In-situ generation of glass-like materials inside subterranean formation
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsMohammed Bataweel, Prasad Baburao Karadkar, Ayman Al-Mohsin, Haitham A. Othman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation include providing a solution of colloidal silica and pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation. The colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation is dehydrated to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation.
Claims9
A method for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the method including:
- providing a solution of colloidal silica;
- pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
- forming a gel with the colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation by heating the colloidal silica at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period;
- and
- after the gel formation period, heating the gel to a dehydration temperature within pores of the subterranean formation over a ten hour period to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation, where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature;
- where
- heating the gel to a dehydration temperature includes lowering a microwave system into the bore of the subterranean well and operating the microwave system to generate heat.
A system for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the system including:
- a solution of colloidal silica;
- a distribution system operable to pump the solution of colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
- a gelation system operable to form a gel with the colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period;
- and
- a dehydration system operable to heat the gel to a dehydration temperature within the pores of the subterranean formation after the gel formation period at a dehydration temperature over a ten hour period to form a glass-like material of dehydrated colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation, where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature;
- where
- the dehydration system includes a microwave system operable to lower into the bore of the subterranean well to generate heat.
A method for forming a permanent plug in a subterranean formation, the method including:
- providing a solution of colloidal silica, the solution of colloidal silica including a stabilized mixture of silica particles suspended in a liquid;
- pumping the colloidal silica into a bore of a subterranean well so that the colloidal silica penetrates pores of the subterranean formation;
- providing for gelling-up of the solution of colloidal silica to provide a gel of colloidal silica within pores of the subterranean formation by heating the colloidal silica at a gel formation temperature over a gel formation period to form a gel;
- and
- after the gel formation period, heating the gel to a dehydration temperature within the pores of the subterranean formation to form a glass-like material of dehydrated colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation by lowering a microwave enabler into the bore of the subterranean well, positioning the microwave enabler proximate to the dehydrated colloidal silica, and heating the microwave enabler with a microwave system, the microwave enabler being a ceramic, and where the dehydration temperature is greater than the gel formation temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.