US 5,346,011 AGranted

Methods of displacing liquids through pipes

AssigneeHalliburton Company

InventorsDavid D. Onan, Vincent J. Bila, James L. Haney, Gary E. Folmnsbee, Ronney R. Koch, Randall D. Stilley, Larry T. Watters

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Abstract

Improved methods of displacing a first liquid through a pipe with a second liquid while preventing the first and second liquids from mixing are provided. In accordance with the methods, a plug is formed in-situ in the pipe between the first and second liquids by injecting a self-thickening liquid therein and permitting the liquid to thicken. The formed plug and the first liquid are then displaced through the pipe with the second liquid. The methods are particularly suitable for carrying out subterranean well bore cementing operations wherein cement slurries are displaced through pipes disposed in well bores.

Claims11

Dependent claims

In a method of cementing a pipe suspended in a subterranean well bore filled with drilling fluid wherein a first solid plug for separating drilling fluid in the pipe from a cement slurry to be pumped therein and for wiping the walls of the pipe is placed in the pipe, a cement slurry is pumped into the pipe to displace the first plug to the bottom of the pipe and to displace the drilling fluid from the pipe into the annulus between the exterior of the pipe and the walls of the well bore, a second solid plug for separating the cement slurry in the pipe form a displacement liquid to be pumped therein and for wiping the walls of the pipe is placed in the pipe and a displacement fluid is pumped into the pipe to displace the second plug to the bottom of the pipe and to displace the cement slurry into the annulus between the pipe and the walls of the well bore, the improvement which comprises:

forming the first liquid separating plug in-situ in said pipe by injecting a first self-thickening liquid therein and permitting said liquid to thicken into a first liquid-separating plug in said pipe prior to pumping said cement slurry thereinto;
pumping said cement slurry into said pipe and displacing said first plug to the bottom of said pipe and said drilling fluid into said annulus;
forming the second liquid separating plug in-situ in said pipe by injecting a second self-thickening liquid therein and permitting said liquid to thicken into a second liquid-separating plug in said pipe prior to pumping said displacement liquid thereinto;
and
pumping said displacement liquid into said pipe and displacing said second plug to the bottom of said pipe, displacing said first plug into said annulus and displacing said cement slurry into said annulus.

2 more elements

In a method of cementing a pipe suspended in a subterranean well bore filled with drilling fluid wherein a first solid plug for separating drilling fluid in the pipe from a cement slurry to be pumped therein and for wiping the walls of the pipe is placed in the pipe, a cement slurry is pumped into the pipe to displace the first plug to the bottom of the pipe and to displace the drilling fluid from the pipe into the annulus between the exterior of the pipe and the walls of the well bore, a second solid plug for separating the cement slurry in the pipe from a displacement liquid to be pumped therein and for wiping the walls of the pipe is placed in the pipe and a displacement fluid is pumped into the pipe to displace the second plug to the bottom of the pipe and to displace the cement slurry into the annulus between the pipe and the walls of the well bore, the improvement which comprises:

placing a first inflatable bladder having a passageway extending therethrough in said pipe which forms a first liquid-separating plug in said pipe when inflated, said passageway being closed when said inflatable bladder is inflated and displaced to the bottom of said pipe, but opening upon reaching the bottom of said pipe by the continued pumping of displacement fluid;
forming the first solid liquid separating plug in-situ in said pipe by injecting a first self-thickening liquid into said first inflatable bladder therein and permitting said liquid to thicken prior to pumping said cement slurry thereinto;
pumping said cement slurry into said pipe and displacing said first plug to the bottom of said pipe and said drilling fluid into said annulus;
forming the second liquid separating plug in-situ in said pipe by injecting a second self-thickening liquid therein and permitting said liquid to thicken into a second liquid-separating plug in said pipe prior to pumping said displacement liquid thereinto;
and
pumping said displacement liquid into said pipe thereby opening said passageway in said first inflatable bladder, displacing said second plug to the bottom of said pipe and displacing said cement slurry into said annulus.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/041,083Filed 1 Apr 1993
Granted: 13 Sep 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

C09K 8/426
Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells: for plugging
C09K 8/424
Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells: using "spacer" compositions
C09K 8/601
Compositions for stimulating production by acting on the underground formation: using spacer compositions
E21B 33/16
For cementing casings into boreholes: using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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