Degradable delivery devices to facilitate dissolution of degradable downhole tools

Abstract

Degradable downhole tools, including degradable frac plugs, for use in combination with degradable delivery devices. Certain degradable delivery device embodiments contain one or more chemical additives that promote the complete dissolution of the degradable downhole tool. Certain degradable delivery device embodiments additionally or alternatively contain flowable sensors designed to measure operational conditions (e.g., pressure, temperature, pH, among others) within the wellbore to monitor the dissolution treatment and wellbore conditions. Certain degradable delivery device embodiments may be inserted into cavities of the degradable downhole tool prior to the tool being deployed in the wellbore and/or flowed into position near the deployed degradable downhole tool. As such, the disclosed embodiments enable the complete dissolution of the degradable downhole tool in a predicable time window, obviating the need for complex and expensive milling operations and undesirable delays during oil and gas well completion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining a chemical composition of a degradable downhole tool;   determining, based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, respective amounts of one or more chemical additives to effectively dissolve the degradable downhole tool within a wellbore; and   preparing one or more degradable delivery devices containing the one or more chemical additives for use in dissolving the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a chemical composition of a wellbore fluid, the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives being determined based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool and the chemical composition of the wellbore fluid.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more chemical additives comprise ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl), sodium nitrite (NaNO 2 ), citric acid, acetic acid, sodium chloride (NaCl), calcium chloride (CaCl 2 )), magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ), potassium chloride (KCl), one or more oxidizers, one or more acids, one or more bases, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the degradable downhole tool comprises one or more of a degradable frac plug, a degradable valve, a degradable liner, a degradable sleeve, or a degradable nozzle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a desired dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, and wherein the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives are determined based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool and the desired dissolution time.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices comprises:
 producing the one or more degradable delivery devices from one or more degradable materials configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid;   loading the one or more degradable delivery devices with the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives; and   sealing the one or more degradable delivery devices with the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives loaded therein.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices further comprises:
 loading one or more flowable sensors into the one or more degradable delivery devices prior to sealing the one or more degradable delivery devices, the one or more flowable sensors being configured to measure a temperature, a pressure, or a combination of temperature and pressure, within the wellbore.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices comprises selecting one or more pre-made degradable delivery devices from a downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, the one or more pre-made degradable delivery devices each containing the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disposing the one or more degradable delivery devices into one or more cavities of the degradable downhole tool before disposing the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore, the one or more degradable delivery devices configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid to release the one or more chemical additives to promote dissolution of the degradable downhole tool.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more degradable delivery devices is not mechanically or adhesively attached to the degradable downhole tool. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 flowing the one or more degradable delivery devices down the wellbore to reach the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore, wherein the one or more degradable delivery devices is configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid to release the one or more chemical additives to promote dissolution of the degradable downhole tool.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more degradable delivery devices comprise at least two degradable delivery devices each containing a different respective amount of the same chemical additive. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more degradable delivery devices comprise at a first degradable delivery device containing a first chemical additive and a second degradable delivery device containing a second chemical additive. 
     
     
         14 . A method to dissolve a degradable downhole tool, the method comprising:
 determining a chemical composition of a degradable downhole tool;   determining, based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, respective amounts of one or more chemical additives to effectively dissolve the degradable downhole tool within a wellbore;   determining a chemical composition of a wellbore fluid, the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives being determined based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool and the chemical composition of the wellbore fluid;   preparing one or more degradable delivery devices containing the one or more chemical additives for use in association with the wellbore fluid, thereby to dissolve the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore; and   flowing the one or more degradable delivery devices down the wellbore to reach the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore, the one or more degradable delivery devices to dissolve in a wellbore fluid, thereby to release the one or more chemical additives and promote dissolution of the degradable downhole tool.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining a desired dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, and wherein the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives are determined based at least on the chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool and the desired dissolution time.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices comprises:
 producing the one or more degradable delivery devices from one or more degradable materials configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid;   loading the one or more degradable delivery devices with the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives; and   sealing the one or more degradable delivery devices with the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives loaded therein.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices further comprises:
 loading one or more flowable sensors into the one or more degradable delivery devices prior to sealing the one or more degradable delivery devices, the one or more flowable sensors being configured to measure a temperature, a pressure, or a combination of temperature and pressure, within the wellbore.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the preparing the one or more degradable delivery devices comprises selecting one or more pre-made degradable delivery devices from a downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, the one or more pre-made degradable delivery devices each containing the respective amounts of the one or more chemical additives. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 disposing the one or more degradable delivery devices into one or more cavities of the degradable downhole tool before disposing the degradable downhole tool within the wellbore, the one or more degradable delivery devices configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid to release the one or more chemical additives to promote dissolution of the degradable downhole tool.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more chemical additives comprise ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl), sodium nitrite (NaNO 2 ), citric acid, acetic acid, sodium chloride (NaCl), calcium chloride (CaCl 2 )), magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ), potassium chloride (KCl), one or more oxidizers, one or more acids, one or more bases, or any combination thereof, wherein the degradable downhole tool comprises one or more of a degradable frac plug, a degradable valve, a degradable liner, a degradable sleeve, or a degradable nozzle.