Enhancing geopolymer cement self-healing property with elastomeric materials

Abstract

Geopolymer cement (GPC) is a promising oil and gas well cementing alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). OPC forms ettringite, causing water absorption and shrinkage. GPC, with lower calcium content, is expected to have lower shrinkage. This study assesses GPC's performance with elastomeric expandable additive (R-additive), up to 25 wt.%. The mixing, rheological test, free water, compressive strength, and linear expansion test were done in accordance with American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 10. Results demonstrated that increasing R-additive concentration reduced slurry density. Additionally, rheological properties improved, with plastic viscosity increasing from 48 to 104 cP and the yield point from 3.8 to 12.3 N/m². The optimal R-additive concentration for ideal rheology was 20 wt.%. All formulations showed zero free water, while compressive strength and linear expansion (l/l₀) varied with curing time. The study also confirmed self-healing in geopolymer cement, preventing flow through the cement sheath at varying temperatures. A 25 wt.% R-additive concentration allowed successful pumping at 4.8 barrels per minute with 100 psi pumping pressure. In a nutshell, the inclusion of R-additive between 10 to 25 wt% into geopolymer cement meets the standards of the oil and gas industry and becomes the potential replacement for OPC.

Keywords:

• Fly ash
• self-healing
• geopolymer
• well cement
• elastomeric materials

Reviewing editor:

• Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Edith Cowan University, AUSTRALIA

Subjects:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Technology
• Mining, Mineral & Petroleum Engineering
• Civil, Environmental and Geotechnical Engineering
• Concrete & Cement; Waste & Recycling

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the technologists of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS and PETRONAS Research Sdn. Bhd. for the commitment and support to carry out various activities related to experimental work in the laboratory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data used for this research is included in this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by PETRONAS Research Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, via project cost center 015MD0-064, as administered by the Research Management Centre of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia, and the project cost center E.025.GST.02019.003, as per the record of PETRONAS Research Sdn. Bhd.

Notes on contributors

Siti Humairah A. Rahman

Dr. Siti Humairah Abd Rahman is currently working in management position at PETRONAS’ Research entity under Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Department. The author has completed PhD from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Petroleum Engineering, majoring in Well Cementing. She did her first degree in Biochemical Engineering and obtained her Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering. Throughout her 20 years of experience in Oil and Gas industry, she cultivated a diverse range of experience from new technology development, scale up, consultation until commercialization of the technology, involve in forging mutually beneficial collaboration and strategic partnership alliance, negotiation and maximizing profitability from technology sales to the organization. Her area of interest includes but not limited to commercialization, CCUS and circular economy.

Afif Izwan Abd Hamid

Afif Izwan Abd Hamid is currently Research Scientist at Petroleum Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, majoring in Drilling Engineering in 2015. He also earned his MSc in Petroleum Engineering at the same institution in 2018. His areas of interests are oilwell cementing, enhanced oil recovery, production enhancement and circular economy.

Nurul Nazmin Zulkarnain

Nurul Nazmin Zulkarnain works as a researcher at PETRONAS Research Sdn. Bhd. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in 2014, specializing in drilling engineering. Currently, she is pursuing her doctoral studies at the same university, concentrating on refining the calibration method for well cement measurement. Her interests encompass green technology, analytical chemistry, and well engineering.

Muhammad Aslam Md Yusof

Muhammad Aslam Md Yusof obtained a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Perak, Malaysia and MEngSc in Petroleum Engineering from University of New South Wales, Australia. He is currently working as a lecturer/consultant in in Department of Petroleum Engineering at UTP. He has about than 12 years of experience in industry and academic. Currently, a member of the Centre of Research in Enhanced Oil recovery (COREOR), Institute of Hydrocarbon Recovery, UTP which effectively provide consultancy, professional training and focus research on formation damage, carbon sequestration and drilling fluid.