Squeeze Cementing

– Forces cement slurry, under pressure, through

perforations or holes in the casing or liner…..
• Used to permanently block entry of undesirable fluids
to the wellbore or to fill channels behind the casing.
Water production form watered out zones or leaks are
common targets.
• Also used to set “cement packers” to isolate sections of
the annulus.
• The cement plug must remain an effective seal full
temperature, highest pressure and in contact with any
fluid from the well.

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Repair Cementing
• Squeeze Cementing
– Shutting off watered-out perforation intervals
– Filling channels behind the pipe
– Covering pipe annuli that was never cemented
– Setting cement packers

Partly copied from Arco Alaska

5/26/2010 presentation.
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Treatment Execution
•Execution of squeeze cementing operations in
four basic steps:
–Wellbore preparation
–Slurry mixing and pumping
–Squeeze
–Removal of excess cement

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Squeeze Cementing – channel repair
• Objectives
1. Locate the channel
2. Perforate into the channel
3. Inject cement and fill the channel
Problems
1. locating the channel
2. squeezing into the channel

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Channel Detection
• Cement bond log
• Noise log? - leaks
• Segmented or radial bond log
– Bond differences
– Looking for patterns that represent channels
• Block perforate and squeeze techniques

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Squeeze Types
• Hesitation squeeze – steady application of pressure
thought by some to force cement in matrix – may
only help build size of dehydrated mass or “node”
through fluid loss of liquid from the cement slurry.
• Actually – what may be happening in some cases is
that the wellbore is being “restressed” – forming a
“stress cage” by solids from mud or cement wedging
into and bridging on the formation. This may allow
1 to 5 lb/gal higher fluid gradient weight than initial
frac pressure of the formation.

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Squeeze Types
• Suicide squeeze – This squeeze
perforates two spots – high and
low and squeezes from the bottom
towards the top. There is a chance,
if slurry volumes are too large, of
cement spilling out of the upper
perforations and sticking the
isolation packer or retainer in
the well.

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Fluid Loss Control
• Excessive fluid loss in the slurry can result in bridging
of tubulars by dehydrated cement.
• Slurries with too little fluid loss can result in
insufficient buildup of filter cake on the formation
(may also be a function of permeability and
pressure).
• Fluid loss additives may be required to control fluid
loss.

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Cement Node Buildup
Casing Formation

Node with minimal

intrusion into
wellbore

Primary cement
sheath

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Rheology Controls
• Cement slurries have higher viscosity than most
workover fluids and this significantly reduces
maximum possible pump rate.
• Rheology and stability tests are commonly
performed:
– At surface mixing temperatures, and
– At bottomhole static temperature BHST (caution – make
sure mix water temperature is not higher than bottom
hole temp.).
• Slurries must stable to provide good rheology
characteristics that are easily reproducible.
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Arco 11
Slurry Volume
• Volume of slurry prepared depends on:
– Length of perforated interval
– Capacity of liner/casing or channel behind pipe
– Void areas behind the perforations
– Force that can be applied to the tubing
– Configuration of surface mixing / pumping equipment
– Use of cement plugs, pigs or darts (isolation devices)

• Previous squeeze experience provides best

guidelines.

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Depth Control – (with CT)
• In cement squeezing, surface equipment not
accurate enough to position CT nozzle
• Downhole reference point is generally required
• Methods of setting depth reference
– Tagging bottom
• inaccurate in wells with fill, but viable in certain conditions
– Tagging completion restrictions
• tubing end locator (TEL) or tubing nipple locators (TNL)
• commonly used in squeeze cementing

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Cement Contamination Problems
• Contamination can result in:
– Unpredictable slurry characteristics
– Reduced compressive strength of the set cement
– Incorrect placement due to change in slurry volume
• To avoid contamination:
– Spacer fluid should isolate (ahead of/behind cement)
– Lines should be flushed each time a new fluid is pumped
– Mechanical separation of cement slurry using CT plugs
(darts or pigs)

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Reel Manifold Sampling Point and
Flush Line
Circulating pressure To reel core and CT
sensor through reel isolation
valve

From pump unit Flush line

to disposal

Reel manifold
valves Sample point

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Cement Composition and Vol.
• Low or high fluid loss? Depends on depth
• Volume of cement? – depends on channel size
– Often try several small squeezes.
– Pressure?

