SACRIFICIAL ISOLATION BALL FOR FRACTURING SUBSURFACE GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS

摘要

An embodiment of a fracking ball cooperates with a ball seat to isolate a well first portion of an earthen well drilled into the earth's crust from a well second portion and comprises an interior chamber to receive an explosive charge. The explosive charge may be surrounded by a filler material that is resistant to deformation. A pressure sensor, a circuit, and a battery are also received into the chamber. The ball material, may comprise one of zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, bulk metallic glass, silicon nitride or tungsten carbide, and the ball is resistant to deformation within the ball seat under the application of a substantial pressure differential across the ball and ball seat. Detonation of the explosive charge fragments the ball to prevent the ball from presenting an obstruction to subsequent well operations. A safety fuse may be included to enable safe handling and transport.

主权项

1. A ball for use with a ball seat set in a tubular string within a well drilled into the earth's crust to isolate a pressure within a first portion of the well from a pressure in a second portion of the well, the ball comprising:
a spherical body of a solid material and having an interior chamber and an exterior surface to engage the ball seat; a battery received within the interior chamber of the body; an explosive charge including an explosive material received within the interior chamber of the body and coupled for detonation by the battery; a pressure sensor received within the interior chamber of the body in fluid communication with an aperture extending from the exterior surface of the spherical body to the interior chamber of the spherical body; and a circuit received within the interior chamber and conductively coupled to receive an electrical current from the battery, conductively coupled to receive a signal from the pressure sensor, and conductively coupled to generate, after a predetermined time interval, a detonating current to detonate the explosive charge in response to detecting a predetermined pressure sensed using the pressure sensor; wherein detonation of the explosive charge fragments the spherical body to limit the size of spherical body fragments present in the well.