Methods of sealing a water-bearing formation using a volcanic ash sealant composition
This disclosure methods of sealing water-bearing formations using a sealant composition, including volcanic ash, cement, an epoxy resin, and a crosslinker.
1 . A method of sealing a water-bearing formation, comprising:
applying a sealant composition to the water-bearing formation, thereby sealing the water-bearing formation, the sealant composition comprising:
about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of volcanic ash;
about 1 wt % to 10 wt % of cement;
about 85 wt % to 95 wt % of epoxy resin comprising bisphenol-A-epichlorohydrin and an oxirane mono [(C 12-14 )-alkyloxy)methyl] derivative; and
about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of crosslinker comprising diethylenetriamine (DETA);
wherein the sealant composition does not comprise an alkaline activator.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % of the volcanic ash.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the volcanic ash comprises particles having a diameter from about 10 μm to about 100 μm.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein about 80% of the volcanic ash particles have a diameter of about 60 μm or less.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % of the crosslinker.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises an accelerator, a retarder, a weighting material, or combinations thereof.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises an emulsifier selected from oxyethylated alkyl phenol; blend of ethoxylated phenol and nonylphenol; carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; modified amidoamine in mineral oil; polyolefin amide alkene amine; soya lecithin;
distilled tall oil fatty acid (TOFA); tall oil/fatty amidoamine blend; ether carboxylic acid; and
aqueous mixture of glycols, phosphate ester and ethanolamine.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 0.01 wt % to about 50 wt % of the emulsifier.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
mixing the epoxy resin and the crosslinker to form a liquid mixture; and
adding the volcanic ash and cement to the liquid mixture to form the sealant composition;
before applying the sealant composition to the wellbore.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein an emulsifier is mixed with the epoxy resin and the crosslinker to form the liquid mixture.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the epoxy resin and crosslinker are mixed for about 3 min to about 5 min before adding the volcanic ash and cement; and
the sealant composition is mixed for about 3 min to about 5 min after adding the volcanic ash and cement.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises:
about 4.0 wt % of the volcanic ash;
about 88.5 wt % of the epoxy resin;
about 3.5 wt % of the crosslinker; and
about 4.0 wt % of the cement.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises:
about 2.7 wt % of the volcanic ash;
about 88.5 wt % of the epoxy resin;
about 3.5 wt % of the crosslinker; and
about 5.3 wt % of the cement.
14 . A method of sealing a water-bearing formation, comprising:
applying a sealant composition to the water-bearing formation, thereby sealing the water-bearing formation, the sealant composition comprising:
about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of volcanic ash, wherein the volcanic ash comprises particles having a diameter from about 10 μm to about 100 μm;
about 1 wt % to 10 wt % of cement;
about 85 wt % to 95 wt % of epoxy resin consisting essentially of bisphenol-A-epichlorohydrin and derivatives of oxirane mono [(C 12-14 )-alkyloxy)methyl]; and
about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % of crosslinker consisting essentially of diethylenetriamine (DETA).
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein about 80% of the volcanic ash particles have a diameter of about 60 μm or less.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises an accelerator, a retarder, a weighting material, or combinations thereof.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises from about 0.01 wt % to about 50 wt % of an emulsifier chosen from one or more of oxyethylated alkyl phenol; blends of ethoxylated phenol and nonylphenol; carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; modified amidoamine in mineral oil; polyolefin amide alkene amine; soya lecithin; distilled tall oil fatty acid (TOFA); tall oil/fatty amidoamine blends; ether carboxylic acid; or aqueous mixtures of glycols, phosphate ester and ethanolamine.