IP Library Granted Patent US 9,970,249
Granted Patent B2
US 9,970,249 · App. 14/561,523 · Granted May 15, 2018

Degradable anchor device with granular material

Inventors: Zhihui Zhang (Katy, TX); YingQing Xu (Tomball, TX); Zhiyue Xu (Cypress, TX); James King (Kingwood, TX)
Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
E21B23/01E21B23/06
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,970,249
App. No.
14/561,523
Granted
May 15, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one aspect, an anchoring device is disclosed, including: a degradable substrate with a first hardness; and a granular gripping material associated with the outer extent of the degradable substrate, wherein the granular gripping material has a second hardness greater than the first hardness. In certain embodiments, the granular gripping material is degradable. In another aspect, a method to anchor a downhole device is disclosed, including: providing a degradable substrate with a first hardness; and applying a granular gripping material to the outer extent of the degradable substrate, wherein the granular gripping material has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

Claims (27)

1. An anchoring device, comprising:

a degradable substrate with a first hardness; and

a granular gripping material including a plurality of granular layers associated with the outer extent of the degradable substrate, wherein the granular gripping material has a second hardness greater than the first hardness, and wherein the plurality of granular layers includes an innermost granular layer adjacent to the degradable substrate having an innermost layer grain size and an outermost granular layer having an outermost layer grain size, and the innermost layer grain size is smaller than the outermost layer grain size.

2. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the granular gripping material is disintegrable.

3. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the degradable substrate includes one of: a magnesium alloy, a magnesium silicon alloy, a magnesium aluminum alloy, a magnesium zinc alloy, a magnesium manganese alloy, a magnesium aluminum zinc alloy, a magnesium aluminum manganese alloy, a magnesium zinc zirconium alloy, and a magnesium rare earth element alloy.

4. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the granular gripping material includes one of: silicon carbide, an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, and a ceramic.

5. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the granular gripping material is smaller than an intended flow path.

6. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the degradable substrate includes at least one crack initiation point.

7. The anchoring device of claim 1 , further comprising a binder associated with the granular gripping material and the degradable substrate.

8. The anchoring device of claim 7 , wherein the binder is degradable.

9. The anchoring device of claim 1 , wherein the innermost granular layer has an innermost layer hardness, the outermost layer has an outermost layer hardness, and the innermost layer hardness is less than the outermost layer hardness.

10. A method to anchor a downhole device, comprising:

providing a degradable substrate with a first hardness; and

applying a granular gripping material having a plurality of granular layers to the outer extent of the degradable substrate, wherein the granular gripping material has a second hardness greater than the first hardness and wherein the granular gripping material includes an innermost granular layer adjacent to the degradable substrate having an innermost layer grain size and an outermost granular layer having an outermost layer grain size, and the innermost layer grain size is smaller than the outermost layer grain size.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the granular gripping material is disintegrable.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the degradable substrate includes one of: a magnesium alloy, a magnesium silicon alloy, a magnesium aluminum alloy, a magnesium zinc alloy, a magnesium manganese alloy, a magnesium aluminum zinc alloy, a magnesium aluminum manganese alloy, a magnesium zinc zirconium alloy, and a magnesium rare earth element alloy.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the granular gripping material includes one of: silicon carbide, an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, and a ceramic.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a binder associated with the granular gripping material and the degradable substrate.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the innermost granular layer has an innermost layer hardness, the outermost layer has an outermost layer hardness, and the innermost layer hardness is less than the outermost layer hardness.

16. A downhole system, comprising:

a casing string; and

an anchoring device associated with the casing string, comprising:

a degradable substrate with a first hardness; and

a granular gripping material including a plurality of layers associated with the outer extent of the degradable substrate, wherein the granular gripping material has a second hardness greater than the first hardness and the second hardness is greater than a hardness of an inner diameter of the casing string and wherein the plurality of granular layers includes an innermost granular layer adjacent to the degradable substrate having an innermost layer grain size and an outermost granular layer having an outermost layer grain size, and the innermost layer grain size is smaller than the outermost layer grain size.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the granular gripping material is disintegrable.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the anchoring device is associated with a packer or a bridge plug.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the anchoring device is associated with a wedge.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 24, 2022
From: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
To: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 059498/0728 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 29, 2018
From: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
To: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 045179/0452 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2014
From: ZHANG, ZHIHUI; XU, YINGQING; XU, ZHIYUE; KING, JAMES
To: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 034454/0362 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160160592A1 · Jun 9, 2016