R.S. Pace, P.M. McElfresh, J.A. Cobb, C.L. Smith, & M.A. Olsberg, BJ-Hughes
Two of the major factors affecting cement slurry performance are the concentration of additives and their distribution throughout the dry cement blend. Consisto-meter thickening time tests on one or two batches of the cement are used to monitor the cement blends. Studies conducted have proven that these tests do not necessarily reflect the uniformity or the correct concentration of additives in the blend. To improve the quality of the bulk blending of cement, researchers developed on-site methods to verify the additive concentrations of each batch blended for uniformity and accuracy. They also investigated the effects of the current dry blending procedures, transportation, and air blending on the distribution of such additives as retarders, fluid loss agents, weighting agents, and salts.