Drilling Eng. II CH 5 Handouts

Drilling Engineering II (2015‐2016)
Cementing
Drilling Eng. II
PENG 317 Module (2015 – 2016)
Petroleum Engineering Department

3rd year students
Soran University – By Jagar Ali
Instructor: Jagar Ali
Outline
▌ Introduction
▌ Functions of cementing
▌ Properties of cement
▌ Cement additives
▌ Cement equipment
▌ Primary cementing
▌ Squeeze cementing
▌ Cement plug
PENG317 (2015–2016) 2 SORAN UNIVERSITY
Chapter 5: Cementing 1
Introduction
▌ Cement is used primarily as an impermeable seal material in oil and
gas well drilling.
▌ In 1920, cementing has become one of the essential phases in the
drilling operations.
▌ The cementing process involves:-
 prepare cement slurry by mixing powder cement with water and
some additives.
 placing the slurry into the annular space between the casing and
the wellbore.
Cementing job
▌ The cementing job is performed

by:-
► Deploying the cement slurry
into the well using pumps.
► Displacing the drilling fluids
still existing within the well.
► Replacing the drilling fluid
with cement.
Applications of Oil Well Cements
▌ Major objectives:-
I. To support the walls of the

wellbore in order to prevent
formation collapse.
Zonal isolation
II. To provide zonal isolation between formations in order to prevent

movement of gas or fluids between different geological formations.
Salt water zone
III. To protect oil producing zones from salt water flow
IV. To support and seal the casing

in place and protect it from
collapse under pressure.
V. To protecting well casings

from corrosion,
VI. To reduce the risk of ground

water contamination by oil,
gas or salt water.
Classification of cement powders
Class G is the most common type of cement and is used in most areas.
It is compatible with most additives & used over a wide range of temp &
press.
Properties of Cement
▌ Compressive strength
▌ The casing shoe should not be drilled out until the cement sheath has
reached a compressive strength of about 500 psi.
▌ If the operation is delayed whilst waiting on the cement to set and
develop this compressive strength the drilling rig is said to be “waiting
on cement” (WOC).
▌ Compressive strength depends on:-
 Temp, press, amount of mixwater added and elapsed time of
mixing.
▌ Thickening time (pumpability)

▌ The thickening time of a cement slurry is the time during which the
cement slurry can be pumped and displaced into the annulus.
▌ The slurry should have sufficient thickening time to allow it to be:-
 Mixed
 Pumped into the casing
 Displaced by drilling fluid until it is in the required place
▌ Slurry density
▌ The density can be altered by changing the amount of mixwater or
using additives to the cement slurry.
▌ Most slurry densities vary between 11 - 18.5 ppg.
▌ Cement slurries > density than the drilling fluids.
Lead Slurry Weight 12.50 PPG
Tail Slurry Weight 15.80 PPG
▌ Water loss
▌ The slurry setting process is the result of the cement powder being
hydrated by the mixwater.
▌ If water is lost from the cement slurry before it reaches its position in
the annulus  its pumpability will decrease
▌ Squeeze cementing requires a low water loss
▌ Primary cementing is not so critically dependent on fluid loss.
▌ Fluid loss:-
 Squeeze cement 50 - 200 cc.
 Primary cement  250 - 400 cc.
Cement Additives
▌ Most cement slurries will contain some additives, to modify the

properties of the slurry.
▌ Most additives are known by the trade-names  cement service
companies.
▌ Cement additives can be used to:
− Vary the slurry density
− Change the compressive strength
− Accelerate or retard the setting time
− Control filtration and fluid loss
− Reduce slurry viscosity
Cement Additives
▌ Accelerators
▌ Accelerators are added to the cement slurry to shorten the time taken
for the cement to set.
▌ These are used when the setting time for the cement > than that
required to mix & place the slurry.
▌ Accelerators are especially important in shallow wells where
temperatures are low.
▌ The most common types of accelerator are:
 Calcium chloride (CaCl2)
 Sodium chloride (NaCl)
Cement Additives
▌ Retarders
▌ Retarders are used to prolong the thickening time
▌ It avoids the risk of the cement setting in the casing prematurely.

