Learning Objectives
After completing this topic “Cement Testing Procedures“, you will be able to:
- Describe the basic properties of oil well cements.
- Describe the API standards and requirements for testing cement properties.
Introduction
Cement testing is critical to a successful cement job. The purpose of cement testing is to measure the properties of the cement under conditions that represent downhole conditions as closely as possible. These properties determine how the cement slurry will behave during pumping, how the setting process will proceed, and how the set cement will perform as a zone isolation barrier over time.
Cement slurries are tested in the laboratory and on location to establish their performance characteristics under downhole conditions. They can also be chemically characterized in the laboratory to determine if specific cement and additive combinations are suitable. Analytical methods are also applied to maintain quality control of the cement components at the point of manufacture and along the transport and storage chain prior to mixing on location.
This topic describes the standard procedures and instruments used to measure these properties as well as others.
