A Novel Oil Well Cementing Technology Using Natural Fibers

Abstract

In many industrial processes, the pipeline systems are lined with a protective layer of cement mortar. In petroleum wells, cement slurry is placed in a wellbore to be hardened into an impermeable mass that seals the annulus from fluid flow and protects the casing from corrosion for the life of the well. When uniform linings of neat cement fail in tension, one or more large cracks are formed and the pressurizing fluid or mud easily flows through the cracks. The necessity to check the damaging effect of plastic shrinkage in cement mortar, and thus the formation of cracks, has called for further studies in this topic. In the past, the most common research topic has been in the areas of polymer fibers that are expensive and environmentally unacceptable. In the quest of pursuing technologies that are environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and innovative, this paper suggests the use of human hair, a waste material, in order to replace polymer fibers. Hair waste has been used as a new natural fiber to reinforce mortar and cement and improve their impermeability. The investigation reported herein concerns the effects of human hair fibers on the reduction of shrinkage cracking of mortar. The influence of mix proportions on the plastic shrinkage of human hair fiber reinforced mortar has been studied. The approach selected in this study is based on the factorial design of experiments, in which the considered parameters are cement/sand ratio, water/cement ratio, and human hair fibers content. The results show that human hair fibers are effective in reducing the plastic shrinkage cracks area of mortar by a remarkable percentage up to 92%.