industry

AS SEEN IN
MAY 2013

IMPACT

Active-set cement system

can automatically seal leak paths
Technologys self-healing properties react with hydrocarbon flow to
reestablish well integrity.
Mary Hogan, Associate Managing Editor

efore Schlumberger introduced its FUTUR active-set

cement technology, mechanical properties of cement
were designed to maintain hydraulic isolation during regular operations in well construction and production.
Once cement has set, though, any damage to the sheath
can allow hydrocarbons to leak. FUTUR, which is automatically activated upon contact with hydrocarbons,
guards against leaks and sustained casing pressure at the
wellhead during drilling, perforation and stimulation,
and production. The technology guards against such
damage after the cement has set.

The FUTUR active-set cement technology responds to damaged

cement sheath within hours. (Image courtesy of Schlumberger)

The self-healing characteristics of FUTUR when it

comes in contact with hydrocarbons equips us to be prepared for unplanned operations, Dominique Guillot,
cement domain manager of well integrity technology for
Schlumberger, said. The technology won the remediation
category of Hart Energys 2008 Meritorious Awards for
Engineering Innovation.
Whenever the cement sheath is damaged during a
wells long-term productive life, the technology reacts
with any hydrocarbons flowing through cracks or
microannuli and seals the pathways within hours. One
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issue we sought to address with the FUTUR active-set

cement technology was the uncertainty about the potential for mechanical failure of cementing materials behind
a casing or liner or as a wellbore plugging material, Guillot said.
The technologys self-healing response can be repeated
should annular integrity be compromised again later in
the life of a well. FUTUR is more flexible than many
other cement systems at the same density and is therefore
more resistant to most stresses associated with operations
inducing a change in pressure or a change in temperature downhole, Guillot said.
Since its introduction, the technology has been used in
more than 15 countries around the world and for more
than 20 companies. In the United Arab Emirates the
active-set cement technology was used in a well located in
the Khuff formation, one of the Middle Easts most challenging gas fields, according to International Petroleum
Technology Conference (IPTC) Paper 14279. The activeset cement technology helped the operator solve casing
problems around the wells 958-in. liner as well as in the
958-in. tieback section, providing a secondary barrier.
While it does not replace good cementing practices, the
technology can be used to increase the chance of success
in wells with a perceived long-term risk of hydrocarbon
leakage. The technology focuses on addressing the longterm durability of the cement sheath in wells, making
needed repairs without the need for well intervention.
In Pakistan, for example, the technology helped guard
against hydrocarbon flow in a well subjected to surface
pressures as high as 10,000 psi caused by fracturing operations, according to IPTC Paper 13049. Faced with the
challenge of preserving long-term integrity in an HP/HT
well, the operator used FUTUR to cement the production
string and achieve long-term zonal isolation.
The technology continues to be used by the industry
as a proactive solution. Since 2008, the company has
increased the range of applications of the technology by
extending the density range from 12 lb/gal to 10 lb/gal.
We also have extended the self-healing capabilities to
perform when in contact with pure methane, which was
a significant technical challenge, Guillot said.

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