Expandable and degradable downhole hydraulic regulating assembly

Abstract

A hydraulic regulating mechanism for disposal in a well. The mechanism includes a degradable metal based element and a swellable component for hydraulic regulation. The mechanism is configured for ease of setting and removal by allowing degrading of the metal based element upon exposure of certain downhole conditions to trigger shrinking of the swellable component. Further, the swellable component may be initially set by exposure to downhole conditions as well. Ultimately, a mechanism is provided which may effectively regulate high pressure applications downhole and yet, as a practical matter, be removed via a displacement or drill out that may take less than 15 to 30 minutes to achieve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydraulic regulating mechanism for disposal in a well, the mechanism comprising:
 a metal based element configured for degrading in the well; and   a swellable component coupled to the element, the swellable component configured for swelling upon exposure to a downhole condition and for shrinking upon the degrading.   
     
     
         2 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the metal based element is of constituents for releasing during the degrading to initiate the shrinking. 
     
     
         3 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the metal based element is configured for degrading in the well upon exposure to a downhole condition. 
     
     
         4 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the downhole condition for one of the degrading and the swelling is one of a water based condition, a hydrocarbon based condition and a temperature based condition. 
     
     
         5 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes one of a bridge plug, temporary isolation device, profiler, diverter, and a constrictor. 
     
     
         6 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is a bridge plug, the metal based element comprising one of a slip and a mandrel thereof, and the swellable component a seal thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the downhole condition is a presence of brine; and   the seal is of a material selected from a group consisting of styrenic isoprene block copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid, and sulfonated polyarylether ketone.   
     
     
         8 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the downhole condition is the presence of hydrocarbons; and   the seal is of a polyarylether ketone of tailored sulfonation for swelling in the presence of hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         9 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the metal based element comprises:
 a reactive metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum, calcium, and magnesium; and   an alloying element.   
     
     
         10 . The hydraulic regulating mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the alloying element is one of lithium, gallium, indium, zinc, bismuth, aluminum where aluminum is not the reactive metal, calcium where calcium is not the reactive metal, and magnesium where magnesium is not the reactive metal. 
     
     
         11 . A hydraulic regulating assembly for disposal in a well, the assembly comprising:
 a component for exposure to a downhole condition arising from an open hole portion of a well, the exposure to induce swelling of the component; and   a metal based element for exposure to a downhole condition to induce degrading thereof, the degrading to induce shrinking of the component.   
     
     
         12 . The hydraulic regulating assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the assembly is a bridge plug for disposal uphole of a first production region to support one of perforating and fracturing of a second production region uphole of the assembly. 
     
     
         13 . A method of hydraulic regulation in a well, the method comprising:
 positioning a hydraulic regulating mechanism in a well;   swelling a swellable component of the mechanism into sealing engagement with a wall of the well;   degrading a metal based element of the mechanism; and   shrinking the swellable component by exposing to constituents of the degrading component.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the swelling comprises exposing the swellable component to one of brine and hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising running an application in the well uphole of the mechanism after the swelling. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shrinking comprises driving up pH at a location of the mechanism in the well by the exposing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shrinking comprises driving up a temperature at a location of the mechanism in the well. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising removing the mechanism from productive portions of the well after the shrinking 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removing comprises one of displacing and drilling out of the mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the removing is achieved over the course of less than about 15 minutes.