Lost circulation compositions and associated methods

• US 8,685,903 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• 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: Ravi, Krishna, Roddy, Craig W., Chatterji, Jiten, Brenneis, D. Chad, Patil, Rahul Chandrakant, Patil, Sandip Prabhakar, Pindiprolu, Sairam KS, Covington, Ricky
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, John J
• Application Number:
  US13/052,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20110162845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 507/269
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/062 Microsilica, e.g. colloïdal silica preparing microsilica slurries or suspensions C04B18/148
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/10 Clay sepiolite C04B14/042; grog C04B18/025
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/28 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/30 Oxides other than silica ferrites C04B14/363
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• 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 2103/0035 Type G
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/46 Water-loss or fluid-loss reducers, hygroscopic or hydrophilic agents, water retention agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00146 Sprayable or pumpable mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/08 Slag cements
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/10 Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/16 characterised by the inorganic compounds other than clay
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/40 Spacer compositions, e.g. compositions used to separate well-drilling from cementing masses
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/46 containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/473 Density reducing additives, e.g. for obtaining foamed cement compositions
• 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 8/516 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

An embodiment includes a method of servicing a well bore. The method may comprise introducing a lost circulation composition into a lost circulation zone, the lost circulation composition comprising hydraulic cement, nano-particles, amorphous silica, clay, and water. The method further may comprise allowing the lost circulation composition to set in the lost circulation zone. Another embodiment includes a lost circulation composition. The lost circulation may comprise hydraulic cement, nano-particles, amorphous silica, clay, and water.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a well bore comprising:

introducing a lost circulation composition into a lost circulation zone, the lost circulation composition comprising;

hydraulic cement in an amount of about 0.1% to about 25% by weight of the lost circulation composition,

nano-particles in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the lost circulation composition,

amorphous silica in an amount of about 0.1% to about 15% by weight of the lost circulation composition,

clay in an amount of about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the lost circulation composition, and

water in an amount of about 60% to about 75% by weight of lost circulation composition; and

allowing the lost circulation composition to set in the lost circulation zone, wherein the lost circulation composition seals the lost circulation zone and reduces loss of fluid into the lost circulation zone from subsequently introduced fluids; and

preventing loss of fluid into the lost circulation zone from subsequently introduced fluids with the lost circulation composition,

wherein the lost circulation composition is shear sensitive, has a 10-second static gel strength of at least about 15 lbf/100 ft² at room temperature, and a 10-minute static gel strength of at least about 25 lbf/100 ft² at room temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the lost circulation composition has a consistency of less than 35 Bc at a temperature up to about 193°

when under shear at 150 rpm, develops a consistency of greater than 70 Bc when the shear is stopped, and then thins to a consistency of less than 35 BC at a temperature up to about 193°

F. when shear is re-applied at 150 rpm.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the lost circulation composition has a density of about 6 pounds per gallon to about 14 pounds per gallon.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic cement is present in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight of the lost circulation composition.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic cement comprises at least one hydraulic cement selected from the group consisting of a Portland cement, a pozzolana cement, a gypsum cement, a high-alumina-content cement, a slag cement, and any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the nano-particles comprise at least one nano-particle selected from the group consisting of nano-silica, nano-alumina, nano-zinc oxide, nano-boron, nano-iron oxide, nano-calcium carbonate, nano-clay, and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the nano-particles have a particle size of about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the nano-particles comprise nano-silica, the nano-silica present in an amount of about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of the lost circulation composition.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the nano-silica comprises colloidal nano-silica.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the clay comprises a synthetic clay.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the clay comprises a synthetic clay, and wherein the nano-particles comprise nano-silica.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the lost circulation composition comprises sub-micron sized calcium carbonate.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the water is present in an amount of about 50% to about 80% by weight of the lost circulation composition.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the amorphous silica is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 15% by weight of the lost circulation composition.

13. A method of servicing a well bore comprising:

introducing a lost circulation composition into a lost circulation zone, the lost circulation composition comprising;

Portland cement in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight of the lost circulation composition;

nano-silica in an amount of about 0.5% to about 4% by weight of the lost circulation composition, the nano-silica having a particle size of about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers;

amorphous silica in an amount of about 5% to about 10% by weight of the lost circulation composition;

synthetic clay in an amount of about 0.5% to about 2% by weight of the lost circulation composition; and

water in an amount of about 60% to about 75% by weight of the lost circulation composition,

wherein the lost circulation composition is shear sensitive, has a 10-second static gel strength of at least about 15 lbf/100 ft² at room temperature, and a 10-minute static gel strength of at least about 25 lbf/100 ft² at room temperature;

allowing the lost circulation composition to set in the lost circulation zone; and

preventing loss of fluid into the lost circulation zone from subsequently introduced fluids with the lost circulation composition.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the lost circulation composition has a consistency of less than 35 Bc at a temperature up to about 193°

when under shear at 150 rpm, develops a consistency of greater than 70 Bc when the shear is stopped, and then thins to a consistency of less than 35 BC at a temperature up to about 193°

F. when shear is re-applied at 150 rpm.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the lost circulation composition has a density of about 6 pounds per gallon to about 14 pounds per gallon.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the lost circulation composition comprises sub-micron sized calcium carbonate in an amount of about 15% to about 50% by weight of the hydraulic cement.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the lost circulation composition sets to seal the lost circulation zone.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the lost circulation composition comprises an acid-soluble filler having a particle size in the range of 200 nanometers to 800 nanometers.