A Soil Mechanics Approach To Predict Cement Sheath Behavior

In this paper, we predict the bulk shrinkage of oil well cements using a soil mechanics model where compaction is a dominant mechanism. In our approach, the bulk shrinkage is the result of the decrease in pore pressure following cement hydration. We perform triaxial tests on set cements to calibrate the model. We perform laboratory experiments to demonstrate the applicability of this approach to shrinkage prediction. We simulate the downhole conditions to predict the consequences of shrinkage on zonal isolation. P. 329