Thermosetting Resin for Plug and Abandonment of Oil Wells with Reduced Environmental Impact.

Abstract

Plug and abandonment of offshore oil wells is a costly and time-consuming process, yet it is necessary for the ever-increasing number of mature fields in the region of the Danish North Sea, as well as globally. Current practices ensuring durable solutions for the complete zonal isolation of oil wells have a large environmental impact. This paper proposes a novel resin that could be mixed on the platform and pumped into the tubing in a liquid state. The increased temperature inside the oil well initiates the cross-linking reaction of the liquid resin, creating a solid and impermeable barrier. The liquid resin is thermally stable up to 180 °C and can be handled for up to 20 h at room temperature, preventing setting before intended while decreasing environmental impact. The solid resin has a compressive strength of 54 MPa and a steel adhesion strength of 6.27 MPa, highlighting its ability to withstand extreme downhole conditions.