IP Library Granted Patent US 10,190,370
Granted Patent B1
US 10,190,370 · App. 14/965,356 · Granted Jan 29, 2019

Composite wellbore seal system with sensing and self-healing capabilities

Inventors: Mahmoud Reda Taha (Albuquerque, NM); John Stormont (Albuquerque, NM)
Assignee: STC.UNM
E21B17/00C09K8/46E21B17/003C09K2208/08C09K2208/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,190,370
App. No.
14/965,356
Granted
Jan 29, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present invention provides a self-healing wellbore seal system comprising a casing, a fiber reinforced polymer layer, and layer of polymer cement. The layers are bonded together and configured to create a low permeable and ductile seal at discrete locations of the wellbore or along the wellbore. The polymer layer may be chemically bonded to the casing and inhibits the formation of a microannulus at the casing. The polymer layer may be an aramid fiber reinforced polymer, a fiber reinforced polymer layer, or a glass reinforced polymer layer.

Claims (24)

1. A wellbore seal system comprising: a casing, a fiber reinforced polymer layer, and layer of polymer cement;

said layers bonded together and configured to create a low permeable and ductile seal at discrete locations of the wellbore or along the wellbore;

said polymer layer is chemically bonded to said casing and inhibits the formation of a microannulus at said casing; and

said polymer layer is an aramid fiber reinforced polymer or is a glass reinforced polymer.

2. The wellbore seal system of claim 1 wherein said fiber reinforced polymer layer surrounds said casing at predetermined locations and further including an annulus material of cement that surrounds said polymer cement or polymer layer at predetermined locations; and

said fiber reinforced polymer layer has a graded stiffness that decreases towards said annulus material.

3. The wellbore seal system of claim 2 wherein said graded stiffness in said fiber reinforced polymer layer is the greatest at said casing and is reduced by 30-50% of the stiffness of said casing at its lowest point.

4. The wellbore seal system of claim 1 wherein said casing is the innermost layer, said fiber reinforced polymer layer surrounds said casing at predetermined locations, said polymer cement layer surrounds said fiber reinforced polymer layer at predetermined locations and further including an annulus material of cement that surrounds said polymer cement layer at predetermined locations; and

said polymer cement layer has a graded stiffness that decreases towards said annulus material.

5. The wellbore seal system of claim 4 wherein said graded stiffness in said polymer cement layer is the greatest at said fiber reinforced polymer layer and is reduced by 20-40% of the stiffness of said fiber reinforced polymer layer at its lowest point.

6. The wellbore seal system of claim 1 wherein said casing is the innermost layer, said fiber reinforced polymer layer surrounds said casing at predetermined locations, said polymer cement layer surrounds said fiber reinforced polymer layer at predetermined locations and further including an annulus material of cement that surrounds said polymer cement layer at predetermined locations; and

said fiber reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement have a graded stiffness that decreases towards said annulus material.

7. The wellbore seal system of claim 6 wherein said graded stiffness in said fiber reinforced polymer layer is the greatest at said casing and is reduced by 30-50% of the stiffness of said casing at its lowest point; and

said graded stiffness in said polymer cement layer is the greatest at said fiber reinforced polymer layer and is reduced by 20-40% of the stiffness of said fiber reinforced polymer layer at its lowest point.

8. The wellbore seal system of claim 7 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer is electrically, optically or acoustically conductive.

9. The wellbore seal system of claim 7 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer include a plurality of electrically, optically or acoustically conductive pathways created by having therein electrically, optically or acoustically conductive fillers or filaments.

10. The wellbore seal system of claim 7 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer include a plurality of self-healing particles, said particles configured to activate a sealing agent in response to a compromise in the integrity of the system.

11. The wellbore seal system of claim 10 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer include a plurality of self-healing particles, said particles configured to activate a sealing agent in response to one or more predetermined structural changes in one or more layers of said system.

12. The wellbore seal system of claim 10 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer include a plurality of self-healing particles, said particles configured to activate a sealing agent in response to an electrical, acoustic or optical signal.

13. The wellbore seal system of claim 10 wherein one or both of said reinforced polymer layer and said polymer cement layer include a plurality of self-healing particles, said particles configured to activate a sealing agent in an area where there is an increase in the measured resistance of the electrical signal.

14. The wellbore seal system of claim 10 wherein said particles encapsulate the sealing agent.

15. The wellbore seal system of claim 10 wherein said particles are the sealing agent.

16. The wellbore seal system of claim 1 wherein said polymer cement is a nanocomposite.

17. The wellbore seal system of claim 1 wherein said polymer cement is a polymer nanocomposite.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 45685 FRAME: 973. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 13, 2020
From: TAHA, MAHMOUD; STORMONT, JOHN
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
Reel/Frame 051573/0496 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2020
From: TAHA, MAHMOUD; STORMONT, JOHN
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
Reel/Frame 051460/0958 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Nov 6, 2019
From: UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 050944/0727 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2018
From: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
To: STC.UNM
Reel/Frame 045686/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62090258 · Dec 10, 2014