Performance Evaluation of Alkali Activated Kaolinite Clay as Oil and Gas Geopolymer Cement

With the increasing awareness against global warming, it is imperative to substitute Portland cement that has been used in the oil and gas industry due to huge emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with its production Recently, geopolymer cement has been identified as a suitable alternative because of its environmentally benign nature and can meet the specifications of oil and gas wells. The use of kaolinite clay, which comes from natural resource as the base material contributes to the environmental sustainability and makes the cementing material cost-effective. The aim of this research is to study the effect of several external exposures curing temperatures and hydration time on kaolinite clay based Geopolymer cement. Firstly, two samples were prepared under four different curing temperatures including ambient temperature (23°C), 40°C, 60°C, and 80°C. The strongest samples from four curing temperatures were taken and cured at three different hydration times of 24 h, 72 h and 120 h. To determine the acid resistance of the samples, they were soaked in acid solution for 24 h and 72 h, 3%/12% of HF/HCl. The result shows that geopolymer cement appeared to have higher compressive strength under higher temperature and acidic condition. Moreover, geopolymer cement has better mechanical properties compared to conventional cement. The outcome of this study is beneficial for ensuring environmental sustainability in oil and gas well cementing process.