Liquid salt activator and methods of making and using same

1. A liquid salt activator for an extended life cementitious slurry (ELS) consisting essentially of (i) a salt, (ii) a suspending aid wherein the suspending aid is a polymer product of one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (NNDMA), N-vinylacetamide, allyloxy-2-hydroxy propane sulfonic acid (AHPS), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamide-2-tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS), N,N-dimethylaniline, pentaerythritol allyl ether, methylenebisacrylamide, divinyl ether, diallyl ether, vinyl ethers of polyglycols, vinyl ethers of polyols, allyl ethers of polyglycols, allyl ethers of polyols, divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylimidazolidin-2-one, divinyltetrahydro-pyrimidin-2 (1H)-one, dienes, allyl-amines, N-vinyl-3 (E)-ethylidene pyrrolidone, ethylidene bis(N-vinylpyrrolidone), N-substituted acrylamides, methacrylamide, N-substituted methacrylamides, acrylates, methacrylates, methacrylic acid, N-vinylamides, N-allyl amides, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, allyl alcohol, allyl ethers, allyl esters, vinylpyridine, vinyl sulfonates, allyl sulfonates, vinylimidazole, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, epihalohydrin, epichlorohydrin, diepoxides, dialdehydes, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, divinylsulphone, carbodiimide, glutaraldehyde, acryloylmorpholine, N-vinyl-N-methylacetamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylpyrolidone, acrylonitrile, acetylomorpholine, and maleic anhydride, and (iii) water, wherein the salt comprises a cation and an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, sulfate, bromide, bicarbonate, acetate, formate, carbonate, lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, or iron, and combinations thereof; wherein the salt is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator; wherein the liquid salt activator has free fluid in a range of from about 0.1 vol. % to about 10 vol. % based on the total volume of the liquid salt activator, after being static at about 70° F. for about 1 week to about seven weeks and wherein the liquid salt activator excludes phosphate.

2. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the salt comprises sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.

3. The liquid salt activator of claim 2 , wherein the weight ratio of sodium chloride to sodium sulfate is from about 1:9 to about 9:1.

4. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the suspending aid comprises a copolymer of 2-Acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS).

5. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the suspending aid has an average molecular weight of from equal to or greater than about 50,000 Daltons (Da) to equal to or less than about 5,000,000 Da.

6. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the suspending aid is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 20.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator.

7. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the water comprises water selected from the group consisting of fresh water, surface water, ground water, salt water, brine, sea water, produced water, and any combination thereof.

8. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , wherein the water is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator.

9. The liquid salt activator of claim 1 , having a density of from about 9 lb/gal to about 25 lb/gal.

10. An activated extended life cementitious slurry (ELS) composition comprising: a hydraulic cement, an aqueous fluid, and a liquid salt activator consisting essentially of (i) a salt, (ii) a suspending aid wherein the suspending aid is a polymer product of one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (NNDMA), N-vinylacetamide, allyloxy-2-hydroxy propane sulfonic acid (AHPS), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamide-2-tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS), N,N-dimethylaniline, pentaerythritol allyl ether, methylenebisacrylamide, divinyl ether, diallyl ether, vinyl ethers of polyglycols, vinyl ethers of polyols, allyl ethers of polyglycols, allyl ethers of polyols, divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylimidazolidin-2-one, divinyltetrahydro-pyrimidin-2 (1H)-one, dienes, allyl-amines, N-vinyl-3 (E)-ethylidene pyrrolidone, ethylidene bis(N-vinylpyrrolidone), N-substituted acrylamides, methacrylamide, N-substituted methacrylamides, acrylates, methacrylates, methacrylic acid, N-vinylamides, N-allyl amides, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, allyl alcohol, allyl ethers, allyl esters, vinylpyridine, vinyl sulfonates, allyl sulfonates, vinylimidazole, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, epihalohydrin, epichlorohydrin, diepoxides, dialdehydes, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, divinylsulphone, carbodiimide, glutaraldehyde, acryloylmorpholine, N-vinyl-N-methylacetamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylpyrolidone, acrylonitrile, acetylomorpholine, and maleic anhydride, and (iii) water, wherein the salt comprises a cation and an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, sulfate, bromide, bicarbonate, acetate, formate, carbonate, lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, or iron, and combinations thereof; wherein the salt is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator; wherein the liquid salt activator has free fluid in a range of from about 0.1 vol. % to about 10 vol. % based on the total volume of the liquid salt activator, after being static at about 70° F. for about 1 week to about seven weeks; and wherein the liquid salt activator excludes phosphate.

11. The activated ELS composition of claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic cement is selected from the group consisting of Portland cements, pozzolana cements, gypsum cements, high alumina content cements, silica cements, and combinations thereof.

