Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control
Conventional cements and plugs are challenged by corrosion in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich and extreme geothermal environments, due to the hostile chemistry and high temperatures. Thermite-based sealing and well intervention technologies are being applied in the oil and gas industry, combining th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/19/6703 |
| _version_ | 1797478389172404224 |
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| author | Bill Lowry Andrew Louden Robin Jerman Tatiana Pyatina |
| author_facet | Bill Lowry Andrew Louden Robin Jerman Tatiana Pyatina |
| author_sort | Bill Lowry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Conventional cements and plugs are challenged by corrosion in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich and extreme geothermal environments, due to the hostile chemistry and high temperatures. Thermite-based sealing and well intervention technologies are being applied in the oil and gas industry, combining the energy delivery capability of thermite materials with the sealing characteristics of low melt temperature alloys. The thermite reaction products (ceramics) and the sealing alloys used in these plugs both have very attractive corrosion properties, and their operating envelopes extend into geothermal conditions. Thermite plugs and platforms, without supplemental sealing materials, have been considered for nuclear waste isolation, carbon sequestration, and geothermal applications due to the geochemical stability of the ceramic product and its very high service temperature. This study addresses corrosion resistance of the thermite reaction products. A range of engineered thermite systems which yield thermite reaction products including pure aluminum oxide, feldspar, or aluminosilicate solid solutions (in addition to the iron produced in thermite reactions) was developed. These materials were evaluated for their strong acid resistance (pH 1), carbonate resistance (sodium carbonate) and thermal shock resistance (600 °C heating → cold water quenching repeated three times). Performance of different materials was evaluated based on the changes in mechanical properties, water-fillable porosity, phase changes under stress conditions. The aluminosilicate product exhibited very good corrosion resistance, both from material loss and strength perspectives, while the other products performed with varying degrees of stability. This paper presents the results of the thermite corrosion studies and describes the novel tools being deployed, and under development, to satisfy challenging barrier and intervention applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:31:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c2daf31773d4ac3824b8b08520b441b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:31:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c2daf31773d4ac3824b8b08520b441b2023-11-23T20:55:36ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442022-09-011519670310.3390/ma15196703Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid ControlBill Lowry0Andrew Louden1Robin Jerman2Tatiana Pyatina3isol8 Inc., Port Townsend, WA 98368-9305, USAisol8 Ltd., Aberdeen AB12 3SN, UKisol8 Inc., Port Townsend, WA 98368-9305, USABrookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USAConventional cements and plugs are challenged by corrosion in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich and extreme geothermal environments, due to the hostile chemistry and high temperatures. Thermite-based sealing and well intervention technologies are being applied in the oil and gas industry, combining the energy delivery capability of thermite materials with the sealing characteristics of low melt temperature alloys. The thermite reaction products (ceramics) and the sealing alloys used in these plugs both have very attractive corrosion properties, and their operating envelopes extend into geothermal conditions. Thermite plugs and platforms, without supplemental sealing materials, have been considered for nuclear waste isolation, carbon sequestration, and geothermal applications due to the geochemical stability of the ceramic product and its very high service temperature. This study addresses corrosion resistance of the thermite reaction products. A range of engineered thermite systems which yield thermite reaction products including pure aluminum oxide, feldspar, or aluminosilicate solid solutions (in addition to the iron produced in thermite reactions) was developed. These materials were evaluated for their strong acid resistance (pH 1), carbonate resistance (sodium carbonate) and thermal shock resistance (600 °C heating → cold water quenching repeated three times). Performance of different materials was evaluated based on the changes in mechanical properties, water-fillable porosity, phase changes under stress conditions. The aluminosilicate product exhibited very good corrosion resistance, both from material loss and strength perspectives, while the other products performed with varying degrees of stability. This paper presents the results of the thermite corrosion studies and describes the novel tools being deployed, and under development, to satisfy challenging barrier and intervention applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/19/6703thermite-based sealerscorrosion resistant well materialscement alternativesgeothermal wellsCO<sub>2</sub> resistant well materialsthermal shock |
| spellingShingle | Bill Lowry Andrew Louden Robin Jerman Tatiana Pyatina Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control Materials thermite-based sealers corrosion resistant well materials cement alternatives geothermal wells CO<sub>2</sub> resistant well materials thermal shock |
| title | Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control |
| title_full | Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control |
| title_fullStr | Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control |
| title_short | Corrosion-Resistant Plug Materials for Geothermal Well Fluid Control |
| title_sort | corrosion resistant plug materials for geothermal well fluid control |
| topic | thermite-based sealers corrosion resistant well materials cement alternatives geothermal wells CO<sub>2</sub> resistant well materials thermal shock |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/19/6703 |
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