SWIPA Group

SafeRock 2.0

However, the production of Portland cement, the industry-standard well barrier material, is associated with substantial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Developing sustainable alternatives that can simultaneously reduce environmental impact and satisfy the stringent performance requirements of well construction therefore represents a major scientific and engineering challenge.

As part of the SafeRock 2.0 project, this postdoctoral research focuses on the development of sustainable one-part geopolymer systems for well integrity applications. The research investigates granite-derived "Just Add Water" (JAW) geopolymers as low-carbon alternatives to conventional well cement. A central objective is to develop a true one-part geopolymer technology that requires only the addition of water at the point of use, without external alkaline activators or supplementary chemical additives. While many one-part geopolymers reported in the literature still rely on additional activation strategies, this research seeks to establish a practical and industrially deployable JAW system capable of meeting the demanding mechanical, durability, and operational requirements of well barrier applications.

The project combines materials engineering, laboratory experimentation, and advanced characterization techniques to establish fundamental relationships between reaction mechanisms, phase evolution, microstructure, transport properties, and engineering performance. Through multi-scale investigations under conditions relevant to well construction and abandonment, the research aims to advance the scientific understanding of sustainable cementitious materials and support the development of robust low-carbon well barrier systems for future energy infrastructure.

Stacked vs. Continuous Annular Cement as a Well Barrier

Regulatory standards such as NORSOK D-010 require a minimum length of good-quality cement (typically 30 metres ) to qualify that cement as a barrier.

In practice, two configurations arise. In the continuous case, the required cement length is uninterrupted: a single, unbroken column of good cement. In the stacked case, the required length is accumulated across multiple shorter segments of good cement, separated by intervals of poor-quality or contaminated cement.

The distinction matters because field cementing rarely produces a perfect, unbroken column. Contamination from oil-based mud, gas migration, or poor placement can create intervals of degraded cement within an otherwise long cement sheath. Whether these non-continuous, or "stacked," good cement segments collectively provide the same hydraulic sealing capacity as a continuous column of equivalent total length is an open and consequential question.

This research investigates that question experimentally. Using laboratory cement specimens that systematically vary the proportion and position of good cement versus contaminated cement, the study characterizes the relationship between cement quality distribution and hydraulic sealability. The goal is to provide the experimental evidence base that currently does not exist in the regulatory frameworks governing North Sea well abandonment.

WELLFATE work package 5

As part of the WELLFATE project, this PhD research investigates fluid migration processes at offshore well sites in the Norwegian part of the North Sea. A central contribution is the introduction and formalization of Well-Associated Gas Seepage (WAGS). While true wellbore leakage involves the failure of a qualified cross-sectional barrier, WAGS describes gas migration associated with the annular cement behind the conductor and surface casing, which does not form part of a qualified cross-sectional barrier. Rather than relying solely on geological explanations such as drilling-induced fractures, the research adopts a petroleum engineering perspective, emphasizing well design, annular cement design, and abandonment practices as key controlling factors.

The project integrates literature review, 3D seismic interpretation, wellbore data analysis, statistical and machine-learning modelling, and experimental hydraulic sealability testing of cement systems. The research aims to identify the main drivers of WAGS, evaluate cement-formation compatibility in shallow, low-temperature gas-bearing formations, and provide actionable recommendations to operators and regulators for safer future drilling and PP&A operations.

Development of Hydraulic Sealability Testing Procedure and Setup for Well Barrier Materials

Whether in oil and gas production, geothermal energy, or carbon storage applications, barrier materials must be able to maintain hydraulic isolation throughout the life of a well.

A major challenge in well barrier qualification is the lack of standardized methods for evaluating hydraulic sealability under representative well conditions. While mechanical properties such as compressive strength are commonly measured, they do not necessarily reflect the ability of a barrier to prevent fluid flow through the material itself or along the interface between casing and barrier material.

This project focuses on developing and validating a laboratory test setup and testing procedure for hydraulic sealability evaluation of well barrier materials. The work investigates how factors such as curing conditions, pressurizing steps, temperature, and material behaviour influence barrier performance. Dedicated experimental systems are used to simulate well conditions and monitor leakage under controlled pressure and temperature environments.

Different barrier materials, including conventional cement and other cementitious geopolymer materials, are evaluated using the developed methodology. The objective is to establish a more reliable framework for barrier qualification and provide understanding of leakage mechanisms at the casing-barrier interface.

The outcomes of the project will support future well integrity assessments and contribute to safer and more sustainable plug and abandonment (P&A).