Expanding metal for plug and abandonment
Provided is an expandable metal plug for use in a wellbore tubular. The expandable metal plug, in one aspect, includes a downhole member positionable proximate a plug and abandonment section in a wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal the wellbore tubular.
1 . An expandable metal plug, comprising:
a downhole member positionable proximate a plug and abandonment section in a wellbore tubular,
wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to seal the wellbore tubular, wherein an amount of the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is sufficient to expand to a volume of at least 3500 cm 3 , further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
2 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the downhole member is a single plug of the metal configured to expand in response to the hydrolysis, the downhole member having a length (L) and a width (W), the length (L) greater than the width (W).
3 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the downhole member is a single plug including a mixture of the metal configured to expand in response to the hydrolysis and a fusible alloy.
4 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 3 , wherein the fusible alloy is an alloy containing bismuth, antimony, gallium, tin, zinc, lead, indium, or cadmium.
5 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , further including a coating surrounding the downhole member, the coating configured to delay the expansion of the metal in response to hydrolysis.
6 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , further including two or more expandable centralizers coupled to the downhole member.
7 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 6 , wherein the two or more expandable centralizers are two or more spring loaded centralizers.
8 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , further including a radially deployable chute coupled to the downhole member, the radially deployable chute configured to catch fluid travelling through the wellbore tubular and move the expandable metal plug downhole proximate the plug and abandonment section.
9 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 1 , wherein the downhole member is a collection of individual separate chunks of the metal held together with a binding agent.
10 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 9 , wherein the binding agent is a salt.
11 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 9 , wherein the collection of individual separate chunks of the metal are a collection of individual separate different sized chunks of the metal.
12 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 11 , wherein a volume of the largest most individual chunk of the metal is at least 5 times a volume of the smallest most individual chunk of the metal.
13 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 11 , wherein a volume of the largest most individual chunk of the metal is at least 50 times a volume of the smallest most individual chunk of the metal.
14 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 11 , wherein a diameter of the largest most individual chunk of the metal is at least 2 times a diameter of the smallest most individual chunk of the metal.
15 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 11 , wherein a diameter of the largest most individual chunk of the metal is at least 10 times a diameter of the smallest most individual chunk of the metal.
16 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 9 , further including a coating surrounding each of the individual chunks of metal, the coating configured to delay the expansion of the metal in response to hydrolysis.
17 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 9 , further including a radially deployable chute coupled to the collection of individual separate chunks of the metal held together with the binding agent, the radially deployable chute configured to catch the individual separate chunks of the metal when the binding agent dissolves.
18 . The expandable metal plug as recited in claim 17 , wherein the radially deployable chute includes a collection of link arms that move relative to each other to radially deploy one or more petals.
19 . A well system, comprising:
a wellbore tubular positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation;
an expanded metal plug positioned proximate a plug and abandonment section in the wellbore tubular, the expanded metal plug including a downhole member comprising a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, the downhole member having expanded radially into contact with the wellbore tubular to plug the wellbore tubular, wherein a volume of the expanded downhole member is at least 3500 cm 3 , further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
20 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein a portion of the wellbore tubular has been removed proximate the plug and abandonment section thereby exposing an annulus surrounding the wellbore tubular, and further wherein the downhole member has expanded radially into the annulus.
21 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the volume of the expanded downhole member is at least 775,000 cm 3 .
22 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein a length (L e ) of the expanded downhole member is at least 90 cm.
23 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein a length (L e ) of the expanded downhole member is at least 1500 cm.
24 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the expanded downhole member includes residual unreacted metal.
25 . A well system, comprising:
a wellbore tubular positioned within a wellbore in a subterranean formation, the wellbore tubular having an uphole end and a downhole end;
one or more removed sections in the wellbore tubular located between the uphole end and the downhole end;
an expandable metal plug positioned within the wellbore tubular, the expandable metal plug comprising:
a downhole member positioned proximate the one or more removed sections in the wellbore tubular, wherein at least a portion of the downhole member comprises a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and further wherein an amount of the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is sufficient to expand to a volume of at least 3500 cm 3 to seal the wellbore tubular and the one or more removed sections, further wherein during the expansion the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.
26 . The well system as recited in claim 25 , wherein the one or more removed sections is a one or more longitudinal removed sections in the wellbore tubular.
27 . The well system as recited in claim 25 , wherein the one or more removed sections is a plurality of perforations in the wellbore tubular.