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 downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, the kit comprising:
 a package containing a set of degradable delivery devices formed from one or more degradable materials that are configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid, each degradable delivery device containing (a) different types or different amounts of one or more chemical additives configured to promote dissolution of a degradable downhole tool, (b) one or more flowable sensors configured to measure an operational condition within a wellbore, or (c) combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 1 , wherein the set of degradable delivery devices comprises a plurality of spherical degradable delivery devices, a plurality of cylindrical degradable delivery devices, or a combination thereof, each having a respective diameter ranging from about 5 centimeters (cm) to about 8 cm. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 1 , wherein each degradable delivery device of the set of degradable delivery devices is formed from one or more degradable materials, the one or more degradable materials including magnesium alloys, zinc alloys, aluminum alloys, polylactic acid (PLA), or poly (glycolic acid) (PGA). 
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit 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. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 1 , wherein the operational condition comprises a temperature, a pressure, or a combination of temperature and pressure, within the wellbore. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a set of instructions indicating which of the set of degradable delivery devices should be selected for a treatment operation based on a chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, a chemical composition of the wellbore fluid, a target dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, operational conditions within the wellbore to be measured during the treatment operation, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         7 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a set of computer-implemented instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a local or remote computing system, wherein, when executing the set of computer-implemented instructions, the processor is configured to:
 receive input from an operator indicating an identity of the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, a chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, a chemical composition of the wellbore fluid, a target dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, operational conditions within the wellbore to be measured during a treatment operation, or any combination thereof; 
 determine, based on the received input, which of the set of degradable delivery devices of the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit should be selected for the treatment operation; and 
 provide output to the operator indicating which of the set of degradable delivery devices should be selected from the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit for the treatment operation. 
   
     
     
         8 . A downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, the kit comprising:
 a package containing a set of degradable delivery devices having one or more degradable materials configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid, each degradable delivery device containing:
 (a) one or more types or amounts of one or more chemical additives configured to promote dissolution of a degradable downhole tool, 
 (b) one or more flowable sensors configured to measure an operational condition within a wellbore, the operational condition including a temperature, a pressure, or a combination of temperature and pressure, within the wellbore, or 
 (c) combinations thereof. 
   
     
     
         9 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 8 , wherein the set of degradable delivery devices comprises a plurality of spherical degradable delivery devices, a plurality of cylindrical degradable delivery devices, or a combination thereof, each having a respective diameter ranging from about 5 centimeters (cm) to about 8 cm. 
     
     
         10 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 9 , wherein each degradable delivery device of the set of degradable delivery devices is formed from one or more degradable materials, the one or more degradable materials including magnesium alloys, zinc alloys, aluminum alloys, polylactic acid (PLA), or poly (glycolic acid) (PGA). 
     
     
         11 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         12 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a set of instructions indicating which of the set of degradable delivery devices should be selected for a treatment operation based on a chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, a chemical composition of the wellbore fluid, a target dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, operational conditions within the wellbore to be measured during the treatment operation, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a set of computer-implemented instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a local or remote computing system, wherein, when executing the set of computer-implemented instructions, the processor is configured to:
 receive input from an operator indicating an identity of the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, a chemical composition of the degradable downhole tool, a chemical composition of the wellbore fluid, a target dissolution time to dissolve the degradable downhole tool, operational conditions within the wellbore to be measured during a treatment operation, or any combination thereof; 
 determine, based on the received input, which of the set of degradable delivery devices of the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit should be selected for the treatment operation; and 
   
       provide output to the operator indicating which of the set of degradable delivery devices should be selected from the downhole tool dissolution treatment kit for the treatment operation. 
     
     
         14 . A downhole tool dissolution treatment kit, the kit comprising:
 a package containing a set of degradable delivery devices having one or more degradable materials configured to dissolve in a wellbore fluid, each degradable delivery device containing:
 (a) different types or different amounts of one or more chemical additives configured to promote dissolution of a degradable downhole tool, 
 (b) one or more flowable sensors configured to measure an operational condition within a wellbore, the operational condition including a temperature, a pressure, or a combination of temperature and pressure, within the wellbore, or 
 (c) combinations thereof, 
   each degradable delivery device of the set of degradable delivery devices having one or more degradable materials, the one or more degradable materials including magnesium alloys, zinc alloys, aluminum alloys, polylactic acid (PLA), or poly (glycolic acid) (PGA).   
     
     
         15 . The downhole tool dissolution treatment kit 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.