12. The activated ELS composition of claim 10 , further comprising a supplementary cementitious material.

13. The activated ELS composition of claim 12 , wherein the supplementary cementitious material is selected from the group consisting of fly ash, blast furnace slag, silica fume, pozzolans, kiln dust, clays, and combinations thereof.

14. The activated ELS composition of claim 10 , further comprising hydrated lime.

15. The activated ELS composition of claim 10 , wherein the liquid salt activator is present in the activated ELS composition in an amount of from about 0.001 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the activated ELS composition.

16. The activated ELS composition of claim 10 , wherein the salt comprises sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.

17. A cementitious composition comprising a cementitious material, a liquid salt activator consisting essentially of (i) a salt, (ii) a suspending aid wherein the suspending aid is a polymer product of one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (NNDMA), N-vinylacetamide, allyloxy-2-hydroxy propane sulfonic acid (AHPS), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamide-2-tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS), N,N-dimethylaniline, pentaerythritol allyl ether, methylenebisacrylamide, divinyl ether, diallyl ether, vinyl ethers of polyglycols, vinyl ethers of polyols, allyl ethers of polyglycols, allyl ethers of polyols, divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylimidazolidin-2-one, divinyltetrahydro-pyrimidin-2 (1H)-one, dienes, allyl-amines, N-vinyl-3 (E)-ethylidene pyrrolidone, ethylidene bis(N-vinylpyrrolidone), N-substituted acrylamides, methacrylamides, acrylates, methacrylamide, N-substituted methacrylates, methacrylic acid, N-vinylamides, N-allyl amides, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, allyl alcohol, allyl ethers, allyl esters, vinylpyridine, vinyl sulfonates, allyl sulfonates, vinylimidazole, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, epihalohydrin, epichlorohydrin, diepoxides, dialdehydes, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, divinylsulphone, carbodiimide, glutaraldehyde, acryloylmorpholine, N-vinyl-N-methylacetamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylpyrolidone, acrylonitrile, acetylomorpholine, and maleic anhydride, and (iii) water, wherein the salt comprises a cation and an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, sulfate, bromide, bicarbonate, acetate, formate, carbonate, lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, or iron, and combinations thereof, wherein the salt is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator, and an aqueous fluid; wherein the liquid salt activator has free fluid in a range of from about 0.1 vol. % to about 10 vol. % based on the total volume of the liquid salt activator, after being static at about 70° F. for about 1 week to about seven weeks; and wherein the liquid salt activator excludes phosphate.

18. The cementitious composition of claim 17 , wherein the liquid salt activator is present in the cementitious composition in an amount of from about 0.5% by weight of dry blend (bwob) to about 50% bwob, based on the total weight of the cementitious material.

19. A multiphasic salt system comprising a liquid salt activator consisting essentially of (i) a salt, (ii) a suspending aid wherein the suspending aid is a polymer product of one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (NNDMA), N-vinylacetamide, allyloxy-2-hydroxy propane sulfonic acid (AHPS), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamide-2-tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS), N,N-dimethylaniline, pentaerythritol allyl ether, methylenebisacrylamide, divinyl ether, diallyl ether, vinyl ethers of polyglycols, vinyl ethers of polyols, allyl ethers of polyglycols, allyl ethers of polyols, divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylimidazolidin-2-one, divinyltetrahydro-pyrimidin-2 (1H)-one, dienes, allyl-amines, N-vinyl-3 (E)-ethylidene pyrrolidone, ethylidene bis(N-vinylpyrrolidone), N-substituted acrylamides, methacrylamide, N-substituted methacrylamides, acrylates, methacrylates, methacrylic acid, N-vinylamides, N-allyl amides, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, allyl alcohol, allyl ethers, allyl esters, vinylpyridine, vinyl sulfonates, allyl sulfonates, vinylimidazole, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, epihalohydrin, epichlorohydrin, diepoxides, dialdehydes, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, divinylsulphone, carbodiimide, glutaraldehyde, acryloylmorpholine, N-vinyl-N-methylacetamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylpyrolidone, acrylonitrile, acetylomorpholine, and maleic anhydride, and (iii) water, wherein the salt comprises a cation and an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, sulfate, bromide, bicarbonate, acetate, formate, carbonate, lithium, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, or iron, and combinations thereof, wherein the salt is present in the liquid salt activator in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid salt activator, wherein the liquid salt additive is suspended in a saturated salt solution; wherein the liquid salt activator has free fluid in a range of from about 0.1 vol. % to about 10 vol. % based on the total volume of the liquid salt activator, after being static at about 70° F. for about 1 week to about seven weeks; and wherein the liquid salt activator excludes phosphate.

20. The multiphasic salt system of claim 19 , wherein the salt comprises sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.

21. The multiphasic salt system of claim 20 , wherein the weight ratio of sodium chloride to sodium sulfate is from about 1:9 to about 9:1.

22. The activated ELS composition of claim 21 , wherein the weight ratio of sodium chloride to sodium sulfate is from about 1:9 to about 9:1.