Introduction to Cementing

Agenda

Cementing Overview

Criteria for Successful Cementing

New Technology

Cementing Software
Cementing
Overview
Objectives

At the end of this presentation you will be able to understand:

• Basic Well Construction Process

• Objective of a Primary Cement Job
• Basic Cementing Process
• Cementing Equipments
• Cementing additives
• Plug Cementing objectives
• Remedial Cementing
Introduction
Construction of a Well
Construction of a Well
Objectives of Well Cementing
Zonal Isolation

Fresh water
bearing formation
Poor or non-existing
cement could allow salt
water/oil to travel along the
casing and contaminate
the fresh water bearing Shale
formation.
Salt water or oil
bearing formation
Zonal Isolation

As the OKN 32 Algeria well proved,

poor or non-existing cement Formation with
allowed fresh water to travel Salt Layers
along the casing dissolving
upper salt layers.
The well was lost and a huge Shale
salt lake can now be found
in the desert supplied
Fresh Water
by a very precious fossil fresh
bearing Formation
water layer.
Zonal Isolation

Well OKN 32 in Algeria (drilled in 1979)

Bad zonal isolation - Blowout
Cementing Process
Float Equipment not holding
Mixing & Pumping Cement

EXPRES
Cement Head

CPF 376

Pump Skid CPS 361 CemCAT

r, rate, p
Fill

Mark III Slurry Chief CemSTREAK

(other: Pump Truck CPT 372)
Mixing Cement Slurry
Pumping Cement Slurry
Pump Skid CPS 361
Pump Skid CPS 361
Pump Truck CPT 372
Pump Truck CPT 372
CemSTREAK (CPT 773)
Cement Pump Float CPF 376
CemCAT 1.3
Cement Heads

Surface Conventional
EXPRES cement head
cement head
Oil Level Indicator

PDD
Mark III Slurry Chief
Cement Slurry Properties

General
Density ppg
Pressure psi
Temp deg F
Rheology
Plastic Viscosity cP
Yield Point lbf/100ft2
Set Cement
Compressive Strength psi at 24 hrs
Acoustic Impedance MRayl
Cement Properties in Well Conditions
ADDITIVE CATEGORY
PROBLEM SLURRY PARAMETER
SOLUTIONS
WELL CONTROL EXTENTERS
OVER PRESSURE DENSITY
WEAK FORMATION WEIGHTING AGENTS
ACCELERATORS
TEMPERATURE THICKENING TIME
RETARDERS
FLUID STABILITY
PERMEABLE FORMATIONS FLAC
FLUID LOSS CONTROL
MUD REMOVAL DISPERSANTS
FRICTION PRESSURE RHEOLOGY
MIXABILITY/PUMPABILITY GELLING AGENTS
PLUGGING
LCM
LOST CIRCULATION BRIDGING PROPERTIES
DENSITY EXTENTERS
ABNORMAL AND SPECIAL CONDITION

HEAT RETROGRESSION HYDRATION PRODUCT SILICA

STABILIZED FOAM FOAMING AGENTS AND
FOAMERS
CAPABILITY STABILIZERS
FOAM FOAMING TENDENCY ANTI-FOAM
Well Conditions

Mud Removal
Friction Pressure
Mixability
Pumpability

Permeable Well Control

formations Over Pressure
Weak Formations
Gas control

Temperature Lost
Circulation
Strength Retrogression Antifoam Foamers (Foamed
cement)
Cementing Additives
30

Accelerators and Retarders Dispersants

–Change thickening time –Improve mud removal

–Alter rate of compressive –Improve mixability
strength development –Reduced water slurries
Extenders
–Reduce friction pressure (Low
–Reduce slurry density Ty and Pv)
–Increase slurry yield Fluid Loss Control

Weighting Agents Lost Circulation Material (LCM)

–Increase slurry density

Special Additives

Antifoam/ Defoamer agents

Bonding agents

Expansive additives

Gas migration control additives, etc.

