Evaluation of the Performance of Local Cements with Imported Class ‘G’ Cement for Oil Well Cementing Operations in Ghana

Abstract

Portland cement is the most commonly used cement in the oil and gas industry and it accounts for about 99% of all primary cementing operations throughout the world. For Portland cement to qualify as oil well cement, the chemical and physical properties must meet the required standards of the American Petroleum Institute (API). This research evaluates the performance of three locally manufactured cement samples and imported class G cement sample for oil and gas well cementing operations in Ghana. The paper details results of API specification tests and the physical properties of the local cements with the imported class G cement. The results indicated that locally manufactured cements have the potential to be used for cementing oil and gas wells. However, further tests should be conducted to ascertain their stability under High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) conditions.

Keywords: Compressive strength, Free fluid, Portland cement, Rheology, Thickening time