Granted Patent B1

US 12,735,624 · App. 19/209,000 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventors: Khawlah Alanqari (Dhahran, SA); Abdullah Al-Yami (Dhahran, SA); Abdulaziz Alhelal (Dhahran, SA); Vikrant Wagle (Dhahran, SA)

Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY

C09K8/5086C09K8/5045E21B21/003E21B33/138

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . A method comprising:

introducing into a wellbore within a subterranean formation a sealant composition consisting essentially of:

red mud;

wherein the red mud comprises from 20 weight percent (wt %) to 40 wt % of sodium, based on the total elemental composition of the red mud and wherein the red mud comprises a Al 2 O 3 basis/SiO 2 basis of from about 1/1 to about 3/1, based on the total elemental composition of the red mud; and

at least one epoxy resin; and,

at least one curing agent;

allowing the sealant composition to cure to form a solidified sealant composition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition is a lost circulation material (LCM) composition;

wherein the LCM composition is introduced into a zone of interest within the subterranean formation via the wellbore;

wherein the zone of interest is selected from the group consisting of a depleted zone, a zone of low pressure, a lost circulation zone, a fracture zone, and any combination thereof; and

wherein the LCM composition is cured within the lost circulation zone.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition is a cementing composition;

wherein the cementing composition is introduced into an annulus between the wall of the wellbore and a casing disposed therein; and

wherein the cementing composition is cured within the annulus.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the red mud comprises particles, of which 80% by volume have an average particle size of less than 50 microns (μm);

and wherein the red mud is present in the cementing composition at from 0.1 wt % to 50 wt %, based on the total weight of the cementing composition.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one epoxy resin comprises a component selected from a group consisting of:

bisphenol-epichlorohydrin epoxy resins;

novolak epoxy resins;

compounds having formula (I):

[(OC 2 H 3 )—CH 2 —O] x —R 1 , (I), wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group comprising from 6 carbon atoms to 24 carbon atoms, and wherein x is ≥2;

derivatives thereof; and

any combination thereof, and/or

wherein the at least one epoxy resin is present in the sealant composition at from 20 weight percent (wt %) to 99 wt %, based on the total weight of the sealant composition.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the epoxy resin portion further comprises a diluent, wherein the diluent comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of:

compounds having formula (I):

[(OC 2 H 3 )—CH 2 —O] x —R 1 , (I), wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group comprising 2 carbon atoms to 5 carbon atoms, and wherein x is ≥2;

compounds having formula (II):

(OC 2 H 3 )—CH 2 —R 2 , (II), where R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group comprising 4 carbon atoms to 24 carbon atoms;

derivatives thereof; and

any combination thereof, and/or

wherein the diluent is present at from 1 weight percent (wt %) to 10 wt %, based on the total weight of the epoxy resin portion.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of amines, polyamines, amine adducts, polyamine adducts, alkanolamines, polyetheramines, amides, polyamides, polyamide adducts, amidoamines, polyamidoamines, phenalkamine, imidazoles, and any combination thereof, and/or wherein the curing agent is present in the sealant composition at from 0.1 weight percent (wt %) to 30 wt %, based on the total weight of the sealant composition.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition comprises an emulsifier and/or a weighting agent; and

wherein the emulsifier comprises a component selected from a group consisting of alkoxylated alkylphenols; alkoxylated phenols; alkylphenols; fatty acids; fatty amides; polyolefin amide alkenamines; lecithins; glycolic acid alkoxylate alkenyl ethers; glycols; phosphate esters; ethanolamines; N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl) fatty amides; derivatives thereof, and any combination thereof;

wherein the emulsifier is present in the sealant composition at from 0.1 weight percent (wt %) to 30 wt %, based on the total weight of the sealant composition;

wherein the weighting agent comprises a component selected from a group consisting of sand, barite, hematite, calcium carbonate, siderite, ilmenite, silica, manganese oxide, hausmannite, manganese tetraoxide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, fly ash, and any combination thereof, and/or wherein the weighting agent is present in the sealant composition at from 0.1 weight percent (wt %) to 40 wt %, based on the total weight of the sealant composition.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition has a thickening time at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.) of from one (1) hour to ten (10) hours; and/or

wherein the sealant composition has a setting time of four (4) hours to 40 hours at a temperature of 120° F.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to introducing the sealant composition, pre-mixing the components of the sealant composition.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing the sealant composition comprises introducing at least one subterranean operation fluid, wherein the at least one subterranean operation fluid is selected from the group consisting of a drilling fluid, a drilling pill, a cementing slurry, and any combination thereof,

wherein the at least one subterranean operation fluid, taken together, comprise each of the components of the sealant composition; and

wherein each component of the sealant composition is comprised in the same subterranean operation fluid, or wherein at least two components of the sealant composition are comprised in at least two different subterranean operation fluids.

Assignments (1)

References Cited (24)