Cement Clinker Particles for Permeable Wellbore Solids Restraint
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling the migration of formation solids in wellbores, such as sand and clay, often compromise the structural integrity and permeability, leading to restricted production and potential loss of permeability over time.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a slurry of water, a viscosifier, and cement clinker particles is introduced into the wellbore, where the clinker particles are kept in suspension during hydration, forming a hardened, permeable cement structure with controlled permeability, and a degradable lost circulation material is used to separate the slurry from the formation, ensuring sustained permeability and effective solids restraint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground hydraulic cement clinker is hydrated in the wellbore to form a rigid filter, then sand migration is prevented, but permeability is lost after prolonged time due to porosity removal after full hydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of cement clinker to a coarser range (0.5-5.0 mm) compared to traditional fine ground cement. This parameter change allows the cement to maintain porosity and permeability even after full hydration, as the larger particles create more interstitial space that is retained in the hardened structure, thus resolving the contradiction between solids restraint and sustained permeability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the inherent porosity of coarser cement clinker particles to create a permeable filter structure. The larger particle size naturally creates a more open, porous structure after hydration that maintains fluid flow pathways while still providing effective sand consolidation, directly addressing the permeability loss problem of traditional fine cement
2Reliability
If unconsolidated sand is consolidated using traditional cement, then sand migration is controlled, but the wellbore structure becomes less permeable over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the particle size distribution parameter of the cement material, using coarser clinker particles (0.5-5.0 mm) that maintain structural porosity after hydration. This parameter change ensures that the consolidated sand structure retains permeability over extended periods, solving the time-dependent permeability loss issue of traditional fine cement consolidants
3Reliability
If a permeable rigid filter is formed using fine ground cement clinker, then sand is prevented from entering the well, but the filter loses permeability after full hydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the particle size parameter from fine ground cement (<0.5 mm) to coarser clinker particles (0.5-5.0 mm). This parameter change creates a filter structure that maintains permeability after hydration because the larger particles preserve interstitial void space, thus maintaining both filter effectiveness and fluid production capability over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite approach by combining coarser cement clinker particles with specific water-to-cement ratios and potential admixtures to create a filter material that exhibits both mechanical strength for sand consolidation and sustained permeability for fluid flow, resolving the contradiction between filter effectiveness and production capability
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
The method effectively restricts the migration of formation solids while maintaining high permeability, allowing for sustained production and preventing structural integrity compromise, with permeability retained over time and the ability to drill out the cement structure when necessary.
Implementation Method 1
hydrating the clinker particles in the wellbore, whereby the clinker particles are kept in suspension during the hydrating
Implementation Method 2
a slurry, comprising water, a viscosifier, and a concentration of cement clinker particles
Implementation Method 3
a layer of degradable lost circulation material separates the slurry with clinker particles from the formation surrounding the wellbore during said hydrating of the clinker particles
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
Migration of formation solids in a wellbore is restrained by feeding a slurry, comprising water, a viscosifier, and a concentration of cement clinker particles, into the wellbore, and hydrating the clinker particles in the wellbore. The clinker particles are kept in suspension during the hydrating, and upon completion of the hydrating the hydrated clinker particles form a hardened cement consisting of a permeable structure of interconnected hydrated clinker particles. A layer of degradable lost circulation material (LCM) may be employed to separate the slurry with clinker particles from the formation surrounding the wellbore during hydrating of the clinker particles.