In-situ generation of glass-like materials inside subterranean formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11124689-B2
Application number	US-201916657541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2019
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation include providing a solution of colloidal silica and pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation. The colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation is dehydrated to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the method including:
providing a solution of colloidal silica;
pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
forming a gel with the colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation by heating the colloidal silica at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period; and
after the gel formation period, heating the gel to a dehydration temperature within pores of the subterranean formation over a ten hour period to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation, where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature; where
heating the gel to a dehydration temperature includes lowering a microwave system into the bore of the subterranean well and operating the microwave system to generate heat.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising before pumping the colloidal silica into the bore of the subterranean well, mixing an activator with the colloidal silica so that the colloidal silica forms a gel within the pores of the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including locating a microwave enabler within the subterranean well and heating the microwave enabler with the microwave system.

4. A system for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the system including:
a solution of colloidal silica;
a distribution system operable to pump the solution of colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
a gelation system operable to form a gel with the colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period; and
a dehydration system operable to heat the gel to a dehydration temperature within the pores of the subterranean formation after the gel formation period at a dehydration temperature over a ten hour period to form a glass-like material of dehydrated colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation, where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature; where
the dehydration system includes a microwave system operable to lower into the bore of the subterranean well to generate heat.

5. The system of claim 4 , further including a microwave enabler operable to be located within the subterranean well and heated with the microwave system.

6. A method for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the method including:
providing a solution of colloidal silica, the solution of colloidal silica including a stabilized mixture of silica particles suspended in a liquid;
pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
providing for gelling-up of the solution of colloidal silica to provide a gel of colloidal silica within pores of the subterranean formation by heating the colloidal silica at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period to form a gel; and
after the gel formation period, heating the gel to a dehydration temperature within the pores of the subterranean formation to form a glass-like material of dehydrated colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation by lowering a microwave enabler into the bore of the subterranean well, positioning the microwave enabler proximate to the dehydrated colloidal silica, and heating the microwave enabler with a microwave system, the microwave enabler being a ceramic, and where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the silica particles range in size from 1 to 20 nm.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the dehydrated colloidal silica permanently plugs the pores of the subterranean formation.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the gelling-up of the solution of colloidal silica includes mixing the solution of colloidal silica with an activator.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Bataweel Mohammed
• Karadkar Prasad Baburao
• Al-Mohsin Ayman
• Othman Haitham A

Classifications

• E21B33/138

  Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation · CPC title

• C09K8/426 Primary

  for plugging · CPC title

• C09K8/46 Primary

  containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement · CPC title

• C04B28/24

  containing alkyl, ammonium or metal silicates; containing silica sols {(reaction mixtures resulting in mineral polymers C04B28/006; polymeric reaction products of alkali metal silicates with isocyanates C08G18/3895)} · CPC title

• C09K2208/10

  Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids · CPC title