Coupled mechanism of capillarity and carbonation in the oilwell cement
during ScCO2 invasion
Abstract
Supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) invades
oilwell cement under geological CO2 sequestration
conditions. With the penetration of ScCO2, cement
structure prone to damage when the coupled effects of capillarity and
carbonation were found. Microstructural evolution of oilwell cement
samples was investigated by the CT scanning and the quantitative
image-based analysis and show that ScCO2 with the high
humid condition would penetrate much deeper than the dry
ScCO2 because of the capillarity effects. Due to the
deep saline condition in the sequestration formation, the penetration of
ScCO2 was retarded by the salt deposition, comparing
with the ultrapure water (UP water) conditions. For further assessment
of this coupled mechanism, the permeability property and contact angle
changes were proposed to analyse the interface region between
ScCO2, saline/UP water and oilwell cement.