Heaters to accelerate setting of expandable metal

Abstract

Provided is a method for setting a downhole tool, and a downhole localized heater. The method, in at least one aspect, includes positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore, the downhole tool including expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and positioning a downhole localized heater within the wellbore, the downhole localized heater being proximate the expandable metal. The method additionally includes subjecting the expandable metal to a wellbore fluid to expand the expandable metal into contact with one or more surfaces while activating the downhole localized heater to create a temperature spike and accelerate an expansion of the expandable metal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole localized heater, comprising:
 an enclosure;   a heating section located within the enclosure, the heating section including exothermic reactants contained therein; and   a control section located within the enclosure, the control section operable to allow reactant fluid to react with the exothermic reactants and create a temperature spike after a period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole localized heater as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes a valve operable to move from a closed state to an open state to allow the reactant fluid to enter the enclosure and react with the exothermic reactants and create the temperature spike. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole localized heater as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a barrier within the enclosure separates the heating section from the control section. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole localized heater as recited in  claim 3 , further including a rupture tool located within the enclosure, the rupture tool configured to rupture the barrier after the period of time to allow the reactant fluid to react with the exothermic reactants. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole localized heater as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the reactant fluid is fully contained within the enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole localized heater as recited in  claim 4 , further including a fusible alloy located within the enclosure, the fusible alloy operable to regulate a temperature of the downhole localized heater through the heat of fusion.