Well treatment compositions and methods utilizing nano-particles

• US 7,806,183 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2009
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Chatterji, Jiten, Roddy, Craig W., Cromwell, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US12/426,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20100096135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/293
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/062 Microsilica, e.g. colloïdal silica preparing microsilica slurries or suspensions C04B18/148
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/08 Diatomaceous earth
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/106 Kaolin
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/108 Shale, slate colliery shale C04B18/125
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/101 Burned rice husks or other burned vegetable material
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/162 Cement kiln dust; Lime kiln dust
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2/00 Lime, magnesia or dolomite hydraulic lime cements C04B7/34
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0036 Microsized or nanosized
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0048 Fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/008 Micro- or nanosized fillers, e.g. micronised fillers with particle size smaller than that of the hydraulic binder colloidal silica C04B14/062 ; silica fume C04B18/146
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0088 Compounds chosen for their latent hydraulic characteristics, e.g. pozzuolanes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/12 Set accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/22 Set retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/44 Thickening, gelling or viscosity increasing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/46 Water-loss or fluid-loss reducers, hygroscopic or hydrophilic agents, water retention agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/26 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds C04B24/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 : containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/02 : by adding chemical blowing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/10 : by using foaming agents C04B38/02 takes precedenceor by using mechanical means, e.g. adding preformed foam
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/10 : Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/032 : Inorganic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 : containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/80 : Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/906 : Solid inorganic additive in defined physical form
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/963 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments relate to well treatment fluids and methods that utilize nano-particles. Exemplary nano-particles are selected from the group consisting of particulate nano-silica, nano-alumina, nano-zinc oxide, nano-boron, nano-iron oxide, and combinations thereof. Embodiments also relate to methods of cementing that include the use of nano-particles. An exemplary method of cementing comprises introducing a cement composition into a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises cement, water and a particulate nano-silica. Embodiments also relate to use of nano-particles in drilling fluids, completion fluids, stimulation fluids, and well clean-up fluids.

Claims

1. A method of cementing comprising:

introducing a cement composition into a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises;

hydraulic cement consisting essentially of at least one cement selected from the group consisting of API Class A Portland cement, API Class C Portland cement, API Class G Portland cement, API Portland Class H cement, a pozzolana cement, a gypsum cement, a high alumina content cement, a slag cement, a silica cement, and a combination thereof,

water, and

particulate nano-silica essentially free of silica fume, the particulate nano-silica having a particle size in the range of from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the introducing the cement composition into the subterranean formation comprises introducing the cement composition into a space between a pipe string and the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising running the pipe string into a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising producing one or more hydrocarbons from a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising maximizing a packing volume fraction in the cement composition using particulate material including the particulate nano-silica.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate nano-silica has a particle size of from about 5 nanometers to about 50 nanometers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate nano-silica is present in the cement composition in a range of from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a total amount of silica in the cement composition is about 25% or less by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic cement is essentially free of calcined serpentine.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition is essentially free of calcined serpentine.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a strength-retrogression additive, a set accelerator, a set retarder, a weighting agent, a lightweight additive, a gas-generating additive, a mechanical property enhancing additive, a lost-circulation material, a filtration-control additive, a fluid loss control additive, a dispersant, a defoaming agent, a foaming agent, a thixotropic additive, and a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of crystalline silica, amorphous silica, fumed silica, a salt, fiber, a hydratable clay, calcined shale, vitrified shale, a microsphere, fly ash, slag, diatomaceous earth, metakaolin, rice husk ash, natural pozzolan, zeolite, cement kiln dust, lime, an elastomer, a resin, latex, a combination thereof.

