Climate-friendly cement for oil and gas wellbore integrity: formulation and performance test of geopolymer binder with carbon dioxide-assisted curing Catherine Y. Msomba, Makungu M. Madirisha, Kessy F. Kilulya Chemistry Department, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania The oil and gas industry is grappling with a pressing challenge related to the integrity of wellbores, primarily due to the properties of the binders used in well construction. This research paper focuses on addressing this critical issue by exploring the formulation and performance evaluation of a geopolymer binder cured with carbon dioxide. In this study, raw materials such as kaolin, magnesite, and waste glass cullets were employed to formulate and assess this innovative solution. Porosimeter results revealed that all raw materials exhibited mesoporous characteristics. Notably, the application of carbonation curing to the geopolymer pastes resulted in an increase in mass by 10.34% and in compressive strength by 19.32%. Similarly, when these geopolymer pastes were subjected to simulated oil and gas wellbore conditions, involving exposure to a brine bath with 15% NaCl and 15% NaSO 4 , at temperatures of 60, 70, and 80 °C for varying durations (7, 14, 21, and 28 days), they exhibited improved compressive strength. The highest compressive strength, measuring 36.72 ± 0.22 MPa, was achieved when geopolymer pastes were cured at 80°C for 28 days. Chemical stability assessments showed that the pastes cured under these conditions had a low concentration of dissolved metal ions in the brine bath, a finding that aligned with the compressive strength results. The percentage of water absorption was measured at 1.36 ± 0.06%, indicating low porosity. Additionally, thermal stability tests confirmed that the geopolymer pastes exhibited excellent thermal stability, with an amorphousness index of 66.42%. These research findings collectively offer valuable insights into the formulation and performance of geopolymer binders cured with carbon dioxide, with potential applications in the oil and gas wellbore. Implementing the findings from this study is expected to contribute significantly to addressing Sustainable Development Goals 9, 11, 12, and 13.
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