Thixotropic systems
Plug Cementing
Remedial Cementing
Summary
Cement slurry pumped in annulus between csg and OH to achieve zonal
isolation.
Dry cement and (mix) water mixed at surface to prepare slurry and pump
downhole by cement unit.
Mix Water contains different additives depending on cement job
objective(s).
Remedial cement jobs are performed to solve new/old wells problem.
Break ???
Criteria for Successful Cementing Objectives

Concept

Mud removal

Casing hardware

Slurry properties
Concept

DESIGN
Job Planning &
Slurry Design

EVALUATION EXECUTION
Logs, Well/Job Data Blending, Slurry Mixing
Well Post-Job & Placement
History
Objectives of Primary Cementing

Provide complete isolation of zones (Hydraulic Bond)

To support the casing (Shear Bond)

Protect casing string

Practices Affecting Primary Cementing

Poor Centralization

Channelling:
Incompatible preflush or
incomplete mud removal Wash out:
Incorrect flow regime
Mud Removal

One of the most important aspect of cement job

A 3-step process before cementing
• Hole cleaning
• Conditioning the drilling fluid
• Displace the drilling fluid from the annulus
Mud Removal (Cont.)
Hole Cleaning
• Controlled & optimized mud properties
• Wiper trips
• > 95% Total hole volume in circulation
• Caliper log
Conditioning Mud
• Break gel strength
• Lower ty + pv
• Drill solids < 6%
• Determine minimum rate to have flow all-around casing
Displace Mud from Annulus
• Optimized slurry placement ---> CemCADE
• Casing centralization optimized (STO > 75%)
• Casing movement
Criteria for Effective Mud Removal

Centralize casing
Casing movement
Scratchers
Wiper plugs
Washes and spacers
Flow regime selection
The Ideal Wellbore Casing
BHST at top of Annular gap
cement Minimum: 3/4”
>BHCT at TD Ideal: 1 1/2”

Properly conditioned
hole and mud

No sloughing
Gauge
diameter Uniform as possible
( no washouts or restrictions)

NO LOSSES NO FLOW

Casing centered in borehole

Thin, impermeable mud filter cake Accurate BHST and BHCT

(not gelled or unconsolidated)
Casing Centralization

• Relative Variation of flow rate ratio as a function of eccentricity

18
RH
16
14
RC
FLOW RATE RATIO

12
10
W
8
6 % Stand-off =
w X 100
RH - RC
4
2
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
API % STAND-OFF
Influence of the Casing Stand-Off

In Laminar Flow

V2 = 4V1 (For 67%)

Di

In Turbulent Flow Do

V2 = 1.64 V1 (For 67%)

Vnar Vwide
Effects of Standoff on Mud Displacement

Mud

Cement

Decreasing Stand-off
Casing Movement
Casing Stationary
ROTATION
Gelled Mud

Rotation Started
Flowing Cement

Mud almost
removed
Casing Movement

RECIPROCATION

Stand-off = 100 %
Mud

Stand-off == 20
Stand-off 20 %
%
Stand-off = 20 %
Cement
Slurry
Scratchers and Collars

Rotating Scratcher Reciprocal Scratcher

Model J10H Model J5H

Stop Collar Stop Collar
Plugs

Separate fluids

Wiping casing

Surface indication of placement

Top Plug (Solid) Bottom Plug (Hollow Inside)

Chemical Washes

Low Viscosity Fluids

Usually Water Based

Contain Surfactants and mud thinners

Chemical Washes (Cont.)

Separate mud and cement

–No incompatibility effect

Remove mud from annulus

–Turbulence at low pump rate

–Erode, dilute and disperse particles

Leave casing and formation water wet

–Function of the Surfactant

Provide less hydrostatic pressure

–Water or oil-based
Spacers

Densified viscous fluid separating mud and slurry

Thorough removal of mud

Compatible with mud and cements

Specified rheology

–Low for Turbulent Flow

–Adjustable for Effective Laminar Flow
Slurry Design Factors Affecting Primary
Cementing

High Free water

Shrinkage

or Microannllus

Gas Intake Gas Intake

Water Intake
Cement Slurry Properties

Slurry density

Slurry rheology
Free water

Thickening time

Compressive strength
Fluid loss control

Compatibility
Cement Slurry Rheology

Friction Pressure

Flow Regime

Laminar ( sliding motion - zero flow on walls )

Turburlent ( swirling motion )

