Well tools operable via thermal expansion resulting from reactive materials

摘要

Methods of actuating a well tool can include releasing chemical energy from at least one portion of a reactive material, thermally expanding a substance in response to the released chemical energy, and applying pressure to a piston as a result of thermally expanding the substance, thereby actuating the well tool, with these steps being repeated for each of multiple actuations of the well tool. A well tool actuator can include a substance contained in a chamber, one or more portions of a reactive material from which chemical energy is released, and a piston to which pressure is applied due to thermal expansion of the substance in response to each release of chemical energy. A well tool actuator which can be actuated multiple times may include multiple portions of a gas generating reactive material, and a piston to which pressure is applied due to generation of the gas.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
positioning a fluid sampler within a well, wherein the fluid sampler comprises:
a chamber defined by a piston slidingly engaged in a well tool;a valve disposed in communication with the chamber, wherein the valve selectively allows fluid communication between an exterior of the fluid sampler and the chamber; anda reactive material disposed in communication with the piston, wherein the reactive material pressurizes the chamber upon activation; obtaining a sample of fluid in the chamber; releasing chemical energy from the reactive material to generate a pressure; and transmitting the pressure to the sample through the piston.