Surfactants for use in liquid suspensions of lightweight beads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018355236-A1
Application number	US-201616060975-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2016
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for suspending lightweight beads in a fluid includes combining lightweight beads, a fluid, and a surfactant to form a liquid additive. The liquid additive may be used to reduce the density of a wellbore fluid. The liquid additive or wellbore fluid can be combined with a cementitious material to form a lightweight cement composition.

First claim

1 . A method of suspending lightweight beads, comprising combining lightweight beads with a fluid to form a liquid additive;
wherein the fluid comprises a surfactant; and wherein at least a portion of the lightweight beads are suspended in the fluid.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
(i) the lightweight beads contain one or more members selected from glass beads and cenospheres; (ii) the surfactant is selected from: alcohol ether sulfates, betaines, sulfo-betaines, amine-oxides, polyether carboxylates, quaternary amines, alkanolamides, methyl-ester sulfonates, sorbitan and sorbitol derivatives; or (iii) the liquid additive is introduced into a wellbore using one or more pumps.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(i) combining the liquid additive with a water absorbing material; (iii) combining the liquid additive with additional fluid to form a diluted liquid additive, and forming a cement composition by combining the diluted liquid additive with a cementitious material; or (iii) mixing the components of the liquid additive using mixing equipment.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a cement composition by combining the liquid additive with a cementitious material.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
combining the liquid additive with a wellbore fluid to reduce the density of the wellbore fluid to about 20% to about 40% of the density of the wellbore fluid without the liquid additive.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
forming a cement composition by combining the wellbore fluid with a cementitious material.

9 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . A lightweight cement composition, comprising:
a cementitious material; a water absorbing material; and a liquid additive, the liquid additive comprising:
a fluid;
a surfactant;
an antifoaming agent, and
lightweight beads;
wherein the lightweight cement composition has a density from about 4 pounds per gallon to about 16 pounds per gallon.

14 . The lightweight cement composition of claim 13 ,
wherein the lightweight beads are present in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the lightweight cement composition to about 20% to about 40% of the density of the lightweight cement composition without the lightweight beads; and wherein at least a portion of the lightweight beads are suspended in the fluid.

15 . The lightweight cement composition of claim 13 , wherein:
(i) one or more of the components of the lightweight cement composition are mixed using mixing equipment; (ii) the lightweight cement composition is introduced into a wellbore using one or more pumps; (iii) the cementitious material is selected from Portland cements, gypsum cements, high alumina content cements, slag cements, high magnesia content cements, shale cements, acid/base cements, fly ash cements, zeolite cement systems, kiln dust cement systems, microtine cements, metakaolin, resins, epoxies, and combinations thereof; (iv) the liquid additive is present in a volume selected from about 1% to about 50% by volume of total fluid, from about 5% to about 30% by volume of total fluid, and from about 5% to about 20% by volume of total fluid; (v) the water absorbing material is present in a volume selected from about 0.1% to about 10% by volume of lightweight beads, from about 0.1% to about 3% by volume of lightweight beads, and from about 0.2% to about 2% by volume of lightweight beads; or (vi) the surfactant is selected from: alcohol ether sulfates, betaines, sulfo-betaines, amine-oxides, polyether carboxylates, quaternary amines, alkanolamides, methyl-ester sulfonates, sorbitan and sorbitol derivatives.

16 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . The lightweight cement composition of claim 13 , wherein the fluid comprises an aqueous fluid selected from fresh water, brackish water, saltwater, brine, aqueous drilling fluids, and any combination thereof.

21 . The lightweight cement composition of claim 20 , further comprising water in an amount selected from about 20% to about 80% by volume of liquid additive, from about 30% to about 70% by volume of liquid additive, and from about 35% to about 50% by volume of liquid additive.

22 . The lightweight cement composition of claim 13 , further comprising:
(i) the surfactant in an amount selected from about 0.001% to about 10% by volume of liquid additive, from about 0.005% to about 4% by volume of liquid additive, and from about 0.01% to about 2% by volume of liquid additive; or (ii) the antifoaming agent in an amount selected from about 0.001% to about 10% by volume of liquid additive, from about 0.005% to about 4% by volume of liquid additive, and from about 0.01% to about 2% by volume of liquid additive.

23 - 24 . (canceled)

25 . A liquid additive comprising:
a fluid; a surfactant; and lightweight beads;
wherein at least a portion of the lightweight beads are suspended in the fluid.

26 . The liquid additive of claim 25 , wherein:
(i) the liquid additive may be combined with a cementitious material to form a lightweight cement composition; (ii) the lightweight beads are present in an amount selected from about 0.2% to about 80% by volume of liquid additive, from about 30% to about 70% by volume of liquid additive, and from about 45% to about 65% by volume of liquid additive; (iii) the components of the liquid additive are mixed using mixing equipment; or (iv) the liquid additive is introduced into a wellbore using one or more pumps.

27 . The liquid additive of claim 25 , further comprising one or more additives selected from: an anti-foaming agent and a water absorbing material.

28 . (canceled)

29 . The liquid additive of claim 26 , wherein the liquid additive is combined with a cementitious material and water to form a lightweight cement composition, the cementitious material being selected from Portland cements, gypsum cements, high alumina content cements, slag cements, high magnesia content cements, shale cements, acid/base cements, fly ash cements, zeolite cement systems, kiln dust cement systems, microfine cements, metakaolin, resins, epoxies, and combinations thereof.

30 - 31 . (canceled)

32 . A wellbore fluid, comprising:
an aqueous fluid; and the liquid additive of claim 14 , the liquid additive further comprising:
an antifoaming agent; and
a water absorbing material.

33 . The wellbore fluid of claim 32 , wherein:
(i) the lightweight beads are added in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the wellbore fluid; (ii) the lightweight beads reduce the density of the wellbore fluid by at least 10%; (iii) the lightweight beads are selected to reduce the density of the wellbore fluid relative to a second wellbore fluid; (iv) the wellbore fluid combines with a cementitious material to form a lightweight cement slurry having a density in the range of from about 4 pounds per gallon to about 16 pounds per gallon; (v) the aqueous fluid is selected from fresh water, brackish water, saltwater, brine, aqueous drilling fluids, and any combination thereof; (vi) the components of the wellbore fluid are mixed using mixing equipment; (vii) the surfactant is selected from: alcohol ether sulfates, betaines, sulfo-betaines, amine-oxides, polyether carboxylates, quaternary amines, alkanolamides, methyl-ester sulfonates, sorbitan and sorbitol derivatives; (viii) the wellbore fluid is introduced in

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Lumsden Simone E A
• Lewis Sam J
• Hundt Greg R

Classifications

• Y02W30/91

  Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete · CPC title

• C09K8/473 Primary

  Density reducing additives, e.g. for obtaining foamed cement compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/584

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• C09K2208/28

  Friction or drag reducing additives · CPC title

• C09K2208/06

  Structured surfactants, i.e. well drilling or treating fluids with a lamellar or spherulitic phase · CPC title