Cement Set Activators for Cement Compositions and Associated Methods

• US 20140034313A1
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Pisklak, Thomas Jason, Brothers, Lance Everett
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/292
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/106 Kaolin
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/16 porous, e.g. pumice
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/12 Set accelerators
• 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 24/163 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 24/22 Condensation or polymerisation products thereof
• 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: C04B 40/0658 Retarder inhibited mortars activated by the addition of accelerators or retarder-neutralising agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/34 Hydraulic lime cements; Roman cements ; natural cements
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

Disclosed herein are cement compositions and methods of using cement compositions in subterranean formations. An embodiment comprises a method of cementing in a subterranean formation comprising: providing a cement composition comprising water, a pozzolan, hydrated lime, and a zeolite activator; introducing the cement composition into a subterranean formation; and allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation, wherein the zeolite activator accelerates compressive strength development of the cement composition.

Claims

1. A method of cementing in a subterranean formation comprising:

providing a cement composition comprising water, a pozzolan, hydrated lime, a set retarder, and a zeolite activator;

introducing the cement composition into a subterranean formation; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation, wherein the zeolite activator accelerates compressive strength development of the cement composition.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a set-delayed cement composition comprising the water, the pozzolan, the hydrated lime, and a set retarder; and

adding the zeolite activator to the set-delayed cement composition to produce the cement composition.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising storing the set-delayed cement composition for at least about 7 days prior to adding the zeolite activator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pozzolan is selected from the group consisting of:

fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, pumice, and any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the zeolite activator comprises a zeolite in combination with a cation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the zeolite activator comprises a zeolite present on a surface of the pozzolan.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the zeolite activator is present in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the pozzolan.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition further comprises a cement set retarder, wherein the set retarder comprises at least one retarder selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonic acid derivative, a lignosulfonate, a salt, an organic acid, a cellulose derivate, a synthetic co- or ter-polymer comprising sulfonate and carboxylic acid groups, a borate compound, and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition further comprises a dispersant.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the dispersant comprises at least one dispersant selected from the group consisting of a sulfonated-formaldehyde-based dispersant, a polycarboxylated ether dispersant, and a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition further comprises a phosphonic acid derivative cement set retarder and a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition is introduced into the subterranean formation by a process comprising pumping the set-delayed cement composition through a conduit, through a casing shoe, and into a wellbore annulus.

13. An activated set-delayed cement composition comprising:

water,

a pozzolan,

hydrated lime,

a set retarder, and

a zeolite activator.

14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the pozzolan is selected from the group consisting of:

fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, pumice, and any combination thereof.

15. The composition of claim 13 wherein the zeolite activator is present in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the pozzolan.

16. The composition of claim 13 wherein the set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the activated set-delayed cement composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.

17. A cementing system comprising:

a set-delayed cement composition comprising water, a pozzolan, hydrated lime, and a set retarder;

a zeolite activator for activation of the set-delayed cement composition;

mixing equipment for mixing the set-delayed cement composition and the zeolite activator to form an activated cement composition; and

pumping equipment for delivering the activated cement composition into a wellbore.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the pozzolan is selected from the group consisting of:

fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, pumice, and any combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the zeolite comprises zeolite in combination with a cation.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the set-delayed cement composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.