US 11,884,874 B2
Bentonite-based grouts and related methods
Shantel Jeanette Stone, Conroe, TX (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/654,125.
Application 17/654,125 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/639,266, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2017/061557, filed on Nov. 14, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0195283 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. C09K 8/504 (2006.01); C04B 14/10 (2006.01); C04B 22/10 (2006.01); E21B 33/14 (2006.01); C04B 111/70 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/5045 (2013.01) [C04B 14/104 (2013.01); C04B 22/103 (2013.01); E21B 33/14 (2013.01); C04B 2111/70 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of using a grout fluid, which comprises:
placing a geothermal conduit in at least one hole in the earth;
providing a grout fluid consisting essentially of water and a bentonite-based grout, wherein the bentonite-based grout consists essentially of from about 30 to about 40 weight percent (wt %) calcium carbonate based on a total weight of the bentonite-based grout, a bentonite, one or more grout-setting modifiers, and one or more thermally conductive materials, and excludes cementitious materials that (i) when mixed with a liquid form a plastic paste and harden or (ii) harden under dry conditions;
introducing the grout fluid into a space between the geothermal conduit and sidewalls of the at least one hole so that the grout fluid is in contact with the geothermal conduit;
after introducing the grout fluid, allowing the grout fluid to set to fix the geothermal conduit to the at least one hole, wherein after setting, the grout fluid has a hydraulic conductivity of between about 1×10−7 cm/s and about 1×10−9 cm/s, and
heating or cooling a heat transfer fluid in the geothermal conduit by respectively transferring heat through the set grout fluid from the earth to the heat transfer fluid or vice versa.