Geopolymer based Oil Well Cementing Systems using Silica Fume

• Main Author: Tan, Hui Xian
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Teknologi Petronas 2013
• Subjects: TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/10651/1/Dissertation.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/10651/

Nowadays, ordinary Portland cement is used extensively in the well cementing operations, due to its low cost and widespread availability of limestone, clay and shale. However, there are two big challenges presented with the usage of Portland cement for oil well cementing purpose, one is the occurrence of cement failure while the other one is the vast emission of carbon dioxide. The objective of this project is to develop geopolymer based oil well cementing systems by utilizing silica fume, as a better substitute for the current conventional Portland cement. Throughout the project, five types of cement slurries are prepared and laboratory tests are carried out to test their rheology properties, filtration loss and compressive strength. All these tests were carried out at a pressure ranging from 1000 psi to 3000 psi with varied temperatures (100¢ªF, 150¢ªF and 200¢ªF), representing different oil well conditions. The test results show that the developed geopolymer cements appear to be in ideal plastic viscosity range while geopolymer cements with 20% and 30% of silica fume perform well in term of yield point. As for filtration loss, geopolymer cements with 10%, 20% and 30% of silica fume exhibit desired readings at temperature of 150 ¢ªF. Silica fume is proved to have a significant effect in improving compressive strength and the geopolymer cement with 30% of silica fume is the cement slurry with optimum performance. It is also found out that the developed geoplymer cements with silica fume are suitable to be used at low and medium temperature oil wells. Overall, geopolymer based oil well cementing systems using silica fume have better physical and mechanical properties compared to conventional Portland cement.