Ed Matteo
My research aims to study the durability of cement used to seal abandoned oil wells used for the geosequestration of CO2. When CO2 is pumped into the wells for long-term storage, there is concern for the integrity of the cement when it is exposed to CO2, as well as when it interacts with the acid media that is created when CO2 reacts with brine present in the wells. In particular, there is interest in the effects that silica gels formed during the cement degradation will have on the overall deterioration of the cement. I am looking at the relationship between porosity of the silica gel and the transport properties of acid media through it. Additionally, I plan to conduct cement corrosion experiments that both characterize the mechanical properties of resulting silica gels and explore the role that these gels may play at the cap rock/cement interface. My work extends the research done by Andrew Duguid, who recently graduated.