Chinese Institute of Metals developed a soluble aluminum alloy material

Hydraulic fracturing technology is a synergistic mining technology applied to low-abundance, low-permeability oil and gas fields. During the construction process, fracturing balls and bridge plugs shall be used to plug the construction string of different working layers. Tools such as fracturing balls made of ordinary alloys, if trapped in wells, can reduce well productivity. Recently, this site learned from the Institute of Metals of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that the Institute has successfully developed soluble aluminum alloy materials that can be dissolved in pure water, and can regulate the initial temperature of the reaction of the alloy with water and the dissolution rate in water.

According to reports, fracturing technology has been widely used in North America. Although it has been applied in China for nearly 40 years, relevant tools still rely on imports, which severely limits the efficiency of China's oil production. Therefore, the development of fracturing tools with soluble functions is of great significance for ensuring stable production and high production of China's oil fields.

Based on the existing aluminum water reaction research basis used in metals, a soluble aluminum alloy material that can be dissolved in pure water is developed by adding low-melting-point metals (Ga, In, Sn) and various strengthening alloying elements. The initial reaction temperature of molten aluminum alloy melted is adjustable from room temperature to 85°C. The dissolution rate of the alloy can also be adjusted according to different working conditions. In addition to good dissolution properties, the structure made of the soluble aluminum alloy also has a sufficiently high strength and a certain degree of plasticity. The soluble aluminum alloy can be smelted and cast by conventional techniques, and has low cost and high productivity, and is suitable for large-scale application and promotion.

Although the soluble aluminum alloy and the current resin and aluminum composite materials are comparable in strength, the latter needs to be dissolved with a special etching solution, and the initial reaction temperature with water and the dissolution rate in water are not easily controlled. . Soluble aluminum alloys show excellent overall performance.

Metals has cooperated with related companies to develop many products such as fracturing balls, ball seats and bridge plugs. Fracturing balls have been used in fields such as Daqing and Changqing, and soluble aluminum alloy bridge plugs and ball seats have also been tested in Daqing's wells. At present, the world's oil wells that are extracted by hydraulic fracturing technology are roughly estimated at several hundred thousand, and there are nearly 10,000 ports in Daqing alone. There is a huge market demand for soluble aluminum alloys.

At present, the research group has cooperated with related companies to develop a number of products such as fracturing balls, ball seats and bridge plugs. Fracturing balls have been used in fields such as Daqing and Changqing, and soluble aluminum alloy bridge plugs and ball seats have also been tested in Daqing's wells. The crude oil wells that are extracted using hydraulic fracturing technology in the world are estimated at hundreds of thousands, and there are nearly ten thousand in Daqing alone. There is a huge market demand for soluble aluminum alloys.