Bentonite Plug Laboratory Testing

Research the viability of using hydraulically pressed Bentonite to plug and abandon existing oil and gas wells. Testing procedures are designed to simulate down hole conditions and to investigate the integrity of Bentonite plugs. A brief background and history will be given on traditional procedures of plugging and abandoning wells in comparison to the use of Bentonite plugs. Recorded pressure data will be presented to show that Bentonite plugging is a viable alternative in plug and abandonment procedures. Modifications to laboratory equipment and the experiment will be discussed in order to optimize research potential.