Self-healing cements – the key to maintaining the integrity of cement sheath. Part 1

Abstract

To control water production, it is necessary to seal the channels of 20–25 mm thickness in the cement sheath at a depth of hundreds and thousands of meters. The most promising solution is the use of self-healing cements. The concept of self-healing materials has been known since the 1980s due to the studies of Donald Jud. The most fundamental works are by Sybrand van der Zwaag, Sheba D. Bergman and Fred Wudl, Richard P. Wool, D.Y Wu, N.R. Sottos, Erin B. Murphy, Henk Jonkers, who substantiated the concept, suggested technologies and additives to restore the integrity of polymer and cement materials. Despite active research in this area, Schlumberger is the only service company which elaborated and successfully applied the «self-healing» well cement called Futur. The authors of the article set the task of well cement modification that enables autonomous «healing» of water-conducting channels through which formation water migrates.

Keywords

• cement stone
• water passages
• water absorbing reagents
• modifying additives
• triggering mechanism
• autonomous cement sheath repair