IP Library Granted Patent US 10,329,871
Granted Patent B2
US 10,329,871 · App. 15/808,215 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Distintegrable wet connector cover

Inventors: James King (Kingwood, TX); Marc Samuelson (Houston, TX)
Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
E21B33/13E21B29/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,329,871
App. No.
15/808,215
Granted
Jun 25, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of protecting a component in a wet environment includes disposing a component into a wet environment, deploying a granulated disintegrable material into the wet environment and temporarily covering a portion of the component with the granulated disintegrable material, at least partially disintegrating the granulated disintegrable material, and flushing the granulated disintegrable material away from the portion.

Claims (28)

1. A method of protecting a component in a downhole environment, comprising:

disposing the component into the downhole environment, wherein the component includes a wet connection device having a first wet connector configured to engage a second wet connector of another component;

deploying a granulated disintegrable material into the downhole environment separately from the component and temporarily covering a portion of the component with the granulated disintegrable material;

at least partially disintegrating the granulated disintegrable material; and

flushing the granulated disintegrable material away from the portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least partially disintegrating includes exposing the granulated disintegrable material to a fluid that makes up at least part of the downhole environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least partially disintegrating the granulated disintegrable material includes injecting a disintegrating fluid into the downhole environment and exposing the granulated disintegrable material to the disintegrating fluid.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the downhole environment includes a first fluid, and the disintegrating fluid is a second fluid that is different than the first fluid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is configured to cover at least part of the first wet connector and be flushed away from the first wet connector prior to engaging the first wet connector with the second wet connector.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a plug at the first wet connector prior to covering the portion of the component with the granulated disintegrable material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plug is made from a disintegrable material, the method further comprising removing the plug after engaging the first wet connector with the second wet connector.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein removing the plug includes exposing the plug to a disintegrating fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is made from a controlled electrolytic material (CEM).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying the granulated disintegrable material includes accumulating the granulated disintegrable material on the component.

11. A system for protecting a component in a downhole environment, comprising:

the component, wherein the component includes a wet connection device having a first wet connector configured to engage a second wet connector of another component;

a deployment device configured to deploy a granulated disintegrable material into the downhole environment after deploying the component and temporarily cover a portion of the component in the downhole environment with the granulated disintegrable material;

a triggering device configured to at least partially disintegrate the granulated disintegrable material; and

a fluid control device configured to flush the granulated disintegrable material away from the portion.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is at least partially disintegrated by exposing the granulated disintegrable material to a fluid that makes up at least part of the downhole environment.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is at least partially disintegrated by injecting a disintegrating fluid into the downhole environment and exposing the granulated disintegrable material to the disintegrating fluid.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the downhole environment includes a first fluid, and the disintegrating fluid is a second fluid that is different than the first fluid.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is configured to cover at least part of the first wet connector and be flushed away from the first wet connector prior to engaging the first wet connector with the second wet connector.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the deployment device is configured to dispose a plug at the first wet connector prior to covering the portion of the component with the granulated disintegrable material.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plug is made from a disintegrable material and is configured to be removed after engaging the first wet connector with the second wet connector.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plug is configured to be removed by exposing the plug to a disintegrating fluid.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the granulated disintegrable material is made from a controlled electrolytic material (CEM).

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the deployment device is configured to deploy the granulated disintegrable material so as to accumulate on the component.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 24, 2022
From: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
To: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 059498/0728 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2017
From: KING, JAMES; SAMUELSON, MARC
To: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 044083/0412 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190136660A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,281,523 US 12,297,707