Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions

Ensuring long-term wellbore integrity is critical for CO<sub>2</sub> injection and storage operations. Conventional cement degrades in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich environments, compromising zonal isolation and increasing leakage risks. This study presents a novel self-healing cement...

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Main Authors: Ahmed Alsubaih, Kamy Sepehrnoori, Mojdeh Delshad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5428
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author Ahmed Alsubaih
Kamy Sepehrnoori
Mojdeh Delshad
author_facet Ahmed Alsubaih
Kamy Sepehrnoori
Mojdeh Delshad
author_sort Ahmed Alsubaih
collection DOAJ
description Ensuring long-term wellbore integrity is critical for CO<sub>2</sub> injection and storage operations. Conventional cement degrades in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich environments, compromising zonal isolation and increasing leakage risks. This study presents a novel self-healing cement formulation incorporating Barite, Pozzolan, and Chalcedony, optimized using a Design of Experiment (DOE) approach. Geochemical simulations were conducted using PHREEQC and Python to evaluate porosity evolution, mineral stability, and self-sealing efficiency under CO<sub>2</sub> exposure. The results demonstrate that the optimized formulations significantly reduce porosity (within 7–14 days) through the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels, enhancing crack sealing and mechanical resilience. Saturation index and phase volume analyses confirm the long-term stability of ECSH2 and Calcite, reinforcing the cement matrix. Compared to conventional cement, the self-healing formulations exhibit improved durability, lower permeability, and superior resistance to CO<sub>2</sub>-induced degradation. These findings support the use of self-healing cement in carbon capture and storage (CCS), geothermal energy, and deep-well applications, offering a cost-effective and durable solution for long-term wellbore integrity. However, further experimental validation and field-scale evaluation are needed to confirm the practical performance of these formulations under real-world reservoir conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-21ba381de37948ae8d4e843a2df18d422025-08-20T01:56:20ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-05-011510542810.3390/app15105428Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface ConditionsAhmed Alsubaih0Kamy Sepehrnoori1Mojdeh Delshad2Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAHildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAHildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAEnsuring long-term wellbore integrity is critical for CO<sub>2</sub> injection and storage operations. Conventional cement degrades in CO<sub>2</sub>-rich environments, compromising zonal isolation and increasing leakage risks. This study presents a novel self-healing cement formulation incorporating Barite, Pozzolan, and Chalcedony, optimized using a Design of Experiment (DOE) approach. Geochemical simulations were conducted using PHREEQC and Python to evaluate porosity evolution, mineral stability, and self-sealing efficiency under CO<sub>2</sub> exposure. The results demonstrate that the optimized formulations significantly reduce porosity (within 7–14 days) through the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels, enhancing crack sealing and mechanical resilience. Saturation index and phase volume analyses confirm the long-term stability of ECSH2 and Calcite, reinforcing the cement matrix. Compared to conventional cement, the self-healing formulations exhibit improved durability, lower permeability, and superior resistance to CO<sub>2</sub>-induced degradation. These findings support the use of self-healing cement in carbon capture and storage (CCS), geothermal energy, and deep-well applications, offering a cost-effective and durable solution for long-term wellbore integrity. However, further experimental validation and field-scale evaluation are needed to confirm the practical performance of these formulations under real-world reservoir conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5428Self Healingcementwell integrity
spellingShingle Ahmed Alsubaih
Kamy Sepehrnoori
Mojdeh Delshad
Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
Applied Sciences
Self Healing
cement
well integrity
title Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
title_full Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
title_fullStr Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
title_short Development and Optimization of Self-Healing Cement for CO<sub>2</sub> Injection and Storage Wells: Enhancing Long-Term Wellbore Integrity in Extreme Subsurface Conditions
title_sort development and optimization of self healing cement for co sub 2 sub injection and storage wells enhancing long term wellbore integrity in extreme subsurface conditions
topic Self Healing
cement
well integrity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5428
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