Bremsstrahlung Radiation Triggering for Wellbore Cement Setting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The wait-on-cement (WOC) time in oil and gas well operations is lengthy, requiring significant downtime and increased costs due to the need for hydraulic cement compositions to achieve sufficient mechanical strength before resuming drilling operations.
Innovation Solution
The use of bremsstrahlung radiation to accelerate the setting of settable compositions, such as cements and resins, by irradiating them with high-energy electrons produced downhole, reducing the time needed for mechanical strength development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cement composition is designed with very long setting times to ensure fluidity throughout placement, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the wait-on-cement time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a radiation-sensitive additive in the cement composition that remains dormant during mixing and placement, then is activated by radiation exposure to initiate rapid setting. This preliminary preparation allows the cement to maintain fluidity during placement while enabling quick setting afterward through radiation triggering, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining structural integrity and reducing wait-on-cement time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the cement composition by adding radiation-sensitive components (such as radiolytic initiators or radiation-crosslinkable polymers) that alter the setting mechanism. These additives allow the cement to transition from a slow-setting state during placement to a rapid-setting state when exposed to radiation, effectively decoupling placement time from setting time and reducing wait-on-cement duration while ensuring structural integrity
2Ease of operation
If the cement composition uses conventional setting mechanisms, then the mix remains fluid during placement, but excessive wait-on-cement time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cement composition is prepared in advance with radiation-sensitive additives that keep the cement fluid during placement operations. After placement, radiation exposure triggers the setting reaction, allowing the cement to set quickly without compromising placement fluidity. This preliminary formulation enables operational ease while minimizing waiting time
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation-sensitive additive acts as an intermediary between the cement's fluid state and solid state. During placement, the additive maintains fluidity; upon radiation exposure, it mediates the transition to a setting state, enabling quick setting without affecting placement characteristics. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and time efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces the WOC time, allowing for earlier resumption of drilling operations while maintaining the structural integrity of the cement, thereby decreasing operational costs and time.
Implementation Method 1
systems and methods that use bremsstrahlung radiation to facilitate the setting of a settable composition
Implementation Method 2
convey an electron accelerator tool... producing bremsstrahlung photons
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods that produce bremsstrahlung radiation may facilitate the setting of a settable composition. For example, a method may include providing a settable composition in a portion of a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, a portion of the subterranean formation, or both; conveying an electron accelerator tool along the wellbore proximal to the settable composition; producing an electron beam in the electron accelerator tool with a trajectory that impinges a converter material, thereby converting the electron beam to bremsstrahlung photons; manipulating the trajectory of the electron beam in a radial direction, an axial direction, or both of the wellbore with a rastoring device of the electron accelerator tool; and irradiating the settable composition with the bremsstrahlung photons.