Application of Bionic Technologies on the Fracturing Plug

Abstract

The dissolvable bridge plug is one of the most important tools for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in the field of oil/gas development. The plug provides zonal isolation to realize staged stimulation and, after fracturing, the plug is fully dissolved in produced liquids. A bionic surface was introduced to improve the performance of the plug. Surface dimples in the micron dimension were prepared on the dissolvable materials of the plug. The experimental results showed that the surface dimples changed the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of the dissolvable materials. The dissolution rate has a great relation with the parameters of the dimples and can be controlled by choosing the dimples’ parameters to some degree.

Application and Properties of Polyglycolic Acid as a Degradation Agent in MPU/HNBR Degradable Elastomer Composites for Dissolvable Frac Plugs

“…The inclusion of the PGA has been observed to effectively decrease tensile strength. According to the literature [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], frac sealing materials need to maintain a high pressure during operation, up to 20–30 MPa, for particularly tough environments, so the initial tensile properties of the material need to meet the requirements of this condition. At the same time, after completing the fracture sealing and injecting the water medium, the sealing material needs to be degraded at a specific time, and the dissolved material is required to be small enough.…”

“…Compared to traditional vertical well fracturing, horizontal wells, with their greater deviation angles and more complex reservoir conditions, significantly enhance oil recovery and production [ 9 ]. Focusing on the technological aspect, fracturing plugs play an essential role in sustainable oil and gas development, helping reduce energy consumption and emissions [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. And nowadays, the industry has seen a shift towards dissolvable frac plugs, which offer advantages like high strength, pressure resistance, and temperature tolerance while also being able to dissolve in appropriate fracturing fluids [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Electrochemically-driven actuators: from materials to mechanisms and from performance to applications

“…The swelling of the electrode with high ion density and the shrinking effect on the opposite electrode, caused by the uneven distribution of solvated ions along the membrane thickness, result in the bending actuation of the IPMC. 170 In the case of non-aqueous electrolytes such as the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF 4 ), the substantial difference in ionic radii between the cation and the anion induces inhomogeneous stress between the electrode and polymer film, triggering the bending deformation. 167…”

A multi-cation model for the actuation of ionic membranes with ionic liquids

“…Biomedical engineering and soft, underwater robotics are natural application fields for IPMCs, thanks to their bio-compatibility and underwater operability. [10][11][12] In addition to IPMCs, recent efforts have developed new contactless actuators based on bare ionic membranes. [13][14][15][16] The coupling between electrochemistry and mechanics in ionic membranes is related to their peculiar microstructure, which also causes their permselectivity.…”