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
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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.
Claims21
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 at a gel formation temperature;
- and
- dehydrating the colloidal silica within pores of the subterranean formation to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation, where dehydrating the gel includes heating the gel to a dehydration temperature that is greater than the gel formation temperature.
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 at a gel formation temperature to provide a gel of colloidal silica within pores of the subterranean formation;
- and
- dehydrating the gel of colloidal silica to form a dehydrated colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation, the dehydrated colloidal silica being a glass-like material, and where dehydrating the gel includes heating the gel to a dehydration temperature that is greater than the gel formation temperature.
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;
- and
- a dehydration system operable to dehydrate the colloidal silica within the pores of the subterranean formation at a dehydration temperature that is greater than the gel formation temperature to form a glass-like material within the pores of the subterranean formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.