Effects of Free Water

Channelling

Incomplete fill-up
Thickening Time

If BHCT estimated as too low:

–OOPS
If BHCT estimated as too high

–In-efficient use of additives

–Low set cement strength
–Poor Bond
–Fluid Migration
Temperature Prediction

Two Basic influences on downhole performance of cement

–Temperature
–Pressure
Temperature has the biggest influence and affects

–Thickening time
–Transition time
–Compressive Strength
–Fluid loss
–Rheology
–Free water
Compressive Strength

Poor protection against lateral forces

Overburden Pressure

Stable System

Unstable System
Fluid Loss Control

Maintain constant water-to-solid ratio

–Constant Density
–Desired Yield
–Thickening Time
–Compressive strength
–Rheology
–Constant Properties
Avoid annular bridging or excessive pump pressure

Reduce formation damage

Cement - Mud Contamination

Acceleration or retardation

Reduction of compressive strength

Reduction of hydraulic bond

Increase of filtrate loss

Change of rheological properties

Criteria for Successful Cementing Summary

Concept

–DEE
Mud removal

–Centralization, Casing movement, Washes and spacers

Casing hardware

–Scrathers, Wiper plugs

Slurry properties

–Density, Rheology, Free water, Thickening time, Compressive strength,

Fluid loss control, Compatibility
New Technology

CemCRETE

CemSTONE

CemNET

CemSTREAK
Conventional Cement Slurries 65

Cement particles must be surrounded by water to flow as a

slurry

First - enough water

must be added to
fill the void
between the
cement grains
Conventional Cement Slurries (Cont.) 66

With more water you have: but you also have:

lower density longer working time

lower viscosity lower compressive strength

higher permeability

Good slurry properties Good mechanical properties

CemCRETE

LiteCRETE
It’s more than DensCRETE
cement
CemCRETE (Cont.)

Created by increasing the Packing Volume Fraction in the powder

PVF depends on shape and size of the particles

CemCRETE (Cont.)

What makes PVF innovative?

PVF uses physics instead of chemistry

It disconnects water content from rheology

The slurry and set cement properties result from the dry blend not
the water content
CemCRETE (Cont.)

Three class systems with centered PSD

A class can be one or more components of a given size

CemCRETE (Cont.)

Less water = improved mechanical properties

Conventional
lightweight 77% porosity @ 12.5 lb/gal

Normal Portland

59% porosity @ 15.8 lb/gal

CemCRETE

0 2 4 6
40%
8
porosity
10
@9
12
- 25 lb/gal
14

Mix water needed (gal/sk)

Conventional cement jobs won’t last

 Temperature changes in
upper casings

 Mud-weight changes

 Tectonic activity

 Formation changes

 Well construction /
completion damage
FlexSTONE

Operating range
–Density range: 12 - 18 ppg
–Temperature: 50 - 350F
–Expansion: up to 3%
FlexSTONE (Cont.)

FlexSTONE

Plaster

Foam

Salt cement
Compressible
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Expansion (%)
DuraSTONE

Operating Range
–Density Range: 9 - 25 ppg
–Temperature: 50 - 450F
–Flexural strength: 3X conventional cement
DuraSTONE (Cont.)

Conventional cement

6 impacts with Class G DuraSTONE

m = 8.5
kg

0.6 m

Sample :
5x5x5 cm
82 impacts 96 impacts
Blow of 50 N.m
DuraSTONE (Cont.)

Milling windows
Multi-lateral drilling

Bi-centered drilling

High density perforating

DuraSTONE (Cont.)

Conventional cement

DuraSTONE
DuraSTONE (Cont)

Conventional cement DuraSTONE

CemNET

Features
–Advanced fibers mixed with cement to seal lost circulation
–Engineered to an optimal size
–Inert
►No effect on Thickening Time

►No effect on compressive strength development

►Compatible with all cementing additives

–Extremely effective with CemCRETE systems
►Better plugging effect due to PSD

►Lower rheology
CemNET (Cont.)

Applications
–Used across fractures, fissures, vugs, and permeable zones
–Temperature limitation up to 450 0F
–Used for cement plugs and primary cementing operations
–Not for mud applications
Benefits
–Easy to handle
–No cement fall back
–Cure losses during primary cementing
►It is always preferred to cure losses prior to cementing
–Reduces disposal costs by reducing cement excess returns
CemNET (Cont.)