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Squeeze Success?
• Usually about 50% - but conditions make
success vary widely.
• Increases when:
– circulation is possible through the channel,
– Isolation is used fro cement injection,
– cement blending is pod mix,
– the operator is experienced.

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Cement Packer
• Can isolate the annulus
– Water control
– Tubing repair or isolation
– Stabilizing tubing prior to milling window
• Problems and considerations
– Floating the cement in the annulus – there are ways!
– How long a cement column? - 50 to 300+ feet.
– Cement compositions for packers

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Cement Packer
• Perforated annulus at or below point for
packer.
• May need to perforate above top of packer
when annulus is liquid filled.
• Displace cement from a straddle packer or
packer and plug (or retainer) into the annulus.

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Cement Placement With and
Without Retaining “Platform”

Stable cement column

placed over the platform

Cement slurry falls

through less dense Cement platform
fluids

A retainer, mechanical plug, highly gelled mud pill (10 to 20 bbls) or a cement plug may
be used as the “platform”.
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Tool Selection
•Tool strings should generally be kept to a minimum
– Connector
• required on all jobs
– Check valves
• cannot be used with reverse circulation of excess cement
– Depth correlation
• tubing end or nipple locators are commonly used
– Plug catcher
• catch and retrieve plugs ahead/behind cement slurry
– Nozzles
• developed to improve the slurry placement

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Cementing Nozzle Features

Pins to retain
ball within the
nozzle
Multiple
Multiple small-
small- diameter
diameter radial ports
radial ports
Large- Large
diameter diameter
port ports

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Monitoring Recording
Parameters
Coiled tubing
• Pressure, rate/volume, string
weight, depth and tubing OD and
tubing cycles.

Pump unit
• Pressure, density and Annulus
pump rate/volume • Monitor
Slurry batch mixer volume and
• Monitor density and density of all
volume fluids returned
Other tankage and pumped
• Monitor density and through the
volume annulus.
• Record
pressure.

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Wellbore Preparation
Filtered sea-
water or similar
at high rate Choke open

Wellbore clean
and packed –
establish leakoff
rate.

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Laying In Cement Slurry
Slurry pumped at
maximum rate
Choke open

Wellbore pack fluid

Spacer/fresh water

Cement slurry Nozzle pulled up 50 ft

below cement
interface

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Placing Thixotropic Slurries
Slurry pumped at
maximum rate/pressure
allowed Choke closed, if
wellbore not fluid
packed, pump slowly
down annulus to
prevent U-tubing

Wellbore pack fluid

Nozzle placed
above thief zone
Cement slurry
Wellbore pack fluid
Highly gelled mud or other
“platform” usually needed
except in severe fluid loss.
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Commencing Squeeze
Low rate continuous
pumping or hesitation
Choke back returns
monitoring pressure
and volumes

Wellbore pack fluid

Nozzle pulled up
Spacer/fresh water >50 ft above
cement interface
Cement slurry

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Completing Squeeze
Displacement fluid pumped
at maximum rate/pressure
allowed Choke back returns
increasing final squeeze
pressure

Wellbore pack fluid Nozzle moved

continuously or
Spacer/fresh water frequently

Cement slurry

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Contaminating Excess Slurry
Contaminant pumped
at maximum
rate/pressure Returns choked to
maintain pressure on
squeezed zone

Contaminated slurry
Nozzle penetrates slurry at
a rate which provides a
Cement slurry 50% mix of contaminant

