Optimization of Oil and Gas Wells Cement Composition Using Polymer Latex-silica Nanoparticles to Compensate the Micro-annulus Phenomenon in Cement Bond

Sustainable production from hydrocarbon resources is very important in economic stability, maintaining production capacity, and fulfilling the export commitments of governments in providing energy sources from hydrocarbon fuels. Drilling and completing oil and gas wells in the safest and most efficient manner is possible in order to meet sustainable production objectives from oil and gas reserves. One of the threats to sustainable production from oil and gas reservoirs is the wellbore integrity failure and missing isolation for various underground layers from the inner space of the well. Alternatively, the leakage of gas and saltwater from the liner lap or casing shoe due to the micro-annulus phenomenon at the margin of the cement bond is another threat to oil and gas wells. To fulfill the aims of separating subsurface layers and directing the appropriate flow of hydrocarbon fluid to the production duct, the cement sheath acts as a sealing barrier against formation layers with varying fluid content and pore pressure. Cement slurry is pumped to the annular space after driving the steel casing. Improving the properties of cement structures is a continuous technical-engineering effort to increase the durability of structures and prevent the destruction or occurrence of problems related to weakness in these structures. Cement design requirements for oil and gas wells are accompanied by perfect sealing of the well. This research seeks to provide an efficient solution to cover the gas and fluid migration issues due to cement sealing inefficiency. Combining the superior rheological properties of latexes in cement with the strength properties of silica nanoparticles is an idea that has been developed in this research. In experiments, the effect of silica nanoparticles on improving the compressive strength of cement, reducing porosity, and effective permeability in gas migration has been well established. Polymer latex also helps cement slurry by developing thixotropic properties in the slurry and reducing the transient time window to minimize the gas migration possibility in critical times when the cement column is not able to effectively resist the formation fluids and restrict the opportunity for formation fluid invasion.