Consolidating Spacer Fluids and Methods of Use

Abstract

Disclosed are spacer fluids and methods of use in subterranean formations. Embodiments may include use of consolidating spacer fluids in displacement of drilling fluids from a well bore annulus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of displacing a drilling fluid disposed in a well bore annulus, comprising:
 providing a consolidating spacer fluid that comprises a lost circulation material;   using the consolidating spacer fluid to displace at least a portion of the drilling fluid from the well bore annulus; and   allowing at least a portion of the consolidating spacer fluid to consolidate in the well bore annulus.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drilling fluid is an oil-based drilling fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises cement kiln dust. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises lime kiln dust. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises kiln dust in an amount in a range of from about 1% to about 60% by weight of the consolidating spacer fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising introducing a cement composition into the well bore annulus after the consolidating spacer fluid, wherein the consolidating spacer fluid separates the cement composition from the drilling fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising running a bond log on the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid in the well bore annulus to measure bonding of the consolidating spacer fluid to a pipe string in the well bore. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid is foamed and has a density in a range of from about 4 pounds per gallon to about 13 pounds per gallon. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a free water control additive, a lightweight additive, a foaming agent, a supplementary cementitious material, a weighting agent of any suitable size, a viscosifying agent, a fluid loss control agent, a a filtration control additive, a dispersant, a defoamer, a corrosion inhibitor, a scale inhibitor, a formation conditioning agent, a water-wetting surfactant, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of kiln dust, gypsum, fly ash, bentonite, hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium silicate, a hollow microsphere, gilsonite, perlite, a gas, an organic polymer, a biopolymer, latex, ground rubber, a surfactant, crystalline silica, amorphous silica, silica flour, fumed silica, nano-clay, salt, fiber, hydratable clay, rice husk ash, micro-fine cement, metakaolin, zeolite, shale, pumicite, Portland cement, Portland cement interground with pumice, barite, slag, lime, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises at least one cementitious material selected from the group consisting of Portland cement, Portland cement interground with pumice, micro-fine cement, slag, fly ash, rice husk ash, pumicite, gypsum, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have a static gel strength of from about 70 lbf/100 ft 2  to about 500 lbf/100 ft 2  and/or a yield point of from about 25 Pascals to about 250 Pascals. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have a yield limit in compression from about 1 psi to about 2,000 psi. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have an unconfined uniaxial compressive strength of from about 5 psi to about 10,000 psi. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid has a zero gel time of about 8 hours or less. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates to develop a static gel strength of about 500 lbf/100 ft 2  or more in a time from about 10 minutes to about 8 hours. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates has a transition time of about 45 minutes or less. 
     
     
         18 . A method of displacing a drilling fluid disposed in a well bore annulus, comprising:
 using a consolidating spacer fluid comprising a lost circulation material to displace at least a portion of the drilling fluid from the well bore annulus; and   allowing at least a portion of the consolidating spacer fluid to consolidate in the well bore annulus, wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid has a zero gel time of about 4 hours or less and a transition time of about 45 minutes or less.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises cement kiln dust. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of kiln dust, gypsum, fly ash, bentonite, hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium silicate, a hollow microsphere, gilsonite, perlite, a gas, an organic polymer, a biopolymer, latex, ground rubber, a surfactant, crystalline silica, amorphous silica, silica flour, fumed silica, nano-clay, salt, fiber, hydratable clay, rice husk ash, micro-fine cement, metakaolin, zeolite, shale, pumicite, Portland cement, Portland cement interground with pumice, barite, slag, lime, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising introducing a cement composition into the well bore annulus, wherein the consolidating spacer fluid separates the cement composition from the drilling fluid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have a transition time that is shorter than a transition time of the cement composition. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid has a transition time of about 20 minutes or less. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have a yield limit in compression from about 1 psi to about 2,000 psi. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates in the well bore to have an unconfined uniaxial compressive strength of from about 5 psi to about 10,000 psi. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the portion of the consolidating spacer fluid consolidates to develop a static gel strength of about 500 lbf/100 ft 2  or more in a time from about 10 minutes to about 8 hours. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the consolidating spacer fluid is foamed and has a density in a range of from about 4 pounds per gallon to about 13 pounds per gallon. 
     
     
         28 . A consolidating spacer fluid for separating a drilling fluid and a cement composition in a well bore, comprising:
 water in an amount of about 15% to about 95% by weight of the consolidating spacer fluid;   a partially calcined kiln feed comprising SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , CaO, MgO, SO 3 , Na 2 O, and K 2 O;   a lost circulation material;   an additive selected from the group consisting of gypsum, bentonite, hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium silicate, a hollow microsphere, gilsonite, perlite, a gas, an organic polymer, a biopolymer, latex, ground rubber, a surfactant, crystalline silica, amorphous silica, silica flour, fumed silica, nano-clay, salt, fiber, hydratable clay, rice husk ash, micro-fine cement, metakaolin, zeolite, shale, pumicite, Portland cement, Portland cement interground with pumice, barite, slag, lime, and any combination thereof;   fly ash in an amount of about 1% to about 60% by weight of the consolidating spacer fluid; and   a free water control additive in an amount of about 0.1% to about 16% by weight of the consolidating spacer fluid;   wherein the consolidating spacer fluid has a zero gel time of about 4 hours or less under predetermined well bore conditions   
     
     
         29 . The consolidating spacer fluid of  claim 28 , wherein the consolidating spacer fluid is disposed in the well bore between the drilling fluid and the cement composition. 
     
     
         30 . The consolidating spacer fluid of  claim 28  wherein the partially calcined kiln feed is present in an amount in a range of from about 1% to about 60% by weight of the consolidating spacer fluid. 
     
     
         31 . The consolidating spacer fluid of  claim 28  wherein the partially calcined kiln feed comprises at least one kiln dust selected from the group consisting of cement kiln dust and lime kiln dust.