Wellbore Cement Compositions and Wellbore Cementing Methods

• US 20160200959A1
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: VORDERBRUGGEN, MARK A., NARVAEZ, GUIDO G., CARDONA, DIANA, SHEN, DONG
• Granted Patent: US 9,944,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/08 Diatomaceous earth
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/14 Minerals of vulcanic origin granite C04B14/048
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0016 Granular materials, e.g. microballoons
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1018 with organic materials pigments or dyes C04B20/1096
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1022 Non-macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1037 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/20 Retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/003 Phosphorus-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/08 Fats; Fatty oils; Ester type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 for cementing casings into boreholes

Abstract

A wellbore cement composition includes substantially unhydrated cement powder and additive powder for cement. The additive powder is formulated from ingredients including a liquid additive for cement and solid carrier particles. The liquid additive is absorbed by the solid carrier particles. A wellbore cementing method includes using a dry cement composition, adding water to the dry cement composition, forming a cement slurry, placing the slurry in a wellbore, and setting the placed slurry. The dry cement composition contains substantially unhydrated cement powder and retarder powder for cement. The retarder powder contains a retarder absorbed by solid carrier particles.

Claims

1. A wellbore cementing method comprising:

using a dry cement composition containing;

substantially unhydrated cement powder; and

retarder powder for cement, the retarder powder containing a retarder absorbed by solid carrier particles;

adding water to the dry cement composition and forming a cement slurry; and

placing the slurry in a wellbore and setting the placed slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the retarder powder delays the set of the placed slurry longer than the slurry without the retarder powder.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the retarder powder delays set of the cement for at least three hours following addition of the water.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein an amount of the retarder absorbed by the solid carrier particles delays the set of the placed slurry longer than an equal amount of retarder in liquid form added to the cement slurry.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the solid carrier particles comprise a microporous, non-cementitious material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the solid carrier particles comprise a material selected from diatomaceous earth, zeolite, aerogel, expanded ceramic, pumice, porous silica, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising dissolving the retarder from the solid carrier particles into the cement slurry.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the retarder powder exhibits the property of maintaining strength of the set cement compared to the set cement without the retarder powder.

9. A wellbore cementing method comprising:

absorbing a liquid retarder for cement using solid carrier particles and thus forming a retarder powder for cement, the retarder powder containing a mass of the liquid retarder at least two times a mass of the solid carrier particles;

forming a dry cement composition containing an admixture of;

substantially unhydrated cement powder; and

the retarder powder;

adding water to the dry cement composition and forming a cement slurry; and

placing the slurry in a wellbore and setting the placed slurry.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein an amount of the retarder absorbed by the solid carrier particles delays the set of the placed slurry longer than an equal amount of retarder in liquid form added to the cement slurry.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the liquid retarder comprises modified phosphonate/gluconic acid-based polymer or acrylic acid-polyethylene glycol copolymer.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the solid carrier particles comprise a microporous, non-cementitious material.