A comprehensive scientific overview of cement stabilization additives for oil wells

Abstract Additives play a fundamental role in the cementing of oil wells by enhancing the physical and chemical properties of cement slurries. Thus, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of scientific articles on oil well cementing over recent decades. The bibliometric analysis was performed in the Scopus database, with 586 articles, of which only 218 were evaluated after a review process. China, in addition to being the country with the highest number of publications, also boasts the journal and research institution with the most contributions. Synthetic additives are utilized in 87% of the papers, natural additives in 11%, and a combination of natural and synthetic additives in 2%. The primary natural additives include cellulose, lignin, and residues from rice and sugarcane. The most frequently reported functions of additives in the literature are filtrate loss control, expansion agent, and set retarder. Class G cement is predominant in the studies. The main tests performed in the studies include compressive strength, rheological properties, thickening time, static fluid loss, and free fluid tests. Among the natural additives, cellulose derivatives were the most widely investigated and demonstrated the greatest improvements in fluid-loss control, rheology, and mechanical performance. Lignin derivatives and biomass ashes, particularly rice husk ash, also stood out for increasing compressive strength, reducing permeability, and offering sustainable low-carbon alternatives. It is concluded that studies on natural additives for cement slurries still need to advance, as few works address their use, especially given the volume of waste generated worldwide.