▌ The bottom hole temperature is the critical factor which influences
slurry setting times.
▌ The most common types of retarders are:
 Calcium lignosulphanate 0.1 - 1.5%
 Saturated Salt Solutions
Cement Additives
▌ Lightweight additives (Extenders)

▌ Extenders are used to reduce slurry density for jobs where the
hydrostatic head of the cement slurry may exceed the fracture
pressure.
▌ By reducing the slurry density
 ultimate compressive strength will be reduced.
 the thickening time will be increased.
▌ Common types of extenders are:
 Bentonite – most common type
 Pozzolan
Cement Additives
▌ Heavyweight additives
▌ Heavyweight additives are used when cementing through overpressured
zones.
▌ The most common types of additive are:
 Barite - this can be used to attain slurry densities of up to 18ppg.
 Hematite (Fe2O3)–Hematite is used to raise slurry densities to 22ppg.
 Sand – can give a 2 ppg increase in slurry density.
Cement Additives
▌ Fluid loss additives
▌ Fluid loss additives are used to prevent dehydration of the cement
slurry & premature setting.
▌ The most common additives are:
 Organic polymers 0.5 - 1.5%.
 Carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (CMHEC) 0.3 - 1.0%.
Cement Additives
▌ Friction reducing additives (Dispersants)

▌ Dispersants are added to improve the flow properties of the slurry.
▌ They will lower the viscosity of the slurry  turbulence will occur at a
lower circulating pressure
▌ The most commonly used are:
 Polymers 0.3 - 0.5 lb/sx of cement
 Salt 1 - 16 lb/sx
 Calcium lignosulphanate 0.5 - 1.5 lb/sxg
Cement Additives
▌ Anti-foaming Agent
▌ Cement foaming is one of the problems associated with cement slurry
while mixing.
▌ The entrapped air in the cement slurry could cause damage to the
pumps in the field.
▌ Defoamers are used to minimize foaming problems.
Cementing Equipment
Guide shoe
▌ A guide shoe is run on the bottom of the first joint of casing.

▌ It has a rounded nose to guide the casing past any ledges or other
irregularities in the hole.
Drillable
material
Float collar
▌ A float collar is positioned 1 or 2 joints

above the guide shoe.
▌ It acts as a seat for the cement plugs

used in the pumping & displacement
of the cement slurry.
▌ At the end of the cement job  some

cement will left in the casing between
the float collar & the guide shoe.
▌ The float collar contains a non-return valve  cement slurry cannot

flow back up the casing.
▌ Guide shoe also has a non-return valve.
It is essential that the non-return valves are effective in holding back
the cement slurry.
Centralisers
▌ Centralisers are installed on the casing string as it is run.

▌ Their function is to keep the casing away from the borehole to keep
annular clearance around the casing.
▌ Usages:-
 Improve displacement efficiency
 Prevent differential sticking
 Keep casing out of keyseats
Centralisers
▌ In deviated wells
Casing tends to lie on the low side of the hole.
 Cement placement will tend to flow up the high side annular
space.
 Mud channels will form on the low side of the hole.
GOOD CEMENT JOB
Centralisers
▌ A typical programme might be:-
 1 centraliser immediately above the shoe
 1 every joint on the bottom 3 joints

 1 every joint through the production zone
 1 every 3 joints elsewhere
Wipers/scratchers
▌ Wipers/scratchers are devices run on the outside of the casing to

remove mud cake.
▌ Mostly used through the production zone.
Bottom wiper plug
▌ It uses a thin membrane 

designed to rupture & permit flow
once the plug has seated.
▌ Functions:-
 cleans the casing wall
 provides a seat for the top
plugs
 Separates cement from other
fluids.
Top wiper plug
▌ Top plugs do not have a thin

membrane and are designed to
prevent any fluid bypass.
▌ Functions:-
 cleans the casing wall
 indicates end of displacement
 follows the slurry to prevent
contamination.
Mixing and pumping facilities
Cement head
Mud tanks
Cement unit
Bananas Batch mixer
Cementing heads
▌ It provides the connection between the discharge line from the cement
unit & the top of the casing.
▌ It is designed to hold the cement plugs
▌ It allows:-
 the bottom plug to be released
 mix & pump down the cement slurry
 release the top plug
 displace the cement
This without making or breaking the connection to the top of the
casing.
Cement Applications
▌ Primary Cementing
▌ Primary cementing is applied in wells after installing the casing string.
▌ It involves the process of pumping cement slurry into the annulus
between casing and the wellbore.
▌ For successful primary cementing  many factors must be considered:
 well depth
 well completion type

 mud system
 well location
 geological environment.
Primary Cementing
▌ Cementing Casing Strings
Single Stage Cementing Operation
▌ Procedure:-
1. Circulate the casing & annulus clean with mud
2. Release bottom wiper plug

