Sonically activating settable compositions

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for sonically activating cement slurries. In some implementations, a composition for treating a subterranean formation includes a settable composition and an activator. The activator is released in response to a sonic signal to initiate setting of the settable composition.

1 . A composition for treating a wellbore, comprising:
 a settable composition; and   an activator, wherein the activator is released in response to a sonic signal to initiate setting of the settable composition.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition comprises at least one of a cement composition, a resin composition, a settable mud, a conformance fluid, or a lost circulation composition. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the released activator is configured to increase a setting rate of the settable composition. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition includes a polymeric additive. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the polymer additive comprises at least one of a monomer, a pre-polymer, an oligomer, or a short chain polymer that polymerizes in response to the sonic signal. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition comprises a free-radical dopant that releases autocatalytic free radicals in response to the sonic signal. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the settable composition includes a polymeric additive, the released autocatalytic free radicals initiate polymerization of at least a portion of the settable composition. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sonic signal decreases a particulate size in the settable composition. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sonic signal increases at least one of pressure or temperature of the settable composition. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a frequency for transmitting the sonic signal is based, at least in part, on an inhibitor chemistry of the settable composition. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sonic signal comprises an ultrasonic signal. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises transmitted at a frequency in the range of from about 20 kiloHertz (kHz) to about 2 MegaHertz (MHz). 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sonic signal comprises an acoustic signal. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the acoustic signal is transmitted at a frequency in the range of from about 20 Hertz to about 20 kHz. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is enclosed in a shell selected from the group consisting of a polystyrene, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, polymethylmethacrylate polyurethanes, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyvinylalcohol, polyvinylacetate, hydrolyzed ethylene/vinyl acetate, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is enclosed in a shell that is sonically responsive polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein at least one dimension of the shell is from about 10 nanometers to about 10,000 micrometers. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the shell comprises a spheroid with at least one dimension in a range from about 5 micrometers (μm) to about 20 μm. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is mixed with the settable composition at a concentration from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of the settable composition. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition comprises a hydraulic cement, a base fluid and a retarder. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition is selected from the group consisting of Portland cement, pozzolanic cement, high aluminate cement, gypsum cement, silica cement, high alkalinity cement, and sorel cement. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the settable composition sets in a range from about one minute to about 24 hours after reacting with the activator. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is selected from a group consisting of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, amine compounds, salts comprising calcium, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, calcium nitrite, calcium nitrate, sodium chloride, sodium aluminate, sodium silicate, magnesium chloride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the activator is selected from a group consisting of triethanol amine, tripropanol amine, tri-isopropanol amine, diethanol amine, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A composition for treating a wellbore, comprising:
 a settable composition; and   a set retarder, wherein the set retarder responds to a sonic signal to accelerate setting of the settable composition.   
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the sonic signal substantially deactivates the set retarder. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the settable composition sets in a range from about one minute to about 24 hours after the set retarder responds to the sonic signal. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the sonic signal comprises an ultrasonic signal. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 29 , wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises transmitted at a frequency in the range of from about 20 kiloHertz (kHz) to about 2 MHz. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sonic signal comprises an acoustic signal. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the acoustic signal is transmitted at a frequency in the range of from about 20 Hertz to about 20 kHz.