Degradable and/or Deformable Diverters and Seals

Abstract

A variable stiffness engineered degradable ball or seal having a degradable phase and a stiffener material. The variable stiffness engineered degradable ball or seal can optionally be in the form of a degradable diverter ball or sealing element which can be made neutrally buoyant.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a temporary seal in a well formation that includes:
 a. providing a variable stiffness or deformable first degradable component capable of forming a fluid seal;   b. combining said first degradable component with a fluid to be inserted into said well formation;   c. inserting said fluid including said first degadable component into said well formation to cause said first degradable component to be positioned at or at least partially in an opening located in the well formation that is to be partially or fully sealed;   d. causing said first degradable component located at or at least partially in said opening to deform to at least partially form a seal in said opening to partially or fully block or divert a flow of said fluid into and/or through said opening, said first degradable component at least partially deformed by fluid pressure of said fluid;   e. optionally causing a plurality of said first degradable component to agglomerate with one another to at least partially form a seal in said opening so as to partially or fully block or divert a flow of said fluid into and/or through said opening, said plurality of said first degradable component at least partially agglomerated together by fluid pressure of said fluid;   f. performing operations such as drilling, circulating, pumping, and/or hydraulic fracturing in said well formation for a period of time after said first degradable component has deformed and optionally agglomerated and has at least partially sealed said opening; and,   g. causing said first degradable component to partially or fully degrade to cause said first degradable component to be partially or fully removed from said opening to thereby allow 80-100% of fluid flow rates into said opening that existed prior to said first degradable component partially or fully sealing said opening.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component has a size and shape that inhibits or prevents said first degradable component from fully passing through said opening to he sealed. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said step of causing said first degradable component to partially or fully degrade is at least partially accomplished by a) changing a temperature of said fluid in contact with said first degradable component, b) changing a pressure of said fluid. in contact with said first degradable component, c) changing a composition of said fluid in contact with said first degradable component, d) changing a pH of said fluid in contact with said first degradable component, e) changing a salinity of said fluid in contact with said first degradable component, and/or f) selecting a composition of said first degradable component that dissolves or degrades at a certain rate when exposed to said fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further including the steps of a) adding a second degradable component to said fluid, b) inserting said fluid including said second degradable component into said well formation to cause said degradable component to be positioned at or at least partially in an opening located in the well formation that is to be partially or fully sealed, said second degradable component inserted into said well formation after said first degradable component has been deformed and at least partially sealed said opening; and c) causing said second degradable component located at said opening to deform to cause further sealing of said opening, and wherein i) said second degradable component at least partially deforms by fluid pressure of said fluid, ii) a plurality of said second degradable component agglomerates together, and/or iii) said second degradable component agglomerates with said first degradable component; said second degradable component formed of a same or different material as said first degradable component; an average size of said second degradable component is 10-90% smaller than an average size of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable components has a density that is a) ±20% a density of said fluid, or b) ±20% a density of sand, frac balls, and/or proppant in said fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is a) a degradable metal and 10-80 vol. % of a stiffness component, or b) degradable elastomer or polymer and 10-80 vol. % of a stiffness component. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said first degradable component is formed of said degradable elastomer or polymer and said stiffness component, said degradable elastomer or polymer forming a continuous phase in said first degradable component, said degradable elastomer or polymer having a 50-100 shore A hardness and a strain to failure in tension or compression of at least 20%; said stiffness component forming a discontinuous second phase in said first degradable component, said stiffness component i) has a stiffness or hardness of at least five times a stiffness or hardness of said degradable elastomer or polymer and/or ii) allows for deformation of said first degradable component when said first degradable component is exposed to a force that is 10-75% of a strength of said first degradable component prior to being deformed; a stiffness or yield strength of said first degradable component changes when said first degradable component deforms, and wherein a maximum stiffness and/or yield strength of said first degradable component after deformation of said first degradable component is at least 1.3 times a stiffness of said first degradable component prior to deformation of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a maximum stiffness and/or yield strength of said first degradable component after deformation of said first degradable component is at least 1.5 times a stiffness of said first degradable component prior to deformation of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said stiffness component includes one or more of a flake, fiber, foil, microballoon, ribbon, sphere, and/or particle shape. 
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said stiffness component is uniformly dispersed in said first degradable component. 
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein 80-100% of said stiffness component is located inwardly from an outer surface of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said stiffness component is aligned perpendicular to a primary direction of strain of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said stiffness component is aligned parallel to a principle direction of strain of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said stiffness component includes one or more fillers selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, silica, talc, mica, sand, gravel, crushed rock, bauxite, granite, limestone, sandstone, glass beads, aerogels, aerogels, clay, alumina, kaolin, microspheres, hollow glass spheres, porous ceramic spheres, gypsum dihydrate, insoluble salts, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, calcium aluminate, and/or magnesium carbonate. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said degradable elastomer or polymer includes an elastomeric material which includes at least two phases, a first phase including one or more of natural rubber, vulcanized rubber, silicone, polyurethane, synthetic rubber, polybutadienece, nitrile rubber (NBR), polyisobutylene, acrylates-butadinene rubber and/or styrene butadine rubber, and a second phase including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly vinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene glycol, polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinylpyrrolidone or polymer derivatives of acrylic and/or methacrylic acid. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said degradable metal is a degradable magnesium alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a density of said degradable elastomer or polymer is 0.01-1.3 g/cc. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component includes a swellable component that increases in volume upon exposure to said fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further including the step of adding a swellable component to said fluid during or after said first degradable component is inserted into said well formation, said swellable component formulated to increase in volume upon exposure to said fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said opening in said well formation is a wellbore, a perforation, fracture, channel, slot, hole, other subsurface or subsea opening, seat of a diverter, seat of a valve, or a channel. 
     
