Extended-life settable compositions comprising red mud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10641059-B2
Application number	US-201916288413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2015
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A method for using an extended-life settable composition is disclosed. The method includes providing an extended-life settable composition comprising red mud, calcium hydroxide, water, and a cement set retarder. The method further includes activating the extended-life settable composition. The method additionally includes introducing the extended-life settable composition into a subterranean formation and allowing the extended-life settable composition to set in the subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An extended-life settable composition comprising:
red mud;
calcium hydroxide;
water; and
a cement set retarder,
wherein the red mud is present in a red mud-to-calcium hydroxide weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 5:1, wherein the red mud is a product of refining bauxite ore, the refining comprising sodium hydroxide digestion of the bauxite ore followed by filtration of solid impurities generated by the digestion, and wherein the extended-life settable composition is capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for 1 day or longer at 80° F.

2. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the red mud is an insoluble residue from extraction of alumina from bauxite ore.

3. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the water is present in the extend-life settable composition in an amount of at least 40% by weight of the red mud.

4. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the red mud comprises at least 20% calcite.

5. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the cement set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the extended-life settable composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.

6. A system comprising:
an extended-life settable composition that is capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for 1 day or longer at 80° F.; wherein the extended-life settable composition comprises red mud, calcium hydroxide, water, and a cement set retarder, wherein the red mud is present in a red mud-to-calcium hydroxide weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 5:1, and wherein the red mud is a product of refining bauxite ore, the refining comprising sodium hydroxide digestion of the bauxite ore followed by filtration of solid impurities generated by the digestion; and
a cement set activator for at least one of activating and accelerating the extended-life settable composition.

7. A system according to claim 6 , further comprising a vessel containing the extended-life settable composition and a pump coupled to the vessel for delivering the extended-life settable composition into a wellbore.

8. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the cement set retarder is selected from the group consisting of a phosphonic acid, a phosphonic acid derivative, a lignosulfonate, a salt, an organic acid, a cellulose derivative, a synthetic co- or ter-polymer comprising sulfonate and carboxylic acid groups, a borate compound, and any combination thereof.

9. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the cement set retarder comprises a phosphonic acid derivative, and wherein the extended-life settable composition further comprises a polycarboxylated ether dispersant.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Martinez Juan Humberto
• Pisklak Thomas Jason
• Chatterji Jiten
• Brenneis Darrell Chad

Classifications

• E21B33/14 Primary

  for cementing casings into boreholes · CPC title

• C04B28/18

  containing mixtures of the silica-lime type · CPC title

• C09K8/467 Primary

  containing additives for specific purposes · CPC title

• C04B24/003

  Phosphorus-containing compounds · CPC title

• C04B2103/22

  Set retarders · CPC title