METHOD OF SEALING WELLS BY SQUEEZING SEALANT

1 . A method for sealing a well, comprising:

placing an obstruction in a bore of an inner tubular string disposed in a wellbore;

forming an opening through a wall of the inner tubular string above the obstruction;

mixing a resin and a hardener to form a sealant; and

squeezing the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and an outer tubular string, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the annulus.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the annulus is an inner annulus,

the opening is also formed through a wall of the outer tubular string, and

the sealant is also squeezed into an outer annulus, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the outer annulus.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer tubular strings are both casing strings.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising squeezing at least a portion of the sealant into a formation into which the inner tubular sting extends.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising squeezing at least a portion of the sealant into a formation into which the outer tubular sting extends.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the squeezing of the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and an outer tubular string comprises;

pumping the sealant through a tubular extending into the inner tubular string and having a fluid volume; and

thereafter pumping a quantity of chaser fluid into the tubular having at least the volume of the tubular.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the sealant is squeezed into the bore through coiled tubing, and

the method further comprises:

lowering the coiled tubing and a bottom hole assembly (BHA) through the bore; and

forming the obstruction by setting a squeeze packer of the BHA against an inner surface of the inner tubular string.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the wellbore is a subsea wellbore,

the method further comprises, prior to placing the obstruction:

severing an upper portion of a production tubing string disposed in the wellbore from a lower portion thereof; and

removing the upper portion of the production tubing string from the wellbore.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the resin is bisphenol F epoxide,

the hardener is selected from a group consisting of tetraethylenepentamine for a low temperature well and diethyltoluenediamine for a high temperature well, and the resin is premixed with a diluent selected from a group consisting of alkyl glycidyl ether and benzyl alcohol, and

a weighting material having a specific gravity of at least 2 is mixed with the resin and the hardener.

10 . A method for sealing a well, comprising:

placing an obstruction in a bore of an inner tubular string disposed in a wellbore;

forming an opening through a wall of the inner tubular string above the obstruction;

mixing a resin and a hardener to form a sealant; and

squeezing the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and the wellbore, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the annulus.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the annulus is an inner annulus,

the opening is also formed through a wall of an outer tubular string, and

the sealant is also squeezed into an outer annulus, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the outer annulus.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the inner tubular string is a casing string.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the sealant is squeezed into the bore through coiled tubing, and

the method further comprises:

lowering the coiled tubing and a bottom hole assembly (BHA) through the bore; and

setting a squeeze packer of the BHA against an inner surface of the inner tubular string.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the wellbore is a subsea wellbore,

the method further comprises, prior to placing the obstruction:

severing an upper portion of a production tubing string disposed in the wellbore from a lower portion thereof; and

removing the upper portion of the production tubing string from the wellbore.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the resin is bisphenol F epoxide,

the hardener is selected from a group consisting of tetraethylenepentamine for a low temperature well and diethyltoluenediamine for a high temperature well, and

the resin is premixed with a diluent selected from a group consisting of alkyl glycidyl ether and benzyl alcohol.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the density of the sealant corresponds to the density of fluid present in the well.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a viscosity of the sealant is between 50-2,000 cp.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the resin is premixed with a bonding agent, and

the bonding agent is silane.

19 . A method of infiltrating openings in a cement liner on the exterior of a subsurface tubular, comprising:

preparing a sealant comprising:

an epoxide resin,

a hardener selected from a group consisting of tetraethylenepentamine for a low temperature well and diethyltoluenediamine for a high temperature well, wherein;

extending a conduit inwardly of the subsurface tubular to a location therein having at least one opening extending through the wall thereof, the opening located above an obstruction in the tubular and extending through the tubular in a location where a cement is present on the exterior of the tubular; and

pumping the sealant through the conduit and through the at least one opening in the wall of the tubular, and thence into openings in the cement.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising an obstruction between the conduit and the wall of the tubular in a location above the openings in the wall of the tubular before pumping the sealant.