Novel Chemically-Bonded Phosphate Ceramic Borehole Sealants (Ceramicretes) for Arctic Environments

• Main Authors: Shirish Patil, Godwin A. Chukwu, Gang Chen, Santanu Khataniar
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: 02 PETROLEUM; ANL; BOREHOLES; CEMENTING; CEMENTS; CERAMICS; CONTAMINATION; MIXERS; OIL WELLS; PERMAFROST; PHOSPHATES; PORTLAND CEMENT; WATER; ALASKAN NORTH SLOPE; Arctic; Fairbanks; Alaska North Slope; north slope; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/963362; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/963362; https://doi.org/10.2172/963362

Novel chemically bonded phosphate ceramic borehole sealant, i.e. Ceramicrete, has many advantages over conventionally used permafrost cement at Alaska North Slope (ANS). However, in normal field practices when Ceramicrete is mixed with water in blenders, it has a chance of being contaminated with leftover Portland cement. In order to identify the effect of Portland cement contamination, recent tests have been conducted at BJ services in Tomball, TX as well as at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with Ceramicrete formulations proposed by the Argonne National Laboratory. The tests conducted at BJ Services with proposed Ceramicrete formulations and Portland cement contamination have shown significant drawbacks which has caused these formulations to be rejected. However, the newly developed Ceramicrete formulation at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has shown positive results with Portland cement contamination as well as without Portland cement contamination for its effective use in oil well cementing operations at ANS.