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Reverse Circulating Excess Slurry
Fluid pumped at maximum
rate/pressure for allowable
differential (1500 psi)
Open returns
from CT

Nozzle penetrates
contaminated slurry at a
Wellbore pack fluid rate which provides a
50% mix of
contaminated slurry and
pack fluid
Contaminated slurry

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Reverse Circulating Live Slurry
Fluid pumped at maximum
rate/pressure for allowable
differential (1500 psi)
Open returns
from CT

Wellbore pack fluid

Nozzle penetrates
slurry at a rate which
provides a 50% mix

Cement slurry

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Wellbore Circulated Clean
Fluid pumped at
maximum rate/pressure
Returns choked to
maintain pressure on
squeezed zone

Wellbore pack fluid Nozzle reciprocated

through treatment
zone to TD

Differential pressure
maintained against
squeezed zone

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Wellbore Preparation
•Wellbore preparation operations include
– Slick-line work, e.g. fitting dummy gas-lift mandrels
– Pressure test the production tubing annulus
– Establish hang-up depth or TD using slick line
– Confirm and correlate depths with CT and flag the tubing
– Remove fill from rat hole below perforated interval
– Perform pretreatment perforation wash or acidizing
– Place a stable platform for cement slurry
– Ensure wellbore fully loaded with filtered water (or
equivalent)

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Slurry Mixing and Pumping

•Key points in the slurry mixing and pumping process

include
– Batch mix and shear the slurry
– Conduct job-site quality control tests
– Prepare contaminant and spacer fluids as required
– Confirm CT depth
– Lay in cement slurry following pumping schedule
•When using thixotropic cements
– Do not stop pumping while cement is inside the work string
– Place CT nozzle above thief zone and pump down production
tubing/CT annulus while squeezing the cement
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– Overdisplace cement slurries
5/26/2010
out of the wellbore
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Squeeze
•Downhole generation of filter cake aided by
performing hesitation type squeezes
–For example, 10 min at 1000 psi, 15 min at 1500 psi,
20 min at 2000 psi...

•As fracture pressure exceeded

–Filter cake prevents formation from fracturing

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Removal of Excess Cement
•Efficient removal of excess cement
–Critical to timely completion of job

•Achieved using several methods:

–Reverse circulation of live cement
–Circulation of contaminated cement
–Reverse circulation of contaminated cement

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Reverse Circulation of Live Cement

•Reverse circulation of live cement slurry can be

performed if
– Designed slurry thickening time (including safety factor)
allows for completion of the reversing phase
– CT penetration rate controlled to effectively dilute the
slurry as it is removed
– Maximum density of reversed fluid is 10 lb/gal
– Reversing is continued until clean returns observed at
surface

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Rev. Circulation of Contaminated
Cement
•Contamination of excess cement is often necessary to:

– Extend slurry thickening time

• allows cleanout operations to be completed safely

– Allow cleanout operations to be delayed until cement nodes

have increased compressive strength

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Typical Cement Slurry
Contaminant Composition
•TYPICAL CEMENT SLURRY CONTAMINANT
COMPOSITION

• Borax/Bentonite
• 10 to 20 lb/bbl Bentonite
• 20 lb/bbl Borax
• 3 gal Cement Retarder
• Bio-Polymer Gel
• 1.5 lb/bbl Biozan gel

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Circulation of Contaminated
Cement
•Conventional circulation used when:
– Operating conditions cannot safely support reverse
circulation of excess slurry

•Example:
– Operations performed through 1-1/4-in. work strings cannot
employ reverse circulation techniques
– Reason: excessive friction pressure encountered

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Evaluation of Squeeze
•Methods used to evaluate depend on treatment
objectives

•Initial step in evaluation process

– Confirm condition of wellbore in the treatment zone
•If wellbore is obstructed
– Drilling/under-reaming may be required
•Additional check
– Ensure the rat hole is debris or cement free

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