OIL AND GAS APPLICATIONS.

Polymer composite materials have recently seen extensive use in composite frac plug for unconventional oil and gas operations due to low cost and good milling capability. The upper application temperature and pressure of the composite plug is 180°C, 20,000 psi (138 Mpa), in a brine environment. The upper threshold operation requirements provide major challenges for the current polymer composite materials in the market. The polymer composite materials need to possess strong shear strength, tensile strength, and hoop strength in hot, wet conditions while maintaining cost competitiveness. In order to meet the requirements, we have developed a series of composite materials, using various base polymers, such as epoxy, phenolic; various fibers, such as E-glass fiber, S-glass fiber; various manufacturing methods, such as filament winding with different winding angle, convoluted winding, compression molding etc. The shear strength of the polymer composite materials has been tested at ambient temperature, 150°C. In addition, the materials have been aged in 3% KCl at 150°C for 24 hours. The shear strength of these materials before and after aging has been studied. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) measurements have been performed on these materials before and after aging. The study results show some materials possess higher shear strength at elevated temperature and after aging in brine. These materials were selected to be used in critical parts of composite plug, such as mandrel, slip, etc. The materials development and evaluation results and relationship of composite materials structure with the properties are discussed in the paper. The evaluation results of the composite plug will also be described in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]