US: SLB has launched EcoShield, a geopolymer-based well cement product. The company, also known as Schlumberger, says that the product cuts out up to 85% of embodied CO2 emissions compared with conventional well cementing systems because it does not use ordinary Portland cement (OPC). It also reduces transport related emissions by using locally-sourced natural materials and industrial waste streams in its composition. The company says that the cement-free system can be deployed throughout various phases of the well life cycle, including abandonment. It can also be deployed across a range of field applications, including corrosive environments.
Jesus Lamas, SLB’s president of Well Construction, said “Decarbonising the well construction process while ensuring safety and performance standards is critical to our industry’s pathway to net zero.” He added “The cement-free EcoShield system is a breakthrough that delivers industry-standard zonal isolation capabilities while significantly minimising impacts from upstream oil and gas production.”
EcoShield has been tested by Pioneer Natural Resources in the Permian Basin on an 18-well field testing campaign and its use is ongoing.