The significant difference between Portland cement and Ceramicrete is that Portland cement is not compatible with oil or organic materials. These materials typically slow or stop the setting process of the Portland cement. "We're seeing a trend where industry is drilling more with hydrocarbon-based drilling fluids and it is very difficult to stop contamination between the cement and these materials. Ceramicrete encapsulates organic material and therefore the organic materials have a minimal effect on the set time of Ceramicrete. This means Ceramicrete can be placed in some very difficult environments and still have a consistent setting," says Getzlaf the President of Cemblend Systems Inc..

Portland cement is very dependent on density to gain strengths. However, strength is not always required during cement placement. Ceramicrete can have preset strengths independent of density which allows for high strength, lightweight cement slurries as well as low strength, high density slurries and vise versa.

The benefits of Ceramicrete are that the set time can be changed independent of temperature, the strengths can be changed independent of density, and the particle size can be changed independent of all other parameters. These three abilities give drilling operators total control of product selection independent of the wellbore temperature, permeability, or pressures.

Ceramicrete also has the added advantage of being able to 'activate on the fly'. "Because we are aggressive with the mix, it would be a concern to mix the ceramic in a pumping unit and have it set early on the truck. But because we activate the material as it is being placed, we have a lot more control of where the product sets," says Getzlaf the President of Cemblend Systems Inc.

One of the biggest benefits of using Ceramicrete is its ability to set hardening times independent of temperatures. What does this mean for drilling operators? "This means a shorter waiting time at the surface of the well. It means quicker setting cement can reduce the chances of gas migration through the cement. It means that once the cement is placed, it remains were it is placed and will not migrate away from the wellbore. It means the cement is less susceptible to mixing with either wellbore contaminants or formation contaminants," says Getzlaf the President of Cemblend Systems Inc.

The major advantages of Ceramicrete is that it can bond to steel, cement, formations, and even itself. "Ceramicrete's ability to bond allows for substantially improved performance in wellbores with drastic temperature changes and/or pressure changes. This 'stictivity' also aids in making sure the cement stays bonded to the wellbore formations as conditions change." says Getzlaf the President of Cemblend Systems Inc..

Ceramicrete is currently being used in the lost circulation and gas migration markets and Cemblend has plans to move its products into both the thermal and CO2 markets. These extreme environments are perfect candidates for utilizing the ceramic technology's attributes of temperature and corrosion resistance, thus providing another tool in total wellbore management.