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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Sand control agent and process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5153084

This patent describes a method for forming a gravel pack in a washed-out interval adjacent a borehole in an unconsolidated or loosely consolidated formation. It comprises perforating a cased borehole at an interval of the formation having a washed-out interval adjacent the borehole; placing sand into the washed-out interval via perforations in the borehole; injecting an aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate into the interval through perforations contained in the borehole which solution is of a strength sufficient to react with an alcoholic solution of calcium salt to form a permeability retention cement having a porosity sufficient to exclude formation fines or sand; and injecting thereafter via the perforations a solvent containing a calcium salt into the interval containing sand in an amount sufficient to react with the alkali metal silicate at an interface with the solvent so as to form a calcium silicate cement which binds the sand whereupon the porosity of the sand-containing interval is reduced to a size sufficient to exclude the fines or sand while retaining the formation's permeability as the interface flows evenly and continually through the formation.

Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp., Fairfax, VA (United States)
Patent Number(s):
US 5101901; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-622587
OSTI ID:
5153084
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English