Effect of Polypropylene Fibers on Oil-Well Cement Properties at HPHT Condition

Abstract

In deeper wells, high pressure and temperature post cementing operations put extreme stresses on the cement sheath and dramatically affect the cement integrity. So, the design of the cement slurry is very important to ensure the durability and long-term integrity of the cement sheath. The design should lead to a better zonal isolation and strengthen the bonding with the casing. Furthermore, it should help to shield the casing from corroding and unpredictable shock loads in deeper zones and sustain plugs to control the lost circulation in fractured and high permeability zones. Different additives were used to provide these functions such as; polymers, fibers, and bio-medicine in concrete history. Because of their large surface areas and small size, those particles are highly being used in the petroleum industry in the latest decades. In this study, the usage of polypropylene fibers (PPF) is evaluated for oil well cement at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) condition. The polypropylene fibers were added to the base cement in a different amount to evaluate its influence on enhancing the performance of cement. The results obtained showed that adding polypropylene fiber to the base cement has a negligible effect on cement density, rheological properties, and free water. Using polypropylene fiber (0.75% base weight of cement (BWOC)) with the base cement reduced the thickening time by 75%; from 317 minutes to 78 minutes. The addition of Polypropylene fiber (0.5% BWOC) increased the compressive strength of class G cement by 17.8%. Polypropylene fiber can be used as an alternative material for silica floor in shallow wells. Polypropylene fiber has a significant effect on reducing the porosity and the permeability of the base cement.