Settable compositions and methods of use

• US 9,534,165 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Agapiou, Kyriacos, Martinez, Juan Humberto, Pisklak, Thomas Jason, Goel, Vivek S., Brothers, Lance Everett, Iverson, Benjamin John
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani, Angela M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahuja, Anuradha
• Application Number:
  US14/194,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20140174741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/04 Silica-rich materials; Silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/047 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/16 porous, e.g. pumice
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/12 Set accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/22 Set retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/408 Dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0013 Boron compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/06 Oxides, Hydroxides C04B22/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/147 Alkali-metal sulfates; Ammonium sulfate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/16 containing phosphorus in the anion, e.g. phosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/003 Phosphorus-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/121 Amines, polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/163 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/18 Lignin sulfonic acid or derivatives thereof, e.g. sulfite lye
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/226 Sulfonated naphtalene-formaldehyde condensation products
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2641 Polyacrylates; Polymethacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2647 containing polyether side chains
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/383 Cellulose or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/18 containing mixtures of the silica-lime type
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0658 : Retarder inhibited mortars activated by the addition of accelerators or retarder-neutralising agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/10 : Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

Disclosed herein are settable compositions and methods of using settable compositions in a wellbore. In one embodiment a method of introducing a settable composition into a wellbore is described. The method comprises providing a settable composition comprising pumice, hydrated lime, a set retarder, and water. Introducing the settable composition into a wellbore. Allowing the settable composition to remain static in the wellbore, wherein the settable composition remains in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or longer while static in the wellbore.

Claims

1. A method for introducing a settable composition into a wellbore, the method comprising:

providing a settable composition comprising pumice, hydrated lime, a set retarder, and water, wherein the pumice, hydrated lime, and set retarder form a suspension in the water;

introducing the settable composition into a wellbore; and

allowing the settable composition to remain static in the wellbore, wherein the settable composition remains in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or longer while static in the wellbore;

wherein the settable composition is activated by inclusion of a set activator prior to the step of introducing the settable composition into the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the introducing the settable composition into the wellbore displaces at least a portion of a drilling fluid from a subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

introducing a cement composition into the wellbore so as to at least partially displace the settable composition from the subterranean formation, wherein a portion of the settable composition remains in the wellbore;

allowing the cement composition to set in the wellbore; and

allowing the portion of the settable composition remaining in the wellbore to set.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the settable composition is introduced into the wellbore such that the settable composition forms a puddle in the bottom of the wellbore, and wherein the method further comprises:

placing a conduit into the puddle formed by the settable composition in the bottom of the wellbore; and

allowing the settable composition to set in an annulus surrounding the conduit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the set retarder comprises at least one retarder selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonic acid derivative, a lignosulfonate, a salt, an organic acid, a carboxymethylated hydroxyethylated cellulose, a synthetic co- or ter-polymer comprising sulfonate and carboxylic acid groups, and a borate compound.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the settable composition comprises an additional set retarder that is distinct from the set retarder.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the settable composition further comprises a dispersant.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the dispersant comprises at least one dispersant selected from the group consisting of a sulfonated-formaldehyde-based dispersant, a polycarboxylated ether dispersant, and any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 where the settable composition further comprises at least one set activator selected from the group consisting of zeolites, amines, silicates, Groups IA and IIA hydroxides, monovalent salts, divalent salts, nanosilica, and polyphosphates.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the settable composition remains in a fluid state of less than 70 Bc for a time period of about 5 days or longer while static in the wellbore.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the settable composition has a compressive strength of less than about 50 psi and a yield point of less than about 20 lbs./ft.² after remaining static in the wellbore for a period of about 1 day or longer.

9. A method for introducing a settable composition into a wellbore, the method comprising:

providing a settable composition comprising pumice, hydrated lime, a set retarder, and water wherein the set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the settable composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant;

introducing the settable composition into a wellbore; and

allowing the settable composition to remain static in the wellbore, wherein the settable composition remains in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or longer while static in the wellbore.

13. A method for introducing a settable composition into a wellbore, the method comprising:

providing a settable composition comprising pumice, hydrated lime, a set retarder, and water, wherein the pumice, hydrated lime, and set retarder form a suspension in the water;

introducing the settable composition into the wellbore such that the settable composition forms a puddle in the bottom of the wellbore; and

allowing the settable composition to remain static in the wellbore, wherein the settable composition remains in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or longer while static in the wellbore;

wherein the settable composition is activated by inclusion of a set activator prior to the step of introducing the settable composition into the wellbore.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising placing a conduit into the puddle formed by the settable composition in the bottom of the wellbore;

and allowing at least a portion of the settable composition to set in an annulus surrounding the conduit.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the set retarder comprises at least one retarder selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonic acid derivative, a lignosulfonate, a salt, an organic acid, a carboxymethylated hydroxyethylated cellulose, a synthetic co- or ter-polymer comprising sulfonate and carboxylic acid groups, and a borate compound.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the settable composition further comprises at least one set activator selected from the group consisting of zeolites, amines, silicates, Groups IA and IIA hydroxides, monovalent salts, divalent salts, nanosilica, and polyphosphates.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the settable composition remains in a fluid state of less than 70 Bc for a time period of about 5 days or longer while static in the wellbore.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the settable composition has a compressive strength of less than about 50 psi and a yield point of less than about 20 lbs./ft.² after remaining static in the wellbore for a period of about 1 day or longer.

19. A settable composition system for setting a casing comprising:

wellbore casing disposed within a wellbore;

a settable composition for placing into the wellbore and capable of remaining in a fluid state of less than 70 Bc for a time period of about 1 day or longer while static in the wellbore, wherein the settable composition comprises;

water,

pumice,

hydrated lime,

a set retarder, and

a set activator;

wherein the pumice, hydrated lime, and set retarder form a suspension in the water;

wherein settable components present in the settable composition consist essentially of the pumice and hydrated lime;

mixing equipment capable of mixing the settable composition; and

pumping equipment capable of pumping the settable composition into the wellbore.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the settable composition is capable of remaining in a fluid state of less than 70 Bc for a time period of about 5 days or longer while static in the wellbore.