Cement-based particulates and methods of use

• US 8,183,186 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company), Robert A. Kent
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Luo, Hongyu, Norman, Lewis R., Powell, Ronald J., Saini, Rajesh K., Santra, Ashok K., Roddy, Craig W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, John J
• Application Number:
  US12/290,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 507/269
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/042 Magnesium silicates, e.g. talc, sepiolite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/10 Clay sepiolite C04B14/042; grog C04B18/025
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/24 porous, e.g. foamed glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/303 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/386 Carbon carbon nanotubes C04B14/026
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/42 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/021 agglomerated by a mineral binder, e.g. cement
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/023 Fired or melted materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/141 Slags
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/24 Vegetable refuse, e.g. rice husks, maize-ear refuse; Cellulosic materials, e.g. paper , cork
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1029 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00146 Sprayable or pumpable mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/46 containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/665 containing inorganic compounds proppants C09K8/80
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/80 Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/805 Coated proppants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

Methods of making particulates for use in a subterranean application comprising: providing particulates of a settable composition comprising a cementitious material, a filler material, and an activator of the cementitious material; and pre-curing the particulates until the particulates reach a crush strength of about 50 psi or greater; and curing the pre-cured particulates at a temperature in the range of about 230° F. to about 600° F., so that at least a portion of the particulates comprise a newly formed crystalline phase.

Claims

1. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:

providing a subterranean treatment fluid that comprises a plurality of particulates that comprise a cementitious material and a filler material, wherein the particulates are produced through a process comprising

forming particulates that comprise a settable composition comprising

the cementitious material,

the filler material, and

an activator of the cementitious material;

pre-curing the particulates until the particulates reach a crush strength of about 50 psi or greater; and

curing the pre-cured particulates at a temperature in the range of about 230°

F. to about 600°

F., so that at least a portion of the particulates comprise a newly formed crystalline structure; and

placing the subterranean treatment fluid in a portion of a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures in the portion of the subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming particulates that comprise a settable composition comprising a cementitious material, a filler material, and an activator of the cementitious material comprises:

combining the components comprising the cementitious material, the filler material, and the activator of the cementitious material to form a settable composition; and

forming a plurality of particulates from the settable composition.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein forming particulates that comprise a settable composition comprising a cementitious material, a filler material, and an activator of the cementitious material comprises:

combining the components comprising the cementitious material, the filler material, and a granulating agent to form a un-activated cement blend;

forming a plurality of particulates from the un-activated cement blend; and

contacting the un-activated cement blend particulates with the activator of the cementitious material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cementitious material comprises a hydraulic cement and the activator of the cementitious material is water.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cured particulates have a specific gravity in the range of about 0.8 to about 3.5.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-cured particulates are cured at a temperature in the range of about 230°

F. to about 400°

F.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cementitious material comprises a hydraulic cement selected from the group consisting of a Portland cement, a pozzolanic material, a fly ash, a slag, calcined metakaolin, a phosphate cement, a gypsum cement, an aluminous cement, a silica cement, an alkaline cement, a high content alumina cement, a magnesium oxide cement, an acid resistant silicate cement, an oxysalt cementitious system, a silico phosphate cement, a glass phosphate cement, and any mixture thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a mineral compound, a silica, an alumina, a bauxite, a talc, a zeolite, a feldspar, a kaolin, a slag, a hollow glass bead, a glass fiber, a zeolite, an organic compound, a nut shell, a carbon fiber, a pozzolanic power, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler material comprises fly ash.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler material comprises a lightweight filler material selected from the group consisting of a hollow mineral glass sphere, a hollow cenosphere, a hollow microsphere, wood dust, a walnut hull, a rice husk, an expanded perlite, a fly ash, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the cured particulates have an average diameter of about 150 micrometers to about 2.5 millimeters.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the cured particulates have a sphericity of 0.7 or higher.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the cured particulates have an API crush strength of higher than 5000 psi.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates further comprise high surface area silica.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates further comprise an admixture.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates are at least partially coated with an inert material.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates are at least partially coated with a resin.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of pre-curing the particulates is at a temperature in the range of about 70°

F. to about 230°

F.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates are suspended in the subterranean treatment fluid.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates are deposited in the one or more fractures.