Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Jeffery D Kitzman

Steve Rosenblatt

Charles C Johnson

Jason C Mailand

A borehole barrier comprises a scroll where the overlapping parts have a ratchet for radial expansion against a surrounding tubular with the ratchet controlling springing back. The outer surface can have carbide or other hard particles to penetrate the surrounding tubular for fixation. The end of the scroll forms a tapered ball seat. Expansion into place can be with a tool, or by releasing potential energy in the scroll or by using a shape memory alloy that enlarges at above its critical temperature. The scrolls can be removed by milling or allowed to dissolve or disintegrate with exposure to well fluids. The scroll design is quickly deployed and removed and is far more economical than known plugs that have the traditional seal and slip design. The balls can be milled out with their associated scrolls or flowed to the surface with produced fluids.

Radially expandable ratchet locking borehole barrier assembly

Perforations in an existing borehole are covered with an expandable clad or elongated tubular that is expanded on location with the expansion equipment then removed. The clad is made of a disintegrating material such as a controlled electrolytic material known as CEM and is expanded into position to cover the existing perforations. One or more plugs are run in with perforating guns and the plugs set with the guns moved away from the set plug and fired to make new perforation. After each new perforation is made a ball is delivered to the plug to isolate a portion of the well and the new perforations are treated such as in a fracturing or another operation. Over time or with exposure to well fluids or temperatures the clad disintegrates and the original well drift diameter is regained so that subsequent production or injection is not impeded.

Disappearing expandable cladding

A clad is expanded with a variable swage or other ways to create a seat for an object to obstruct the passage therethrough while at the same time expanding at least a part of the clad into a surrounding tubular for support and sealing. The exterior of the clad can have grit to enhance the grip. A perforating gun can be delivered in the same trip with the clad. After the swage passes through the clad the gun is positioned and fired, the bottom hole assembly is retrieved and the ball is dropped from the surface onto the seat formed in the clad with expansion or with some other means. A treating operation against the clad and into the surrounding formation can then take place. The process can be repeated preferably in a bottom up direction until the formation is fully treated. The clads and objects landed on the clads disintegrate with time or borehole exposure.

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Spring, TX, United States of America

Jeffery D Kitzman