Methods of sealing a water-bearing formation using a red mud sealant composition
This disclosure methods of sealing water-bearing formations using a sealant composition, including red mud, 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 % red mud;
about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % cement;
about 85 wt % to about 95 wt % epoxy resin comprising bisphenol-A-epichlorohydrin and an oxirane mono [(C 12-14 )-alkyloxy)methyl] derivative; and
about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % crosslinker comprising diethylenetriamine (DETA).
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % red mud.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein about 80% of the red mud particles have a diameter of less than about 50 μm.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 1 wt % to about 5 wt % crosslinker.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises an accelerator, retarder, and/or weighting material.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises an emulsifier selected from an oxyethylated alkyl phenol; a blend of ethoxylated phenol and nonylphenol; a carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; a carboxylic acid terminated fatty polyamide; a modified amidoamine in mineral oil; a polyolefin amide alkene amine; a soya lecithin; a distilled tall oil fatty acid (TOFA); a tall oil/fatty amidoamine blend; an ether carboxylic acid; and an aqueous mixture of glycols, phosphate ester and ethanolamine.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the sealant composition comprises from about 0.01 wt % to about 50 wt % emulsifier.
8 . 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 red mud and cement to the liquid mixture to form the sealant composition;
before applying the sealant composition to the water-bearing formation.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein an emulsifier is mixed with the epoxy resin and the crosslinker to form the liquid mixture.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the epoxy resin and crosslinker are mixed for about 3 min to about 5 min to form the liquid mixture; and
the sealant composition is mixed for about 3 min to about 5 min after adding the red mud and cement.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises:
about 4.0 wt % of the red mud;
about 4.0 wt % of the cement;
about 88.5 wt % of the epoxy resin; and
about 3.5 wt % of the crosslinker.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises:
about 2.7 wt % of the red mud;
about 5.3 wt % of the cement;
about 88.5 wt % of the epoxy resin; and
about 3.5 wt % of the crosslinker.
13 . 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 red mud, wherein the red mud 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).
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein about 80% of the red mud particles have a diameter of about 50 μm or less.