• Dry fibers are bound together

– Easy to handle and add to cement
• No fiber lumps in mixing fluid

• Well dispersed fibers once agitated

– High plugging efficiency
• Water wetting effect by the surfactant
• Fibrous network across loss zones
CemNET (Cont.)

Fibrous network across lost circulation zones

Circulation
CemSTREAK

Lightweight
Low maintenance
Compact design
4 wheel drive
Easy Operation
Reduced operational time
less associated risks to
operation
CemSTREAK (Cont.)

1 Triplex pump

2 Centrifugals

2 Displacement tanks

300 hp Caterpillar engine (170

hhp)
125 ft treating hose
3000 psi max working pressure
New Technology - Summary

CemCRETE

–LiteCRETE, DenseCRETE
CemSTONE

–FlexSTONE, DuraSTONE
CemNET

–Advanced fibers mixed with cement to seal lost circulation

CemSTREAK

–Faster, Cleaner, More efficient

Software

CemCADE

WELLCLEAN II

SoniCalc
CemCADE

Cementing
Computer Aided
Design & Evaluation
Software
CemCADE (Cont.)

Reducing Time to
Design and Optimise
Cement Jobs
• Visualize Problems
• Printed Reports
• Reduced Duplication
• Interactive Graphics • Multiple Data Sets
• Customized Reports • Different Scenarios
• Data Exchange • Optimised in Same
• Database Session
• Load Case Manager
• Extensive Help
CemCADE - Input

Well Type

Caliper

Tubular
Formation
Temperature
CemCADE - Output

BHCT

Placement

U-Tube
Well Head Effect
Pressure

Safety Checks
WELLCLEAN II

 A numerical tool that helps the engineer to design a better

cement job
 It predicts the quality of cement by calculating:
•Fluid position during and at the end of placement
•Fluids channeling / bypassing
•Risk of having mud on the formation and the casing
•Uses the Herschel Bulkley Model

It is our “Down hole Eye”

WELLCLEAN II (Cont.)

Water-based Oil-based
Casing
Displacing Displaced
fluid fluid

Formatio
n

Wetting film
Laminar layer
“Water Wetting Zone” on the walls
The oil film is removed “Mixing” zone
Water wet steel & formation “Mixing Zone”
“Tangential Erosion Zone”
surfaces The “mixing” is efficient
The laminar layer is “eroded”
No “mud-on-the wall” left i.e. the mud is thinned upon
mixing (reverse Emulsion)
WELLCLEAN II (Cont.)

Vertical, inclined and

horizontal wells

Laminar and turbulent flow

3-parameter Herschel-Bulkley

model

–Better description at low

shear rates
SoniCalc

Stand-alone acoustic log calculator

– Supports the user for the QA/QC process
►Wireline (QA)

►Wireline and Cementing (QC and Evaluation)

Cross-segment
– Cementing / Wireline
SoniCalc (Cont.)

CBL & USIT

–and CBT
Quality Assurance
–Wireline engineer
–Log setup before the job
Log Quality Control and Evaluation
–Check setup
–Expected response for Z, amplitude, attenuation
►Level-0 model, best case
SoniCalc (Cont.) 97

Input Outputs
–Well –Scenarios
►Survey, temperature, casing ►Only data you need!
–Logging Fluid ►CBL/USIT QA/QC (and
►p, T  logging fluid & transducers evaluation)

–Slurries –Log file

–Defaults
►Surface T, vertical well, water, G
neat
–Import data
►CemCADE
SoniCalc - Well Definition
SoniCalc - Logging Fluid Definition
SoniCalc - Slurry Definition
SoniCalc - Results
Software - Summary

CemCADE

–Cementing Computer Aided Design & Evaluation Software

– Reducing Time to Design and Optimise Cement Jobs
WELCLEAN II

–A complete mud removal engineering solution

–A numerical tool that helps the engineer to design a better cement job
SoniCalc

–Stand-alone acoustic log calculator

–Supports the user for the QA/QC process
–Interface between Wireline and Cementing