Geopolymer for Oilfield Application: Scaling Up Laboratory Test to Yard Test

Abstract

The present paper describes applicability of geopolymers to oilfield use. As a completely new system in oilfield, one of the main concerns about geopolymer was compatibility with oilfield equipment. It is known that geopolymer system differs from a conventional cement by a composition of base fluid and a mixing order which leads to a question of capability of existing cementing equipment to handle the geopolymer slurries. In order to validate mixability and pumpability of geopolymer slurry, a yard test had been conducted in order to test geopolymer formulations with two densities, 15 and 16.5 pgg. The yard test proved that the geopolymer system could be mixed and pumped using conventional equipment in the batch mixing as well as in the on-the-fly pumping regimes. During the yard test the geopolymer formulations were pumped with a rate up to 6 bbl/min. Results showed that special attention should be paid to a base fluid preparation and HSE aspects of the mixing and pumping process. The articles discuss practical recommendation about geopolymer preparation and pumping. For the first time it was demonstrated that geopolymer systems could be mixed and pumped using conventional cementing equipment. All mixed geopolymer slurries tested according to the API RP 10B standard and demonstrated acceptable properties, including rheology, thickening time, compressive strength and fluid loss. In addition to that the paper suggests the draft of the quality control procedure for geopolymers used in oilfield.