Nested Sensor Gauge Carrier Housed in Water Reactive Outer Shell for Smart Zonal Isolation Devices

Abstract

A gauge carrier having a sensor, a ball carrying the sensor, and shell surrounding the ball are disclosed. The sensor can detect at least one of pressure and temperature. The ball exposes a sensor surface to allow fluid to reach the sensor surface to take measurements. The shell, ball, and sensor combined can be configured to float or sink in water. The shell can be made of a dissolvable material that, after dissolving, allows the ball and sensor to float to the surface. The gauge carrier can withstand hydrostatic pressures exceeding 10,000 psi.

1 . A gauge carrier, comprising:
 a ball having an interior volume and an aperture;   a sensor positioned in the interior volume of the ball, the sensor having a sensing surface positioned in the aperture with the sensing surface exposed through the aperture; and   a shell configured to substantially surround the ball and to permit fluid to pass through the shell and reach the ball such that the sensor is in physical contact with fluid when the gauge carrier is submerged in the fluid;   wherein the shell is made of a dissolvable material;   wherein the ball and sensor together are buoyant in water at atmospheric pressure; and   wherein the gauge carrier is capable of withstanding hydrostatic pressure of greater than 10,000 psi.   
     
     
         2 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein the gauge carrier including the shell is not buoyant in water at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the ball and the shell are formed of two hemispheres that are threadably connected. 
     
     
         4 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein the ball includes a protrusion on an interior surface diametrically opposite the aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The gauge carrier of  claim 4  wherein the protrusion is approximately twice the thickness of the remainder of the ball. 
     
     
         6 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is configured to detect at least one of pressure, temperature, water cut, flow rate, corrosion, erosion, environmental assisted cracking, dissolved O2, and pH, and to store data from measurements taken. 
     
     
         7 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein the shell includes a plurality of projections extending from an interior surface of the shell, wherein spaces between the projections allow fluid to contact the ball. 
     
     
         8 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein the gauge carrier is configured to be pumped down a well and to become situated in a seat, wherein the gauge carrier and seat form a pressure seal sufficient to perform hydraulic fracturing above the pressure seal. 
     
     
         9 . The gauge carrier of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the ball and shell are made from a material formed by:
 forming an alloy from a major constituent and a minor constituent wherein the minor constituent is a rare earth material; 
 adding powder elements to lower stacking fault energy to promote twinning; 
 adding hardeners to promote precipitation to promote strain hardening; and 
 perform post processing to introduce basal plane surface faults and to homogenize strain hardening. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method of obtaining a pressure and temperature profile in a well, comprising:
 pumping a gauge carrier downhole, the gauge carrier having a sensor and a memory positioned within a ball, wherein the ball and sensor are together buoyant in water at atmospheric pressure, the gauge carrier also having a dissolvable shell;   upon reaching a desired depth in the well, triggering the dissolvable shell to dissolve, leaving the ball and sensor to float back to surface; and   recording data for at least a portion of the time the gauge carrier is in the well.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising seating the ball in a seat and forming a pressure seal in the well, and performing a hydraulic fracturing operation above the pressure seal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein pumping the gauge carrier downhole comprises pumping the gauge carrier to a depth where hydrostatic pressure is greater than 10,000 psi. 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a material comprising:
 forming an alloy from a major constituent and a minor constituent wherein the minor constituent is a rare earth material;   adding powder elements to lower stacking fault energy to promote twinning;   adding hardeners to promote precipitation to promote strain hardening; and   performing post-processing to introduce basal plane surface faults and to homogenize strain hardening.   
     
     
         14 . The method of claim J wherein the major constituent comprises at least one of Gd, Y, Sc, La, Ce, or Nd. 
     
     
         15 . The method of claim J wherein the rare earth material comprises between 5-25% of the alloy by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the powder material comprises Ag. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the powder material comprises between 1-25% of the alloy by weight. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the hardeners include Zr. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the hardeners comprise between 0.1-10% of the alloy by weight. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the post-processing comprises hot rolling, extrusion, hot forging, or any other suitable hot or cold process.