13. A method of cementing comprising:

introducing a cement composition into a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises;

hydraulic cement consisting essentially of at least one cement selected from the group consisting of API Class A Portland cement, API Class C Portland cement, API Class G Portland cement, API Class H Portland cement, a poizolana cement, a gypsum cement, a high-alumina-content cement, a slag cement, and a combination thereof,

water,

particulate nano-silica essentially free of silica fume, wherein a total amount of silica in the cement composition is about 25% or less by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis, and

at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a strength-retrogression additive, a set accelerator, a set retarder, a weighting agent, a lightweight additive, a gas-generating additive, a mechanical property enhancing additive, a lost-circulation material, a filtration-control additive, a fluid loss control additive, a dispersant, a defoaming agent, a foaming agent, a thixotropic additive, and a combination thereof; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the introducing the cement composition into the subterranean formation comprises introducing the cement composition into a space between a pipe string and the subterranean formation.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising running the pipe string into a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising producing one or more hydrocarbons from a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising maximizing a packing volume fraction in the cement composition using particulate material including the particulate nano-silica.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising including the particulate nano-silica in the cement composition while the particulate nano-silica is encapsulated in a degradable material.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the particulate nano-silica has a particle size of from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the particulate nano-silica is present in the cement composition in a range of from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the hydraulic cement is essentially free of calcined serpentine.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the cement composition is essentially free of calcined serpentine.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein the cement composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of crystalline silica, amorphous silica;

fumed silica, a salt, fiber, a hydratable clay, calcined shale, vitrified shale, a microsphere, fly ash, slag, diatomaceous earth, metakaolin, rice husk ash, natural pozzolan, zeolite, cement kiln dust, lime, an elastomer, a resin, latex, and a combination thereof.

24. A method of cementing comprising:

including particulate nano-silica in a cement composition while the particulate nano-silica is encapsulated in a degradable material, wherein the particulate nano-silica has a particle size in the range of from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers .

introducing the cement composition into a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises;

hydraulic cement consisting essentially of at least one cement selected from the group consisting of API Class A Portland cement, API Class C Portland cement, API Class G Portland cement, API Portland Class H cement, a pozzolana cement, a gypsum cement, a high alumina content cement, a slag cement, a silica cement, and a combination thereof,

water, and

the particulate nano-silica; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the particulate nano-silica has a particle size of from about 5 nanometers to about 50 nanometers.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the particulate nano-silica is present in the cement composition in a range of from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein a total amount of silica in the cement composition is 25% or less by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the cement composition is essentially free of calcined serpentine.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the cement composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a strength-retrogression additive, a set accelerator, a set retarder, a weighting agent, a lightweight additive, a gas-generating additive, a mechanical property enhancing additive, a lost-circulation material, a filtration-control additive, a fluid loss control additive, a dispersant, a defoaming agent, a foaming agent, a thixotropic additive, and a combination thereof.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the cement composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of crystalline silica, amorphous silica, fumed silica, a salt, fiber, a hydratable clay, calcined shale, vitrified shale, a microsphere, fly ash, slag, diatomaceous earth, metakaol in, rice husk ash, natural pozzolan, zeolite, cement kiln dust, lime, an elastomer, a resin, latex, and a combination thereof.

31. A method of cementing comprising:

introducing a cement composition into a subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition consists essentially of;

hydraulic cement consisting essentially of at least one cement selected from the group consisting of API Class A Portland cement, API Class C Portland cement, API Class G Portland cement, API Class H Portland cement, a pozzolana cement, a gypsum cement, a high-alumina-content cement, a slag cement, and a combination thereof,

water,

particulate nano-silica having a particle size in the range of from about 1nanometer to about 100 nanometers, and

at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a strength-retrogression additive, a set accelerator, a set retarder, a weighting agent, a lightweight additive, a gas-generating additive, a mechanical property enhancing additive, a lost-circulation material, a filtration-control additive, a fluid loss control additive, a defoaming agent, a foaming agent, a thixotropic additive, and a combination thereof; and

allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the particulate nano-silica has a particle size of from about 5 nanometers to about 50 nanometers.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the particulate nano-silica is present in the cement composition in a range of from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein a total amount of silica in the cement composition is about 25% or less by weight of the hydraulic cement on a dry basis.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the cement composition is essentially free of calcined serpentine.