Methods and systems to seal subterranean void

Abstract

A device including an expandable material that is configured to be compressed in a first state while traveling through a wellbore and expanded in a second state to form a seal.

1 . A device for sealing a wellbore, the device comprising:
 a container body with a hollow inner chamber and a closed distal end, wherein the container body is breakable;   a body of an expandable material configured to be housed within the hollow inner chamber of the container body when the container body is intact, the expandable material being configured to be compressed within the container body in a first state before being positioned within the wellbore to have a smaller diameter than that of the wellbore and the container body and the body of the expandable material being configured to be expanded in a second state responsive to the container body breaking, in the second state the body of the expandable material having a larger diameter than that of the wellbore and expanding into different voids within the wellbore.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable material is a compressible and elastic reticulated foam. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 grooves positioned on an outer circumference of the container body configured to form break lines of the container body.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 equalizing ports extending from an outer circumference of the container body into the hollow chamber to allow communication into the container body.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the expandable material is configured to be fragmented into a plurality of fragments when the container body breaks 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fragments include a first fragment and a second fragment, wherein the first fragment is configured to be positioned within a first void and the second fragment is configured to be positioned within a second void. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the body of the expandable material is configured to be positioned in the first void and the second void. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first fragment and the second fragment are configured to detach from the body of expandable material when the container body ceases to apply a compressive force against the expandable material. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the container body is formed of a breakable material. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the container body has a closed proximal end. 
     
     
         11 . A method for sealing a wellbore comprising:
 compressing, to be in a first state, a body of an expandable material within a hollow inner chamber of a breakable container body when the container body is intact before positioning the container body within a wellbore, wherein the container body includes a closed distal end, and in the first state the body of the expandable material has a smaller diameter than that of a wellbore and the container body;   breaking the container body;   expanding, to be in a second state, the body of the expandable material responsive to the container body breaking wherein the second state the body of the expandable material has a larger diameter than that of the wellbore;   positioning the body of the expandable material into different voids within the wellbore responsive to expanding the body of the expandable material.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the expandable material is a compressible and elastic reticulated foam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming grooves positioned on an outer circumference of the container body;   breaking the container body along the grooves.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 creating equalizing ports extending from an outer circumference of the container body into the hollow chamber to allow communication into the container body.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 fragmenting the body of the expandable material into a plurality of fragments when the container body breaks   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of fragments include a first fragment and a second fragment, and
 positioning the first fragment within a first void and the second fragment within a second void.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 positioning the body of the expandable material in the first void and the second void.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detaching the first fragment and the second fragment from the body of expandable material when the container body ceases to apply a compressive force against the expandable material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the container body is formed of a breakable material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the container body has a closed proximal end.