Claims
- 1. An improved method of sealing openings in a well bore penetrating a subterranean zone into which fluids contained in the well bore are lost or from which fluids undesirably flow into the well bore comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a hardenable epoxy composition having a viscosity at 25.degree. C. in the range of from about 10 to about 100 centipoises comprising an epoxide containing liquid selected from the group of the diglycidyl ether of 1,4-butanediol, the diglycidyl ether of neopentyl glycol and the diglycidyl ether of cyclohexane dimethanol, a particulate filler and a hardening agent;
- (b) placing said epoxy composition by way of said well bore into said openings and into said subterranean zone; and
- (c) allowing said epoxy composition to harden.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, and carboxylic acid anhydrides.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of triethylenetetramine, ethylenediamine, N-cocoalkyltri-methylenediamine, isophoronediamine, diethyltoluenediamine and tris(dimethylaminomethylphenol) and is present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 90% by weight of said epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of crystalline silicas, amorphous silicas, clays, calcium carbonate and barite.
- 5. An improved method of sealing openings in a well bore penetrating a subterranean zone into which fluids contained in the well bore are lost or from which fluids undesirably flow into the well bore comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a hardenable epoxy composition having a viscosity at 25.degree. C. in the range of from about 10 to about 100 centipoises comprising an epoxide containing liquid selected from the group of the diglycidyl ether of 1,4-butanediol, the diglycidyl ether of neopentyl glycol and the diglycidyl ether of cyclohexane dimethanol, an aqueous completion or drilling fluid present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said epoxide containing liquid in said composition and a hardening agent;
- (b) placing said epoxy composition by way of said well bore into said openings and into said subterranean zone; and
- (c) allowing said epoxy composition to harden.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said composition further includes a surfactant selected from the group of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, the sodium salt of an alpha-olefinic sulfonate and nonylphenol ethoxylated with 8-10 moles of ethylene oxide and terminating with a sodium carboxylate group present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 2% to about 20% by weight of epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said epoxy composition further comprises an epoxy resin comprised of epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A present in an amount in the range of from about 10% to about 90% by weight of epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said epoxy composition is placed in accordance with step (b) by pumping said composition into said openings and into said subterranean zone at an elevated pressure.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said epoxy composition is placed in accordance with step (b) by permitting said composition to flow into said openings and into said subterranean zone by hydrostatic fluid pressure differential.
- 10. The method of claim 5 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, and carboxylic acid anhydrides.
- 11. The method of claim 5 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of triethylenetetramine, ethylenediamine, N-cocoalkyltri-methylenediamine, isophoronediamine, diethyltoluenediamine and tris(dimethylaminomethylphenol) and is present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 90% by weight of said epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 12. The method of claim 5 wherein said epoxy composition further comprises a particulate filler.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of crystalline silicas, amorphous silicas, clays, calcium carbonate and barite.
- 14. An improved method of sealing relatively large openings in a well bore penetrating a subterranean zone into which fluids contained in the well bore are lost comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a hardenable epoxy sealing composition having a viscosity at 25.degree. C. in the range of from about 10 to about 100 centipoises and having flexibility upon hardening comprising an epoxide containing liquid selected from the group of the diglycidyl ether of 1,4-butanediol, the diglycidyl ether of neopentyl glycol and the diglycidyl ether of cyclohexane dimethanol, an epoxy resin compound of epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A present in an amount in the range of from about 10% to about 90% by weight of epoxide containing liquid in said composition and a hardening agent;
- (b) permitting said epoxy composition to flow by hydrostatic fluid pressure differential into said openings and into said subterranean zone; and
- (c) allowing said epoxy composition to harden.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, and carboxylic acid anhydrides.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said hardening agent is at least one member selected from the group of triethylenetetramine, ethylenediamine, N-cocoalkyltri-methylenediamine, isophoronediamine, diethyltoluenediamineand tris(dimethylaminomethylphenol) and is present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 90% by weight of said epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 17. The method of claim 14 wherein said epoxy composition further comprises a particulate filler.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of crystalline silicas, amorphous silicas, clays, calcium carbonate and barite.
- 19. The method of claim 14 wherein said epoxy composition further comprises aqueous drilling fluid present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 50% by weight of said epoxide in said composition.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said composition further includes a surfactant comprising nonylphenol ethoxylated with 8-10 moles of ethylene oxide and terminating with a sodium carboxylate group present in said composition in an amount in the range of from about 2% to about 20% by weight of epoxide containing liquid in said composition.
- 21. The method of claim 14 wherein said epoxy composition further comprises a lost circulation material.
- 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said lost circulation material is selected from the group consisting of ground walnut hulls, cellophane flakes and fibrous materials.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/914,594, filed on Aug. 18, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,413.
US Referenced Citations (46)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 553 566A1 |
Aug 1993 |
EPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
914594 |
Aug 1997 |
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