US 12,480,373 B2
Actuating a downhole device with a reactive metal
Stephen Michael Greci, Little Elm, TX (US); and Michael Linley Fripp, Carrollton, TX (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/683,098.
Prior Publication US 2021/0140255 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. E21B 23/04 (2006.01); E21B 23/06 (2006.01); E21B 33/12 (2006.01); E21B 34/14 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 23/04 (2013.01) [E21B 23/065 (2013.01); E21B 33/12 (2013.01); E21B 34/14 (2013.01); E21B 2200/06 (2020.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for actuating a downhole device, the method comprising:
positioning a downhole device in a wellbore comprising a wellbore fluid, the downhole device comprising a reactive metal and a reaction-inducing fluid; wherein the reactive metal is alloyed with a dopant metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, carbon, titanium, gallium, mercury, cobalt, iridium, gold, palladium, or any combination thereof; wherein the reaction-inducing fluid is isolated from the reactive metal by an isolation barrier; wherein the reaction-inducing fluid is present in the downhole device as the downhole device is brought downhole; wherein the reaction-inducing fluid is isolated from the wellbore fluid; wherein the downhole device is a setting tool, an inflow control device, a gravel pack bypass, a sliding sleeve, a packer, an annular casing packer, a frac plug, a bridge plug, or a tubing anchor;
applying pressure to a moveable barrier separating the reaction-inducing fluid from the applied pressure;
compressing the reaction-inducing fluid; wherein the compressed reaction-inducing fluid applies pressure to the isolation barrier; wherein the moveable barrier and isolation barrier are distinct barriers separated by the reaction-inducing fluid;
removing the isolation provided by the isolation barrier with the compressed reaction-inducing fluid such that the reaction-inducing fluid flows past the open isolation barrier and then contacts the reactive metal to induce a reaction with the reaction-inducing fluid thereby generating a hydrogen gas,
then actuating the downhole device with the hydrogen gas.