ADDITIVE CEMENT COMPOSITIONS AND METHOD

An additive composition for enhancing the properties of hydraulic cement compositions, and a hydraulic cement composition of enhanced properties, particularly useful in the cementing of wells, and methods of cementing geologic formations traversed by well bores are disclosed. The additive composition comprises a water soluble lignosulfonate or lignosulfonic acid or mixtures thereof, and tartaric acid or a salt of tartaric acid or mixtures thereof, and preferably about 3 parts calcium lignosulfonate and 1 part tartaric acid, although good results are obtained with 1 to 19 parts lignosulfonate or lignosulfonic acid and 19 to 1 parts tartaric acid or a salt of tartaric acid. The hydraulic composition includes a hydraulic cement and preferably about 1-1/2% of the additive composition based on the weight of the cement; although , good results are obtained with from about 0.10% to about 3%, or higher, for example, for long life slurries. Especially good results are obtained when the hydraulic cement has been pretreated and aged as in our co-pending application filed Jan. 25, 1971, Ser. No. 109,606. The hydraulic cement composition has good viscosity and strength, ideal thickening times, and a reduced amount of mix water may be used thereby increasing the weight of the cement slurry.