Storable water-microsphere suspensions for use in well cements and methods

Abstract

Storable water-microsphere suspensions for use in well cements and methods of cementing well bores are provided. The storable water-microsphere suspensions comprise water, microspheres and an effective amount of a suspending agent selected from the group consisting of microfine or colloidal materials and gel forming polymers.

1 . A cement composition comprising: 
 water;    hydraulic cement; and    a water-microsphere suspension comprising water, microspheres, and an effective amount of a suspending agent selected from the group consisting of microfine or colloidal materials and gel forming polymers.    
     
     
         2 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the water in the cement composition is fresh water or salt water and is present in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry.  
     
     
         3 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the hydraulic cement is selected from the group consisting of Portland cements, pozzolana cements, gypsum cements, high aluminum content cements, silica cements, high alkalinity cements and slag cements.  
     
     
         4 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the water-microsphere suspension is included in the cement composition in an amount to produce a cement composition density in the range of from about 9.8 to about 15 pounds per gallon.  
     
     
         5 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the microspheres are selected from the group consisting of fly ash microspheres, glass microspheres and recycled glass microspheres.  
     
     
         6 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the microspheres are present in the suspension in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 150% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         7 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the suspending agent is a microfine or colloidal material selected from the group consisting of carbon black, lignite, brown coal, humic acid, fumed silica, precipitated silica, polyvinyl alcohol latex, styrene-butadiene latex and surfactant micelle.  
     
     
         8 . The cement composition of  claim 7  wherein the suspending agent is present in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 75% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         9 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the suspending agent is a polymer selected from the group consisting of carragenan, scleroglycan, xanthan, guar, hydroxypropylguar, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose and a copolymer or terpolymer of acrylamidemethyl propylene sulfonate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide and acrylic acid.  
     
     
         10 . The cement composition of  claim 9  wherein the suspending agent is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         11 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the suspending agent is present in the suspension in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 75% by weight of the water in the suspension.  
     
     
         12 . The cement composition of  claim 1  wherein the water-microsphere suspension does not separate for at least three weeks.  
     
     
         13 . A cement composition comprising: 
 water;    hydraulic cement; and    a water-microsphere suspension comprising water, microspheres, and an effective amount of a suspending agent wherein the suspending agent is a polymer selected from the group consisting of carragenan, scleroglycan, xanthan, guar, hydroxypropylguar, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose and a copolymer or terpolymer of acrylamidemethyl propylene sulfonate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide and acrylic acid.    
     
     
         14 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the water in the cement composition is fresh water or salt water and is present in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry.  
     
     
         15 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the hydraulic cement is selected from the group consisting of Portland cements, pozzolana cements, gypsum cements, high aluminum content cements, silica cements, high alkalinity cements and slag cements.  
     
     
         16 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the water-microsphere suspension is included in the cement composition in an amount to produce a cement composition density in the range of from about 9.8 to about 15 pounds per gallon.  
     
     
         17 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the microspheres are selected from the group consisting of fly ash microspheres, glass microspheres and recycled glass microspheres.  
     
     
         18 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the microspheres are present in the suspension in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 150% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         19 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the suspending agent is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         20 . The cement composition of  claim 13  wherein the water-microsphere suspension does not separate for at least three weeks.  
     
     
         21 . A cement composition comprising: 
 water;    hydraulic cement; and    a water-microsphere suspension comprising water, microspheres, and an effective amount of a suspending agent wherein the suspending agent is a microfine or colloidal material selected from the group consisting of carbon black, lignite, brown coal, humic acid, fumed silica, precipitated silica, polyvinyl alcohol latex, styrene-butadiene latex and surfactant micelle.    
     
     
         22 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the water in the cement composition is fresh water or salt water and is present in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry.  
     
     
         23 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the hydraulic cement is selected from the group consisting of Portland cements, pozzolana cements, gypsum cements, high aluminum content cements, silica cements, high alkalinity cements and slag cements.  
     
     
         24 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the water-microsphere suspension is included in the cement composition in an amount to produce a cement composition density in the range of from about 9.8 to about 15 pounds per gallon.  
     
     
         25 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the microspheres are selected from the group consisting of fly ash microspheres, glass microspheres and recycled glass microspheres.  
     
     
         26 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the microspheres are present in the suspension in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 150% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         27 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the suspending agent is present in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 75% by weight of water in the suspension.  
     
     
         28 . The cement composition of  claim 21  wherein the water-microsphere suspension does not separate for at least three weeks.