin comprises a rosole, a novalac or combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method of removing a downhole tool from a wellbore comprising contacting the tool with a heat source wherein the tool comprises at least one load-bearing component comprising a thermally degradable material comprising a thermoplastic material, a phenolic material, a composite material, or combinations thereof, wherein the load-bearing component is a tubular body, one or more slips, one or more slip bodies, or combinations thereof, and wherein the heat source comprises a torch comprising a torch body comprising a plurality of nozzles distributed along its length, wherein contacting the tool with the heat source allows the tool to disengage from the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polyalphaolefins, polyaryletherketones, polybutenes, nylons or polyamides, polycarbonates, thermoplastic polyesters, styrenic copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers, aromatic polyamides, cellulosics, ethylene vinyl acetate, fluoroplastics, polyacetals, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polymethylpentene, polyphenylene oxide, polystyrene or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the load-bearing components are acid-resistant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the torch further comprises a fuel load that produces heat and oxygen when burned.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the fuel load comprises a flammable, non-explosive solid.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the fuel load comprises thermite.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the torch further comprises a firing mechanism with a heat source to ignite the fuel load.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the firing mechanism further comprises a device to activate the heat source.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the firing mechanism is an electronic igniter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the tool is a frac plug.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the tool is a bridge plug.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the tool is a packer.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the load-bearing components comprise a plurality of slips, a plurality of mechanical slip elements, and a packer element assembly.

14. A method of reducing the structural integrity of a downhole tool comprising:

fabricating the load-bearing components of the tool from a thermally degradable material comprising a thermoplastic material, a phenolic material, a composite material, or combinations thereof, wherein the load-bearing component is a tubular body, one or more slips, one or more slip bodies, or combinations thereof, and wherein the tool comprises a torch comprising a fuel load that produces heat and oxygen when burned;

causing the fuel load to burn, wherein causing the fuel load to burn reduces the structural integrity of the tool.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polyalphaolefins, polyaryletherketones, polybutenes, nylons or polyamides, polycarbonates, thermoplastic polyesters, styrenic copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers, aromatic polyamides, cellulosics, ethylene vinyl acetate, fluoroplastics, polyacetals, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polymethylpentene, polyphenylene oxide, polystyrene or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising contacting the load bearing components with a heat source.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the tool comprises a frac plug, a bridge plug or a packer.

18. A method of removing a downhole tool from a wellbore comprising contacting the tool with a heat source, wherein the tool comprises at least one load-bearing component comprising a thermally degradable material comprising a thermoplastic material, a phenolic material, a composite material, or combinations thereof, wherein the load-bearing component is a tubular body, one or more slips, one or more slip bodies, or combinations thereof, wherein the thermally degradable material is acid-resistant, and wherein the heat source comprises a torch comprising a fuel load that produces heat and oxygen when burned, wherein contacting the tool with the heat source allows the tool to disengage from the wellbore.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the torch comprises a torch body comprising a plurality of nozzles distributed along its length.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the load-bearing components comprise a plurality of slips, a plurality of mechanical slip elements, and a packer element assembly.

21. A method of removing a downhole tool from a wellbore comprising contacting the downhole tool with a heat source wherein the downhole tool comprises at least one load-bearing component comprising a thermally degradable material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material, a phenolic material, a composite material, and combinations thereof, and wherein the heat source comprises a torch comprising a torch body comprising a plurality of nozzles, wherein the heat source imparts heat to the thermally degradable material, and wherein the heat source imparts heat to the interior of the downhole tool distributed along its length.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the load-bearing components comprise magnesium.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the heat source is at least partially located within the interior of the downhole tool.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the downhole tool comprises an internal bore, and wherein the torch body is secured within the internal bore such that the plurality of nozzles is oriented to direct heat toward the interior of the downhole tool.