Methods and compositions utilizing lost-circulation materials comprising composite particulates

• US 7,612,021 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Chatterji, Jiten, King, Bobby, Brenneis, Darrell C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa; John J
• Application Number:
  US11/844,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 507/204
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/487 Fluid loss control additives; Additives for reducing or preventing circulation loss
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/5045 containing inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/506 containing organic compounds

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments relate to compositions and methods for using a composite particulate comprising a cellulosic fiber and a filler as a lost-circulation material. An example of a method of controlling lost circulation in a subterranean method, comprises contacting a subterranean formation with a fluid comprising a base fluid and a lost circulation material, wherein the lost circulation material comprises a composite particulate, and wherein the composite particulate comprises a cellulosic fiber and a filler. An example method of cementing comprises introducing a cement composition into a well bore penetrating a subterranean formation, wherein the cement compositions comprises a cement, water, and a lost-circulation material, and wherein the lost-circulation material comprises a lost-circulation material, and wherein the lost-circulation material comprises a cellulosic fiber and a filler. Example compositions include lost-circulation materials, treatment fluids and cement compositions.

Claims

1. A method of controlling lost circulation in a subterranean formation method, comprising:

introducing a fluid into a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation, wherein the fluid comprises cement, a base fluid and a lost-circulation material, and allowing the fluid to set to form hardened cement, wherein the lost circulation material comprises a composite particulate, wherein the composite particulate comprises a cellulose fiber and a filler, and wherein the lost circulation material reduces and/or prevents loss of the fluid into the subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of a drilling fluid, a cement composition, a spacer fluid, a completion fluid, and a workover fluid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein contacting the subterranean formation with the fluid comprises circulating the fluid in a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation during drilling of the well bore.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is introduced into a space between the subterranean formation and a pipe string located in the well bore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay and calcium carbonate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises a paper fiber in an amount from about 47% to about 53% by weight of the composite particulate, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay in an amount from about 28% to about 34% by weight of the composite particulate, calcium carbonate in an amount from about 14% to about 20% by weight of the composite particulate, and titanium dioxide in an amount up to about 1% by weight of the composite particulate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises a paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay and calcium carbonate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cement comprises a hydraulic cement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises paper fiber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber is present in the composite particulate in an amount of at least about 30% by weight of the composite particulate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the filler is present in the composite particulate in an amount from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the composite particulate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber is present in the composite particulate in an amount from about 40% to about 80% by weight of the composite particulate, and wherein the filler is present in an amount from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the composite particulate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of kaolin clay, calcium carbonate, a barite, titanium dioxide, a ground thermoset polymer laminate, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises a paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay and calcium carbonate.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprise paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises a ground laminate comprising melamine resin and at least one member selected from the group consisting of paper and fabric.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber comprises a paper fiber in an amount from about 47% to about 53% by weight of the composite particulate, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay in an amount from about 28% to about 34% by weight of the composite particulate, calcium carbonate in an amount from about 14% to about 20% by weight of the composite particulate, and titanium dioxide in an amount up to about 1% by weight of the composite particulate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite particulate has a particle size from about 4 mesh to about 50 mesh and is present in the fluid in an amount from about 4 pounds to about 240 pounds per barrel of the fluid.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises an additional lost-circulation material in an amount from about 2 pounds to about 120 pounds per barrel of the fluid.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises at least one lost-circulation material selected from the group consisting ground coal, petroleum coke, sized calcium carbonate, an asphaltene, perlite, cellophane, vitrified shale, a plastic material, a ground tire, a ground oyster shell, a ground nut hull, a flake, a fiber, a ground thermoset polymer laminate, and combinations thereof.

20. A method of cementing, comprising:

introducing a cement composition into a well bore penetrating a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises a cement, water, and a lost-circulation material wherein the lost circulation material comprises a particulate, and wherein the composite particulate comprises a cellulose fiber and a filler; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the well bore.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the cellulose fiber is present in the composite particulate in an amount from about 40% to about 80% by weight of the composite particulate, and wherein the filler is present in an amount from about 20% to about 60% by weight of the composite particulate.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the cellulose fiber comprise a paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises a ground laminate comprising melamine resin and at least one member selected from the group consisting of paper and fabric.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cellulose fiber comprises a paper fiber, and wherein the filler comprises kaolin clay and calcium carbonate.