Erosion Migration Arrangement, Erodable Member and Method of Migrating a Slurry Flow Path

Abstract

An erosion migration arrangement includes a tubular having a window therein. A body positioned within a portion of the window is configured to sacrificially erode in response to a slurry flowing through the window to thereby migrate a location of impact on a member positioned downstream of the window.

1 . An erosion migration arrangement comprising:
 a tubular having a window therein; and   a body positioned within a portion of the window being configured to sacrificially erode in response to a slurry flowing through the window to thereby migrate a location of impact on a member positioned downstream of the window.   
     
     
         2 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular is configured to transport the slurry during a gravel packing operation. 
     
     
         3 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the body is positioned on a downstream side of the window. 
     
     
         4 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to erode more quickly than the tubular. 
     
     
         5 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a material that reacts with an environment anticipated to be encountered during flow of the slurry. 
     
     
         6 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein reaction of the body includes disintegration thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a shell covering a core and the shell is more resistant to degradation than the core. 
     
     
         8 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the shell prevents the core from disintegration until the shell is fractured. 
     
     
         9 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein disintegration of the core quickens erosion thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the core is made of a reactive and soft metal such as Mg, Al, Zn, Sn or alloys including at least one of the foregoing. 
     
     
         11 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the core is made of a reactive metal matrix reinforced by micro or nano particulates selected from the group consisting of ceramics, metallic, intermetallic, oxides, carbides and nitrides. 
     
     
         12 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the shell is made of a material that is selected from the group consisting of ceramic, metallic, intermetallic, oxides carbides, and nitride. 
     
     
         13 . The erosion migration arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the slurry includes gravel and a fluid. 
     
     
         14 . A method of migrating a slurry flow path comprising:
 constructing at least one portion of a border of a window of a tubular from an degraded material;   flowing slurry through the window;   eroding the at least one portion at a faster rate than a remaining border of the window; and   migrating a flow path of the slurry.   
     
     
         15 . The method of migrating a slurry flow path of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one portion is a downstream portion of the border. 
     
     
         16 . The method of migrating a slurry flow path of  claim 13 , further comprising disintegrating the at least one portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of migrating a slurry flow path of  claim 13 , further comprising constructing the at least one portion of at least one material configured to disintegrate in a target environment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of migrating a slurry flow path of  claim 13 , further comprising constructing the at least one portion of a shell material and a core material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of migrating a slurry flow path of  claim 17 , wherein the core material disintegrates more easily than the shell material. 
     
     
         20 . A sacrificially erodable member comprising;
 a core configured to easily erode in a target environment; and   a shell in operable communication with the core configured to protect the core from eroding until fracture thereof.   
     
     
         21 . The sacrificially erodable member of  claim 19 , wherein the core is made of a material that more easily erodes than a material that the shell is made of 
     
     
         22 . The sacrificially erodable member of  claim 19 , wherein the core is made of a material that disintegrates in a target environment.