Dispersant in cement formulations for oil and gas wells

Abstract

Cement slurries, cured cements, and methods of making cured cement and methods of using cement slurries are provided. The cement slurries have, among other attributes, improved rheology, such as improved flowability and pumpability and may be used, for instance, in the oil and gas drilling industry. The cement slurry contains water, a cement precursor material and a surfactant having the formula R—(OC 2 H 4 ) x —OH where R is a hydrocarbyl group comprising from 10 to 20 carbon atoms and x is an integer from 1 and 10. The cured cement have improved strength and density properties due to reduced fluid loss and even placement during curing. The cured cement contains a surfactant having the formula R—(OC 2 H 4 ) x —OH where R is a hydrocarbyl group comprising from 10 to 20 carbon atoms and x is an integer from 1 and 10.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cement slurry comprising:
 water;   a cement precursor material; and   a surfactant having a HLB of from 12 to 13.5.   
     
     
         2 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement slurry contains from 10 to 70 wt % BWOC (By Weight Of Cement Precursor) water. 
     
     
         3 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement slurry contains from 10 to 90 wt % BWOC of the cement precursor material. 
     
     
         4 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement slurry contains from 0.1 to 10 wt % BWOC of the surfactant. 
     
     
         5 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement slurry contains from 0.1 to 10 wt % BWOC of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of accelerators, retarders, extenders, weighting agents, fluid loss control agents, lost circulation control agents, antifoaming agents, and combinations of these. 
     
     
         6 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement precursor material is a hydraulic or a non-hydraulic cement precursor. 
     
     
         7 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement precursor material is a hydraulic cement precursor. 
     
     
         8 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement precursor material comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, silicates, belite (Ca 2 SiO 5 ), alite (Ca 3 SiO 4 ), tricalcium aluminate (Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 ), tetracalcium aluminoferrite (Ca 4 Al 2 Fe 2 O 10 ), brownmillerite (4CaO.Al 2 O 3 .Fe 2 O 3 ), gypsum (CaSO 4 .2H 2 O), lime (calcium oxide), calcium aluminate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement precursor material comprises Portland cement precursor, siliceous fly ash, calcareous fly ash, slag cement, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the cement precursor material comprises Portland cement precursor. 
     
     
         11 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the HLB is from 12.5 to 13. 
     
     
         12 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the surfactant comprises a naturally-derived fatty alcohol or a synthetically-derived fatty alcohol. 
     
     
         13 . The cement slurry of  claim 1 , where the surfactant comprises ethylene oxide condensate of branched isotridecyl alcohol.