BR-122026002351-A2 - Well Bottom Heater

BR122026002351A2BR 122026002351 A2BR122026002351 A2BR 122026002351A2BR-122026002351-A2

Abstract

A method is provided for setting up a downhole tool and a localized downhole heater. The method, in at least one aspect, includes positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore, the downhole tool including expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and positioning a localized downhole heater within the wellbore, the localized downhole heater being adjacent to the expandable metal. The method further includes subjecting the expandable metal to a wellbore fluid to expand the expandable metal upon contact with one or more surfaces, while activating the localized downhole heater to create a temperature spike and accelerate an expansion of the expandable metal.

Inventors

MICHAEL LINLEY FRIPP
Joachim Pihl
Arpana Verma

Assignees

HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260310
Application Date: 20210118
Priority Date: 20210118

Claims (6)

1. A downhole heater, characterized in that it comprises: a casing; a heating section located within the casing, the heating section including exothermic reagents therein; and a control section located within the casing, the control section operable to allow the reagent fluid to react with the exothermic reagents and create a temperature peak after a period of time.
2. A downhole heater according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing includes an operable valve to move from a closed state to an open state to allow reactant fluid to enter the housing and react with the exothermic reactants and create the temperature peak.
3. A downhole heater according to claim 1, characterized in that a barrier within the casing separates the heating section from the control section.
4. A downhole heater located according to claim 3, characterized in that it further includes a rupture tool located within the housing, the rupture tool configured to break the barrier after a period of time to allow the reactant fluid to react with the exothermic reagents.
5. A downhole heater according to claim 4, characterized in that the reactant fluid is entirely contained within the casing.
6. A downhole heater according to claim 4, characterized in that it further includes a fusible alloy located within the housing, the fusible alloy being operable to regulate the temperature of the downhole heater through the heat of fusion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE ON RELATED REQUEST [001] This application claims priority over U.S. Serial No. 17/151,331, filed January 18, 2021, entitled “HEATERS TO ACCELERATE SETTING OF EXPANDABLE METAL,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/962,910, filed January 17, 2020, entitled “HEATERS TO ACCELERATE SETTING OF EXPANDABLE METAL,” jointly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FUNDAMENTALS [002] Well holes are drilled into the earth for a variety of purposes, including accessing hydrocarbon-bearing formations. A variety of downhole tools can be used within a well hole in relation to accessing and extracting such hydrocarbons. Throughout the process, it may be necessary to isolate sections of the well hole to create pressure zones. Downhole tools, such as fracturing plugs, clogging plugs, packers, and other suitable tools, can be used to isolate sections of the well hole. [003] The aforementioned downhole tools are commonly passed into the wellbore on a transport, such as a wireline, work string, or production tubing. Such tools often have either an internal or external seating tool, which is used to seat the downhole tool within the wellbore and retain the tool in place and thus function as a wellbore anchor. Wellbore anchors typically include a plurality of wedges, which extend outward when actuated to engage and secure a casing within a wellbore or the open borehole itself, and a sealing assembly, which extends outward to seal the flow of liquid around the downhole tool. BRIEF DESCRIPTION [004] Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of alternative embodiments of well systems including an exemplary operating environment in which the apparatus, systems and methods disclosed in this document may be employed; FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of alternative embodiments of well systems including an exemplary operating environment in which the apparatus, systems and methods disclosed in this document may be employed; FIG. 3 illustrates a graph showing the relative reaction rate for the expandable metals versus the dissolution temperature; FIG. 4 illustrates a downhole tool (e.g., packer, plug, anchor, etc.) positioned within a wellbore; FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a downhole tool (e.g., packer, plug, anchor, etc.) positioned within a wellbore; FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration for a downhole heater designed, manufactured and operated in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure; and FIG. Figure 7 illustrates a configuration for a downhole heater designed, manufactured, and operated in accordance with a disclosure embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [005] In the drawings and descriptions that follow, similar parts are typically marked throughout the descriptive report and in the drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The figures drawn are not necessarily, but may be, to scale. Certain features of the disclosure may be shown exaggerated to scale or in a somewhat schematic way, and some details of certain elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. [006] This disclosure can be implemented in different ways. The specific ways are described in detail and shown in the drawings with the understanding that this disclosure should be considered an exemplification of the disclosure principles, and is not intended to limit the disclosure that is illustrated and described in this document. It will be fully recognized that the different teachings of the ways discussed in this document can be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce the desired results. Furthermore, all statements in this document containing principles and aspects of disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof. In addition, the term "or," as used in this document, refers to a non-exclusive item or, unless otherwise indicated. [007] Unless otherwise specified, the use of the terms "connect", "engage", "coupling", "fixing" or any other similar term describing an interaction between elements is not intended to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements, and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. [008] Unless otherwise specified, the use of the terms "above," "upper," "upward," "hole above," "upstream," or other similar terms should be interpreted as generally referring to the surface of the well; similarly, the use of the terms "below," "lower," "downward," "hole below," or other similar terms should be interpreted as generally referring to the bottom, terminal end of a well, regardless of the orientation of the wellbore. The use of any one or more of the foregoing terms should not be interpreted as denoting positions along a perfectly vertical or horizontal axis. Unless otherwise spec