Hydrocarboxylic acid derivative as a retarder additive for oil and gas wells cementing

A method for cementing a wellbore, the method comprising:

• dispensing a cement composition into an annulus defined between a tubular string and an inner wall of a wellbore or between two tubular strings, where:
• the cement composition comprises a cement precursor, water, and from 0.1 percent by weight of cement (BWOC) to 10 percent BWOC cement retarder;
• the cement retarder comprises a hydrocarboxylic acid derivative that comprises at least one hydroxyl group and at least one carboxyl group;
• and
• the cement precursor comprises tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, and tetracalcium alumina ferrite;
• and
• allowing the cement composition to cure in the annulus to form a cured cement, where the cement retarder comprising the hydrocarboxylic acid derivative increases the thickening time of the cement composition to greater than or equal to 4 hours at downhole temperatures greater than or equal to 50° C.