Extended-life settable compositions comprising red mud

• US 10,641,059 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Martinez, Juan Humberto, Pisklak, Thomas Jason, Chatterji, Jiten, Brenneis, Darrell Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US16/288,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20190195044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/22 Set retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/408 Dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0013 Boron compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/003 Phosphorus-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/04 Carboxylic acids; Salts, anhydrides or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/163 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/18 Lignin sulfonic acid or derivatives thereof, e.g. sulfite lye
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2647 containing polyether side chains
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/383 Cellulose or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/18 containing mixtures of the silica-lime type
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 for cementing casings into boreholes

Abstract

A method for using an extended-life settable composition is disclosed. The method includes providing an extended-life settable composition comprising red mud, calcium hydroxide, water, and a cement set retarder. The method further includes activating the extended-life settable composition. The method additionally includes introducing the extended-life settable composition into a subterranean formation and allowing the extended-life settable composition to set in the subterranean formation.

Claims

1. An extended-life settable composition comprising:

red mud;

calcium hydroxide;

water; and

a cement set retarder,

wherein the red mud is present in a red mud-to-calcium hydroxide weight ratio of about 3;

1 to about 5;

1, wherein the red mud is a product of refining bauxite ore, the refining comprising sodium hydroxide digestion of the bauxite ore followed by filtration of solid impurities generated by the digestion, and wherein the extended-life settable composition is capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for 1 day or longer at 80°

F.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the red mud is an insoluble residue from extraction of alumina from bauxite ore.

3. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the water is present in the extend-life settable composition in an amount of at least 40% by weight of the red mud.

4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the red mud comprises at least 20% calcite.

5. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the cement set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the extended-life settable composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.

6. A system comprising:

an extended-life settable composition that is capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for 1 day or longer at 80°

F.;

wherein the extended-life settable composition comprises red mud, calcium hydroxide, water, and a cement set retarder, wherein the red mud is present in a red mud-to-calcium hydroxide weight ratio of about 3;

1 to about 5;

1, and wherein the red mud is a product of refining bauxite ore, the refining comprising sodium hydroxide digestion of the bauxite ore followed by filtration of solid impurities generated by the digestion; and

a cement set activator for at least one of activating and accelerating the extended-life settable composition.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a vessel containing the extended-life settable composition and a pump coupled to the vessel for delivering the extended-life settable composition into a wellbore.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the cement set retarder is selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonic acid derivative, a lignosulfonate, a salt, an organic acid, a cellulose derivative, a synthetic co- or ter-polymer comprising sulfonate and carboxylic acid groups, a borate compound, and any combination thereof.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein the cement set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the extended-life settable composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.