CHEMICALS Oil Well Cement Dowell launches aiuminous cement— claims completely new product in the industry
first
Dc/ o w C H E ^ I I C A L removed secrecy agent, a n d a powdered fluoride acceler wraps o n its mysterious Z-Flux opera ator to control setting time. Properly tions last month at Freeport when com combined, these materials produce a slurry ready to be pany officials announced production of gray-to-black a n e w cementing material, Detex. p u m p e d into wells. Dowell claims De Z-Flux and Detex are identical prod tex has many desirable properties: ucts, says A. P. Beutel, Texas division • Uniform slurries, low fluid loss, and general manager a n d president of Dowell. T h e code name, h e explains, no shrinkage upon hardening. • High bonding strength and resist served as a working designation to con ceal t h e nature of Detex during its de ance to shattering. velopment, stages. • Controlled setting time at various Dowell h a d been guarding produc temperatures. tion details closely because Detex is t h e • Assimilation or cementation of filter first completely n e w cement ever d e cakes. signed especially for oil well usage, • Toleration of relatively high con c o m p a n y officials claim. I t is not port- tamination by drilling muds. land c e m e n t with n e w additives, nor a plastic material. Detex's setting prin T h e setting of Detex in t h e well re ciple a n d other properties are quite sults from chemical reactions that form different from portland cement. insoluble, monolithic compounds, com A complex aluminous cement, Detex pany says. Detex is suitable for setting is 35 % inhibited phosphoric acid, casing and liners, for performing mixed with p o w d e r e d aluminous ma squeeze jobs, and for other types of terial containing a viscosity control remedial work. It can be used in any
Detex is readily d r i l l e d a n d perforated by conventional zrnethods; cuttings d o not adversely affect most drilling muds. It is easily drilled with an or dinary pockret tarife oil well cementing j o b where present day cementing irxaterials a r e applied. • The N e w Look. DowelTs search for Detex began shortly after t h e e n d of World War U , w h e n t h e decision was m a d e t o put Dowell back into t h e well-cementing field. ( T h e firm h a d wit-uuLrawn ΑΓΌΠΙ WSU. cementing uuring the w a r to concentrate on well treat ment.) Bu.t company m a n a g e m e n t decided operations would not b e r e sumed on a. "me t o o " basis. Dowell withheld action until it could offer a new product. Researchers started investigating newapproaches to oil well cementing b y first defining the properties of a n ideal product : • T h e ability to set a t controlled times. • Tight bonding to the casing and t h e ground formation. • Resistance tx> contamination b y drilling muds and drilling m u d addi tives. T h e y came u p w i t h a material that has an accelerator, which by varying the concentration, controls working a n d setting time. O e t e x slurry replaces mud readily; more than 2 0 % of m u d by volume can b-e incorporated into t h e slurry without c a u s i n g failure to set.
D o w e l l checks t h e thickening time of its Detex slurry with a high pressure Consistometer. Working a n d setting times of t h e slurry are controlled accurately by varying a m o u n t of fluoride accelerator present in mixture 178
C&EN
J A N . 9,
1956
Further useful information on Chemicals mentioned Is readily available
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prevention at the points where fires start
Fire-raaiatanf Ceianes© Cellulubes
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Synthetic lubricants a n d p o w e r transfer fluids a r e n o w a v a i l a b l e in 6 controlled viscosities Celanese Cellulubes a r e fire-resistant synthetic oils, designed to provide protection against fire hazards a n d explosion inherent in m a n y industrial operations. As air cylinder lubricants in compressed air systems, Cellulubes prevent the formation of excessive carbon deposits—No. 1 source of compressor fires a n d explo sions. They a r e excellent lubricants—highly stable, non-corrosive, non-foaming. As the hydraulic fluid in diecasting a n d similar criti cal operations, Cellulubes reduce the ever-present danger from uncontrollable fires d u e to line breaks or other failures. Chemical compounds that contain no additives, Cellulubes' physical properties a r e ex ceptionally stable under continuous duty. 6 CONTROLLED VISCOSITIES
.With the expansion of t h e Cellulube series to 6 con trolled viscosities: 90, 150, 220, 300, 550, a n d 1000 (S.U.S. @ 100° F.), the w a y is open to replace flam m a b l e fluids in m a n y hazardous applications. If y o u would like to evaluate Cellulube in your own opera
tion, u s e coupon below to order working samples and complete use data. Celanese Corporation of America, Chemical Division, Dept.554-A, 180 Madison Avenue, New York 16, Ν. Υ.
£^e«u&e* Reg. U.S. Pat. OH.
C H E M I C A L S
Celanese Corporation of America, Chemical Division, Dept. 554-A,i80 Madison Avenue, New York 16, Ν. Υ. Please send me working sample and technical bulletin on Cellu lube for air compressor service for hydraulic systems . Send technical representative Name Title Company. Address City
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J A N . 9. 19 56 C & E N
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CHEMICALS
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