Settable compositions comprising remediated fly ash (RFA) and methods of cementing in subterranean formations

• US 10,457,601 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cr Minerals Company Llc
• Original Assignee: Cr Minerals Company Llc
• Inventors: Thomas, Joseph Earl, Whidden, Jeffrey Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US15/894,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20180244573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/062 Microsilica, e.g. colloïdal silica preparing microsilica slurries or suspensions C04B18/148
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/066 Precipitated or pyrogenic silica
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/08 Diatomaceous earth
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/10 Clay sepiolite C04B14/042; grog C04B18/025
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/106 Kaolin
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/108 Shale, slate colliery shale C04B18/125
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/14 Minerals of vulcanic origin granite C04B14/048
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/16 porous, e.g. pumice
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/22 Glass ; Devitrified glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/42 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 16/06 fibrous
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/06 Combustion residues, e.g. purification products of smoke, fumes or exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/101 Burned rice husks or other burned vegetable material
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/141 Slags
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/002 Hollow or porous granular materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/008 Micro- or nanosized fillers, e.g. micronised fillers with particle size smaller than that of the hydraulic binder colloidal silica C04B14/062 ; silica fume C04B18/146
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0049 : Water-swellable polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0088 : Compounds chosen for their latent hydraulic characteristics, e.g. pozzuolanes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/12 : Set accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/22 : Set retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/302 : Water reducers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/408 : Dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/46 : Water-loss or fluid-loss reducers, hygroscopic or hydrophilic agents, water retention agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/50 : Defoamers, air detrainers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/2015 : Sulfate resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/2023 : Resistance against alkali-aggregate reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/21 : Efflorescence resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0026 : Salt water, e.g. seawater
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/06 : Oxides, Hydroxides C04B22/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/124 : Chlorides of ammonium or of the alkali or alkaline earth metals, e.g. calcium chloride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/26 : obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds C04B24/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/04 : Portland cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/02 : by adding chemical blowing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/10 : by using foaming agents C04B38/02 takes precedenceor by using mechanical means, e.g. adding preformed foam
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0039 : Premixtures of ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 : containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a method of cementing comprising: placing a settable composition into a well bore, the settable composition comprising RFA, hydraulic cement, and water; and allowing the settable composition to set. Other embodiments comprise a method of cementing comprising: placing a settable composition into a well bore, the settable composition comprising RFA, calcium hydroxide (lime), and water; and allowing the settable composition to set. Other embodiments comprise a settable composition comprising: RFA, hydraulic cement, calcium hydroxide, natural pozzolan and water; and allowing the composition to set. Other embodiments comprise a settable composition comprising RFA and any combination of hydraulic cement, calcium hydroxide, slag, fly ash, and natural or other pozzolan.

Claims

1. A settable composition for cementing, the settable composition comprising (a) remediated fly ash, (b) cement and/or calcium hydroxide, and (c) optionally water, wherein said remediated fly ash contains fly ash and a natural pozzolan, wherein said natural pozzolan is present in said remediated fly ash in a concentration of about 1wt % to about 99wt %, and wherein said remediated fly ash is certified under ASTM C618, ASTM C1697, and/or AASHTO M295 as a Class C pozzolan or a Class F pozzolan.

2. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said natural pozzolan is a pozzolanic ash.

3. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said natural pozzolan is derived from pumice, perlite, ignimbrites, or any other volcanic material.

4. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said natural pozzolan is selected from the group consisting of pumice, pumicite, perlite, volcanic ash, metakaolin, diatomaceous earth, silica fume, precipitated silica, colloidal silica, ignimbrites, vitrified calcium alumino-silicates, ground waste glass, calcined shale, calcined clay, zeolites, and combinations thereof.

5. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said remediated fly ash is characterized in that at least 90% of particles of said remediated fly ash pass a 325-mesh screen.

6. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said remediated fly ash is characterized by a bulk density of about 45 lb/ft³.

7. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said remediated fly ash is characterized by a mean particle size of about 1 micron to about 400 microns.

8. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said remediated fly ash is present in an amount of about 1% to about 80% by weight of cementitious components in said settable composition.

9. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said remediated fly ash further contains slag.

10. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said settable composition has a density of about 8 pounds per gallon to about 16 pounds per gallon.

11. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said settable composition comprises cement, and wherein said cement is Portland cement.

12. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said settable composition comprises calcium hydroxide.

13. The settable composition of claim 12, wherein said settable composition comprises Type S lime that contains said calcium hydroxide.

14. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said settable composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of slag, crystalline silica, amorphous silica fume, fumed silica, sodium hydroxide, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, glass fiber, polymer fiber, hydratable clay, biomass ash, crushed glass, elastomers, polymer resins, latexes, and combinations thereof, wherein said additive is different than said remediated fly ash.

15. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said settable composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a set retarding additive, a strength-retrogression additive, a set accelerator, a weighting agent, an aggregate, a lightweight additive, a gas-generating additive, a mechanical property enhancing additive, a lost-circulation material, a filtration-control additive, a dispersant, a fluid loss control additive, a defoaming agent, a foaming agent, an oil-swellable particle, a water-swellable particle, a thixotropic additive, a water reducing additive, and combinations thereof.

16. The settable composition of claim 1, wherein said water is present.

17. The settable composition of claim 16, wherein said water is present in an amount of about 25% to about 200% by weight of cementitious components.

18. The settable composition of claim 16, wherein said water comprises at least one water source selected from the group consisting of culinary water, freshwater, saltwater, brine, seawater, recycled water, and combinations thereof.

19. A structure containing a hardened material derived from a settable composition comprising:

(a) remediated fly ash;

(b) one or more of;

(i) cement, (ii) calcium hydroxide, or (iii) Type S lime; and

(c) water,

wherein said remediated fly ash contains fly ash and a natural pozzolan, wherein said natural pozzolan is present in said remediated fly ash in a concentration of about 1wt % to about 99wt %, and wherein said remediated fly ash is certified under ASTM C618, ASTM C1697, and/or AASHTO M295 as a Class C pozzolan or a Class F pozzolan.