Silica Fume for Oil & Gas
Improving Performance in Wellbore Construction with Microsilica
In the oil and gas industry, incorporating silica fume, also known as microsilica, into cement and concrete structures significantly enhances their strength, durability, and long-term performance. Given the industry's harsh environments and challenging conditions, improving wellbore cement with microsilica is crucial. The primary function of concrete in this sector is to prevent the unwanted migration of gaseous hydrocarbons or fluids. Adding silica fume reduces the permeability of the cement matrix capable of withstanding high temperatures and increased pressures. R-E-D Industrial Products offers silica fume for concrete or cement infrastructure projects and refractory applications. Contact our experienced team anytime to learn more about our silica fume for oil and gas applications or to request a quote.
Silica Fume For Oil Well Cementing
In oilfield applications, silica fume cement is used to create solid, impermeable materials that support various zones within an oil well, ensuring well integrity. R-E-D Industrial Products silica fume can be used for primary grout placement as a hydraulic seal in the wellbore or for secondary applications such as remedial operations, including leak repairs and closing depleted zones. Given the need to transport cement from a few hundred to several thousand feet underground, silica fume enhances the workability and fluidity of the slurry.
​
Microsilica additives are critical for oil well cementing applications and help to improve the longevity and performance of the structure at elevated temperatures. Reinforcing oil well cement with silica fume offers superior sealant for the separate oil, gas, and water layers of the well and ensures safe drilling practices. Additionally, microsilica-enhanced grouts applied as a hydraulic sealant in the wellbore can reduce permeability levels, inhibiting oil migration.
Silica Fume For Natural Gas Wells
Much like oil well cementing, silica fume-enhanced concrete is also extremely beneficial for natural gas wells. Natural gas deposits are typically present in shale or other sedimentary rock formations up to 15,000 feet deep. The process of producing natural gas involves high pressures, water, chemicals, and other abrasive materials that require extremely durable concrete structures and wellbores. Silica fume should be added to this cementitious slurry to improve its durability and longevity in natural gas applications.
​
Silica fume enables wells to achieve full production potential without losing natural gas through permeable cement. Even minimal gas loss due to substandard cement mixtures can lead to significant costs over the well's lifetime. The silica fume creates a blocking effect in the oil well grout, preventing gas migration and enhancing well productivity. The fine silica fume particles fill the interstitial spaces within the concrete matrix, retaining natural gas and optimizing operational efficiency. Additionally, silica fume cement for natural gas wells helps prevent mined materials from seeping into the environment or affecting groundwater sources
Silica Fume & Sustainability
R-E-D Industrial Products' silica fume, whether densified, semi-densified, or undensified form, can enhance both functionality and sustainability in most concrete and cement applications. Discover how using silica fume can ensure a sustainable choice for your next project. See the information below to find out how silica fume can provide confidence that you are making cost effective and sustainable choices for the future. R-E-D Industrial Products' core values of reliability, efficiency, and dependability are all key components linked to our pursuit of sustainability and environmentally conscious distribution.
​
Applicability for Sustainability:
-
Increased strength in concrete structures
-
Longer durability means less frequent replacement
-
Resistance to alkali-silica reaction (ASR)
-
Low permeability to intrusion from corrosives such as water, salt, chloride, and other natural elements in challenging environments
-
Reduction of life cycle costs
-
Abrasion and impact resistance to withstand continuous traffic or loads
Implementations:
-
Low permeability makes it well suited for structures that are immersed or near oceans, rivers, and water sources such as bridges, dams, and tunnels.
-
The ability to protect from abrasion and impact resistance provides a boost in protection for rebar from deterioration and replacement.
-
Increased strength for use in more wear-and-tear concrete structures that need to reach the standard life cycle span of 50 years.
​
Why Silica Fume?
-
Increase sustainability in concrete projects
-
Lower life cycle costs of infrastructure and building projects
-
An ethically sourced product that can boost your green initiatives
Sustainability Fact: 39% of infrastructure in America is older than its designed lifetimes, while nearly 10% are structurally deficient and 14% are characterized as functionally obsolete [1].
Creating structures with sustainable solutions such as silica fume are paramount to promoting your project's vitality into the future.
[1] “The State of U.S. Infrastructure.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure