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US-20260125324-A1 - ENHANCED EARLY STRENGTH ADDITIVE

US20260125324A1US 20260125324 A1US20260125324 A1US 20260125324A1US-20260125324-A1

Abstract

A method for increasing an early compressive strength of a cement slurry includes preparing a cement slurry comprising hydraulic cement, water and an enhanced reactivity pozzolan; and allowing the cement slurry to set to form a hardened mass, wherein the cement slurry has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 50 psi within 12.0 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.

Inventors

  • Thomas Jason Pisklak
  • Claudia Carmen Osegueda
  • Samuel LEWIS

Assignees

  • HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250926

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method for increasing an early compressive strength of a cement slurry comprising: preparing a cement slurry comprising hydraulic cement, water and an enhanced reactivity pozzolan; and allowing the cement slurry to set to form a hardened mass, wherein the cement slurry has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 50 psi within 12.0 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced reactivity pozzolan is produced by a process comprising: contacting a starting pozzolan with a catalyst material to form a mixture of the starting pozzolan and a catalyst material; reacting the mixture of starting pozzolan and catalyst material during an induction period to form reaction products; and recovering the enhanced reactivity pozzolan.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the starting pozzolan comprises at least one pozzolan selected from the group consisting of fly ash, volcanic ash, tuft, pumicites, fumed silica, precipitated silica, high surface area silica, silica fume, slag, lime ash, perlite, silicate glass, soda-lime glass, soda-silica glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, volcanic rock, calcined clays, as metakaolin, partially calcined clays, mine tailings, recycled glass, bottom ash, cenospheres, bioashes, agricultural waste ash, silica flour, crystalline silica, cement kiln dust, glass bubbles, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, shale, vitrified shale, ground vitrified pipe, and combinations thereof.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the catalyst material comprises a Group I hydroxide selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide (LiOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), and combinations thereof.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of having a thickening time to 70 Bc of at least 2.5 hours when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 500 psi within 24 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 2000 psi within 72 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry is prepared with a dry blend comprising 50% by weight or less of hydraulic cement and wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 500 psi within 48 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 110° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry is prepared by combining a dry blend with the water, wherein the dry blend comprises 50% by weight or less of hydraulic cement.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cement slurry is prepared by combining a dry blend with the water, wherein the dry blend comprises 0.1% to 80% by weight enhanced reactivity pozzolan.
  11. 11 . A cement slurry composition comprising: hydraulic cement; water; and an enhanced reactivity pozzolan wherein the cement slurry has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 50 psi within 12 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  12. 12 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the enhanced reactivity pozzolan is produced by a process comprising: contacting a starting pozzolan with a catalyst material to form a mixture of the starting pozzolan and a catalyst material; reacting the mixture of starting pozzolan and catalyst material during an induction period to form reaction products; and recovering the enhanced reactivity pozzolan.
  13. 13 . The cement slurry composition of claim 12 wherein the starting pozzolan comprises at least one pozzolan selected from the group consisting of fly ash, volcanic ash, tuft, pumicites, fumed silica, precipitated silica, high surface area silica, silica fume, slag, lime ash, perlite, silicate glass, soda-lime glass, soda-silica glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, volcanic rock, calcined clays, as metakaolin, partially calcined clays, mine tailings, recycled glass, bottom ash, cenospheres, bioashes, agricultural waste ash, silica flour, crystalline silica, cement kiln dust, glass bubbles, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, shale, vitrified shale, ground vitrified pipe, and combinations thereof.
  14. 14 . The cement slurry composition of claim 12 wherein the catalyst material comprises a Group I hydroxide selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide (LiOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), and combinations thereof.
  15. 15 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of having a thickening time to 70 Bc of at least 2.5 hours when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  16. 16 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 500 psi within 24 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  17. 17 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 2000 psi within 72 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 80° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  18. 18 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry is prepared with a dry blend comprising 50% by weight or less of hydraulic cement and wherein the cement slurry further has a property of achieving a compressive strength of at least 500 psi within 48 hours or less when measured according to American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 10B-2 at a temperature of 110° F. and a pressure of 3000 psi.
  19. 19 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry is prepared by combining a dry blend with the water, wherein the dry blend comprises 50% by weight or less of hydraulic cement.
  20. 20 . The cement slurry composition of claim 11 wherein the cement slurry is prepared by combining a dry blend with the water, wherein the dry blend comprises 0.1% to 80% by weight enhanced reactivity pozzolan.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/983,850 filed Dec. 17, 2025 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/717,554 filed Nov. 7, 2024, the disclosures of which is incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND In well cementing, such as well construction and remedial cementing, cement slurries are commonly utilized. Cement slurries may be used in a variety of subterranean applications. For example, in subterranean well construction, a pipe string (e.g., casing, liners, expandable tubulars, etc.) may be run into a well bore and cemented in place. The process of cementing the pipe string in place is commonly referred to as “primary cementing.” In a typical primary cementing method, a cement slurry may be pumped into an annulus between the walls of the well bore and the exterior surface of the pipe string disposed therein. The cement slurry may set in the annular space, thereby forming an annular sheath of hardened, substantially impermeable cement (i.e., a cement sheath) that may support and position the pipe string in the well bore and may bond the exterior surface of the pipe string to the subterranean formation. Among other things, the cement sheath surrounding the pipe string functions to prevent the migration of fluids in the annulus, as well as protecting the pipe string from corrosion. Cement slurries also may be used in remedial cementing methods, for example, to seal cracks or holes in pipe strings or cement sheaths, to seal highly permeable formation zones or fractures, to place a cement plug, and the like. The term “waiting-on-cement” (WOC) refers to time that is spent after a cement slurry is introduced into the wellbore while waiting for the cement slurry to cure to develop compressive strength which is high enough to continue wellbore construction operations. Allowing the cement slurry to cure and develop sufficient compressive strength before continuing operations is an important step in effective zonal isolation. The time spent waiting on cement to set before resuming drilling or other operations can be costly and result in excessive non-productive time. Other issues may arise as well during the time it takes the cement to transition from the fluid to solid state. These issues include formation fluids entering the annulus and contaminating the cement and increased chances for gas migration. Therefore, reducing the amount of time required for cement to reach sufficient mechanical strength for drill-out and continuing construction operations is directly correlated with time and cost savings and effective zonal isolation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These drawings illustrate certain aspects of some of the embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be used to limit or define the disclosure. FIG. 1 is a block flow diagram of a method to produce an enhanced reactivity pozzolan, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an example system for the preparation and delivery of a cement slurry to a wellbore, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of example surface equipment that may be used in the placement of a cement slurry in a wellbore, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the example placement of a cement slurry into a wellbore annulus, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a graph of results of a UCA test for cement slurries, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6A is a graph of results of a thickening time test for a neat Portland cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6B is a graph of results of a thickening time test for a pumice and Portland cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6C is a graph of results of a thickening time test for an enhanced reactivity pozzolan cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6D is a graph of results of a thickening time test for an enhanced reactivity pozzolan cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a graph of results of a UCA test for a low-Porland enhanced reactivity pozzolan slurry and a low-Portland cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8A is a graph of results of a thickening time test for a low-Portland cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8B is a graph of results of a thickening time test for a low-Portland enhanced reactivity pozzolan containing cement slurry, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a graph of results of a UCA test for an enhanced reactivity pozzolan slurry and a neat Portland cem