(196n) Controlled Swelling Rate Elastomer for Packers

Packers are downhole tools, common to the oil and gas industry, which are used to isolate wellbore zones from each other during the completion of the well, to enable a controlled production of hydrocarbons and allow safe well treatment operations. Packers comprise an elastomeric packing element, which expands upon tool actuation, fills the gap between the tool and the annulus (or casing) and thus provides an isolation between different zones. Reactive packing elements expand downhole due to the swelling in downhole fluids, and do not require a setting force to compress, deform, and energize the elastomer.

Elastomers for reactive packing elements are designed to swell in water based brines or hydrocarbons. Depending on the material design, the swelling rate of such elements is rather determined by environmental parameters, such as temperature and fluids. This research focused on providing a capability to improve the control over their rate of elastomer swelling in downhole fluids. There is a benefit in slowing down or even delaying the swelling of the packing element at the initial stages of deployment, in order to provide enough time for a packer to reach its destination downhole and eliminate risks due to unforeseen delays in tool deployment.

This research demonstrates a novel method for control of elastomer swelling rate in reactive packing elements. The developed solution is based on material modifications, and it enhances control over the deployment of downhole tools.