     
         21 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is in the form of a diverter ball, diverter shape, or diverter plug. 
     
     
         22 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is in the form of a ball or shape having at least one dimension of 0.3-1.5 in. 
     
     
         23 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is used as a sealing or packing element or component as part of a plug, seal, wiper, dart, valve, or other device useful for controlling flow or short-time sealing of a wellbore, pipe, channel, fracture, annulus, liner, or other subsea structure or annulus. 
     
     
         24 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said step of causing said first degradable component to partially or fully degrade includes reducing a pH of said fluid to cause partial or full solubilizing of said first degradable component to reduce formation damage. 
     
     
         25 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said step of causing said first degradable component to partially or fully degrade includes adding to the fluid one or more of an acid, green acid, gelbreaker, delay action gelbreaker, coated ammonium sulfate, buffered solution, sulfate, chloride, oxidizing, or reducing fluid. 
     
     
         26 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fluid includes freshwater, brine, completion fluid, produced water, or drilling mud. 
     
     
         27 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is used during a well completion process to divert flow of said fluid away from said opening in said well formation. 
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first degradable component is used in an open hole completion process to temporarily seal fractures and reduce fluid loss during a drilling operation. 
     
     
         29 . A variable stiffness or deformable degradable component formed of a) degradable metal and 10-80 vol. % of a stiffness component, orb) degradable elastomer or polymer and 10-80 vol. % of a stiffness component. 
     
     
         30 . The variable stiffness or deformable degradable component as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said variable stiffness or deformable degradable component is formed of said degradable elastomer or polymer and said stiffness component, said degradable elastomer or polymer forming a continuous phase in said first degradable component, said degradable elastomer or polymer having a 50-100 shore A hardness, and a strain to failure in tension or compression of at least 20%; said stiffness component forming a discontinuous second phase in said first degradable component, said stiffness component i) having a stiffness or hardness of at least five times a stiffness or hardness of said degradable elastomer or polymer, and/or ii) allowing for deformation of said first degradable component when said first degradable component is exposed to a force that is 10-75% of a strength of said first degradable component prior to being deformed; said first degradable component having a stiffness or yield strength that changes when said first degradable component deforms, and wherein a maximum stiffness and/or yield strength of said first degradable component after deformation of said first degradable component is at least 1.3 times a stiffness of said first degradable component prior to deformation of said first degradable component. 
     
     
         31 . A variable stiffness shaped component that can be used in down hole wells as a diversion system, including;
 a. one or more degradable materials;   b. a higher stiffness component, such as a core, center, sphere, ellipsoid, wedge, or other higher stiffness, thicker cross-section; and   c. one or more lower stiffness, lower thickness shaped components that is easily deformed, such as a ring, flap, conical, or tubular section.   
     
     
         32 . The component as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said component includes a core and an added extension, said core and added extension may be formed of the same or different degradable material, and wherein said added extension is deformable and chosen from a degradable polymer, degradable elastomer, degradable rubber, and/or degradable metal. 
     
     
         33 . The component as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said component includes an added extension or added shape formed on and/or connected to a thicker cross-section core, which can be a sphere, ellipsoid, conical section, cube, or other shape being equiaxed or having an aspect ratio of between 1 and 8, and where said added extension or added shape serves to create drag during flow and keeps the component orientated in a flowing fluid so it can he orientated into the hole that needs to be plugged. 
     
     
         34 . The component as defined in  claim 31 , wherein the component is fabricated by, but not limited to, injection molding, compression molding, extrusion, press and sinter, additive manufacturing, casting, machining, or a combination of two or more of these techniques. 
     
     
         35 . The component as defined in  claim 31 , wherein the component includes a metallic core and one or more added features on the outer surface, and wherein one or more of the added features are formed of a rubber material, polymeric material, elastomeric material, or other flexible material, and wherein the one or more added features are optionally degradable.