Magnetically controlled release of chemicals in a downhole environment

Abstract

A method for on demand release of a downhole chemical comprising the steps of extending a drillstring into a wellbore of a subterranean well from a terranean surface comprising an actuator assembly and a modified stabilizer; identifying a downhole issue in the wellbore; activating the actuator assembly to transmit a signal to turn on the electromagnet of the modified stabilizer; creating a magnetic field when the electromagnet is turned on by the actuator assembly; opening the magnetically-actuated door due to the magnetically-actuated door being physically attracted to the magnetic field of the electromagnet; releasing downhole chemicals from the chemical storage compartment through the magnetically-actuated door; activating the actuator assembly to transmit a signal to turn off the electromagnet of the modified stabilizer; removing the magnetic field when the electromagnet is turned off by the actuator assembly; and closing the magnetically-actuated door when the magnetic field is removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for on demand release of a downhole chemical, the method comprising the steps of:
 extending a drillstring into a wellbore of a subterranean well from a terranean surface, the drill string comprising an actuator assembly and a modified stabilizer, wherein the modified stabilizer comprises one or more chemical storage compartments extending from a body, wherein the one or more chemical storage compartments are hollow and have an electromagnet and a magnetically-actuated door in proximity to the electromagnet;   identifying a downhole issue in the wellbore, wherein the downhole issue is selected from the group consisting of lost circulation, shale instability, stuck pipe, friction issues, viscosity adjustments, mud weight adjustments, hole cleaning requirements, and combinations of the same; activating the actuator assembly to transmit a signal to turn on the electromagnet of the modified stabilizer, where the actuator assembly comprises:   a first pipe member with a segment formed of a first material;   a second pipe member circumscribing the first pipe member;   a bearing positioned between the first pipe member and the second pipe member, the bearing formed of a second material, where the first material is reactive to the second material, where activating the actuator assembly to transmit a signal to turn on the electromagnet includes rotating the drillstring to rotate the first pipe member relative to the second pipe member in a predetermined pattern, and interpreting a resulting reaction of the segment as the bearing rotates past the segment;   creating a magnetic field when the electromagnet is turned on by the actuator assembly;   opening the magnetically-actuated door due to the magnetically-actuated door being physically attracted to the magnetic field of the electromagnet, where the chemical storage compartment is fluidly connected to the wellbore through the open magnetically-actuated door;   releasing downhole chemicals from the chemical storage compartment through the magnetically-actuated door;   activating the actuator assembly to transmit a signal to turn off the electromagnet of the modified stabilizer;   removing the magnetic field when the electromagnet is turned off by the actuator assembly; and   closing the magnetically-actuated door when the magnetic field is removed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reacting the downhole chemicals with a fluid in the wellbore such that a reaction product of the downhole chemicals and the fluid address the downhole issue. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reacting the downhole chemicals with a fluid in the wellbore such that a reaction product of the downhole chemicals and the fluid address the downhole issue, wherein the downhole issue is lost circulation, wherein the downhole chemical comprises an amine-based crosslinker, wherein the fluid in the wellbore is a lost circulation material comprising an epoxy-based resin such that the amine-based crosslinker reacts with the epoxy-based resin to control the lost circulation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reacting the downhole chemicals with a fluid in the wellbore such that a reaction product of the downhole chemicals and the fluid address the downhole issue, wherein the downhole issue is reduced viscosity, wherein the downhole chemical comprises a water absorbing polymer, wherein the fluid in the wellbore is an aqueous-based fluid such that the water absorbing polymer reacts with the aqueous-based fluid to increase the viscosity of the fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly is activated from the terranean surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the segment is located on an outer diameter surface of the first pipe member and is axially aligned with a side bearing, the side bearing being located between the outer diameter surface of the first pipe member and an inner diameter surface of the second pipe member. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the segment is positioned at and end surface of the first pipe member and is radially aligned with an end bearing, the end bearing being located between the end surface of the first pipe member and a support member secured to the second pipe member that extends radially from the second pipe member. 
     
     
         8 . A system for on demand release on a downhole chemical, the system comprising:
 a drillstring extending into a subterranean well from a terranean surface;   an actuator assembly physically connected to the drillstring, the actuator assembly comprising   a first pipe member with a segment formed of a first material;   a second pipe member circumscribing the first pipe member;   a bearing positioned between the first pipe member and the second pipe member, the bearing formed of a second material, where the first material is reactive to the second material, where the actuator assembly is operable to receive instructions to transmit a signal to a electromagnet of a modified stabilizer; and   the modified stabilizer physically connected to the drillstring, the modified stabilizer comprising:
 a body, and a chemical storage compartment physically connected to the body, the chemical storage compartment defining a hollow compartment configured to hold the downhole chemical, the chemical storage compartment comprising the electromagnet, electrically connected to the actuator assembly, and a magnetically-actuated door proximately positioned to the electromagnet such that a magnetic field produced by the electromagnets moves the magnetically-actuated door. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , where the segment is located on an outer diameter surface of the first pipe member and is axially aligned with a side bearing, the side bearing being located between the outer diameter surface of the first pipe member and an inner diameter surface of the second pipe member. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further including a support member extending radially inward from an inner diameter surface of the second pipe member, the support member supporting the first pipe member within a central bore of the second pipe member. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , where the segment is positioned at and end surface of the first pipe member and is radially aligned with an end bearing, the end bearing being located between the end surface of the first pipe member and a support member secured to the second pipe member that extends radially from the second pipe member. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , where the downhole chemicals are selected from the group consisting of lost circulation materials, hole cleaning materials, fluid viscosity materials, activators, crosslinkers, water absorbing polymers, and combinations of the same.