Additives for High Alumina Cements and Associated Methods

• US 20090188670A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Reddy, B. Raghava, Xu, Ying, Morgan, Rickey Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/293
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/104 Bentonite, e.g. montmorillonite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/34 Non-shrinking or non-cracking materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/10 containing carbon in the anion
• 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 22/142 Sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/16 containing phosphorus in the anion, e.g. phosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/06 Aluminous cements monolithic refractories or refractory mortars C04B35/66
• 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

The present invention includes methods and compositions that include a composition comprising a high alumina cement; a salt comprising at least one salt selected from the group consisting of an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt; and a swellable clay; and methods of using that composition in subterranean formations.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

a high alumina cement;

a salt comprising at least one salt selected from the group consisting of;

an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt; and

a swellable clay.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the high alumina cement comprises a calcium aluminate cement.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the high alumina cement comprises equal to or less than about 80% alumina by weight of the high alumina cement.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the high alumina cement comprises equal to or greater than about 2% Fe as iron oxide by weight of the high alumina cement.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the swellable clay comprises at least one swellable clay selected from the group consisting of:

beidellite, montmorillonite, bentonite, nontronite, saponite, and derivatives thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the swellable clay is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the high alumina cement.

7. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a polymeric phosphate salt.

8. The composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of flyash and a polyphosphate salt.

9. A method comprising:

providing a high alumina cement, a swellable clay, at least one salt selected from the group consisting of;

an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt, and water in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry; and

combining the high alumina cement, the swellable clay, the water, and the salt to form a pumpable slurry.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the high alumina cement comprises a calcium aluminate cement.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the high alumina cement comprises equal to or less than about 80% alumina by weight of the high alumina cement.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the high alumina cement comprises equal to or greater than about 2% Fe as iron oxide by weight of the high alumina cement.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the swellable clay comprises at least one swellable clay selected from the group consisting of:

beidellite, montmorillonite, bentonite, nontronite, saponite, and derivatives thereof.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the swellable clay is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the high alumina cement.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a polymeric phosphate salt and combining the polymeric phosphate salt with the high alumina cement, the swellable clay, the water, and the at least one salt selected from the group consisting of:

an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the high alumina cement comprises a calcium aluminate cement.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of introducing the cement composition into a well bore comprises introducing the cement composition into an annulus between the well bore wall and a conduit disposed within the well bore.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of introducing the cement composition into a well bore comprises introducing the cement composition in the well bore to plug a void in a larger structure that is disposed in the well bore.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the swellable clay comprises at least one swellable clay selected from the group consisting of:

beidellite, montmorillonite, bentonite, nontronite, saponite, and derivatives thereof.

16. A method comprising:

providing a cement composition that comprises;

a high alumina cement;

a salt comprising at least one salt selected from the group consisting of;

an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt;

a swellable clay; and

water in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry; and

introducing the cement composition into a well bore that penetrates a subterranean formation.