An Integrated Approach to Study Cement-to-Formation Bonding

It is crucial to assess the bond strength of the cement–formation interface while developing novel cements for efficient zonal isolation. An integrated method is presented to investigate the failure mechanism in cement and formation rock under downhole reservoir temperature and pressure conditions using a triaxial experimental setup. The acoustic emission count, strain, and velocity data aid in inferring the fracture process that led to the failure of a specimen. Although most specimens investigated exhibit the three dominant events of compaction, multi-cracking, and sliding, there are variations in the basic structure of each specimen. Furthermore, the insight obtained about the internal structure of the specimen points to its strength and damage tolerance, both of which are vital requirements for bonding. This method can distinguish between a standard cement and modified cement very effectively and help in pairing the appropriate cement formulation for a formation rock.