3. Pump spacer
4. Pump cement
5. Release top wiper plug (shut-off)
6. Displace with displacing fluid (mud) until the shut-off plug lands
the float collar
7. Pressure test the casing
Multi - Stage Cementing Operation
▌ The reasons for using a multi-stage operation are to reduce:

 Long pumping times
 High pump pressures
 Excessive hydrostatic pressure on weak formations  due to high
density of cement slurries.
▌ The procedure for the first stage of the operation is similar to single
stage.
▌ A wiper plug is not used  only a liquid spacer is pumped ahead of the
slurry.
▌ The conventional shut-off plug is replaced by a plug with flexible blades.
▌ Procedure:-
1. Drop opening dart
Stage collar
2. Pressure up to shear pins
3. Circulate though stage collar whilst the
first stage cement is setting
4. Pump spacer
5. Pump second stage slurry

6. Release closing plug
7. Displace plug and cement with mud
8. Pressure up on plug to close ports in

stage collar and pressure test the
casing.
Squeeze Cementing
▌ It’s a remedial job required to

repair faulty primary cementing
at a later age of well life.
▌ Squeeze cementing is the

process of injecting cement into
a confined zone behind the
casing such as casing leaks &
flow channels in formations.
The applications of squeeze cementing include
i. Casing leaks
▌ Cement slurry are directed & forced through casing leaks.
▌ Casing leak can develop due to corrosion  by water or H2S gas.
ii. Water shut off

▌ Cement slurry is forced into lower
casing perforations to seal off or at
least control water production into a
producing well.
iii. Gas shut off

▌ In a high gas oil ratio well, sealing the
upper casing perforation  reduce Cement squeezed
into perforations
the volume of gas production.
iv. Lost circulation zones

▌ Cement can be used to seal off
fractures or very permeable
geological formations.
v. Selective zonal isolation
▌ Depleted reservoirs, water
aquifer, or abnormal pressure
zones can be isolated by
squeeze cementing.
Squeeze cementing - Bradenhead technique
Cement plugs
▌ A cement plug is designed to fill a

length of casing or open hole to
prevent vertical fluid movement.
Cement plugs functions
1. Abandoning depleted zones
2. Seal off lost circulation zones Inclined drilled hole
3. Providing a kick off point for

directional drilling  side – tracking
4. Isolating a zone for formation

testing Cement Plug
5. Abandoning an entire well
Depleted Zone Plug
▌ Depleted zones may require isolation

to prevent the possible migration of
fluid and/or gas from productive
intervals.
Cement plug
Depleted zone
Lost Circulation Plug
▌ Pumping slurry into the thief zone
can stop the loss of drilling fluid.
▌ The cement slurry may be lost to the
thief zone
Cement plug
▌ Later, it will harden & consolidate the
thief or weak formation.
Thief zone
Abandonment
▌ A dry hole is usually abandoned by
setting cement plugs at various
depths
▌ It prevents zonal communication or
any migration of fluids and/or gas
that might pollute underground fresh
water sources.
▌A weak formation maybe

exist in an openhole below a
zone to be tested.
▌ It is more practical to place

cement plug through it.
Plug cementing - Balanced process

Drilling Eng. II CH 5 Handouts

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Drilling Eng. II CH 5 Handouts

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Drilling Engineering II (2015‐2016)

Petroleum Engineering Department

PENG317 (2015–2016) 3 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ The cementing job is performed

PENG317 (2015–2016) 4 SORAN UNIVERSITY

Applications of Oil Well Cements

I. To support the walls of the

II. To provide zonal isolation between formations in order to prevent

PENG317 (2015–2016) 6 SORAN UNIVERSITY

Salt water zone

III. To protect oil producing zones from salt water flow

IV. To support and seal the casing

V. To protecting well casings

VI. To reduce the risk of ground

PENG317 (2015–2016) 8 SORAN UNIVERSITY

Classification of cement powders

PENG317 (2015–2016) 10 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Thickening time (pumpability)

 Displaced by drilling fluid until it is in the required place

Lead Slurry Weight 12.50 PPG

Tail Slurry Weight 15.80 PPG

PENG317 (2015–2016) 12 SORAN UNIVERSITY

PENG317 (2015–2016) 13 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Most cement slurries will contain some additives, to modify the

PENG317 (2015–2016) 14 SORAN UNIVERSITY

PENG317 (2015–2016) 15 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ It avoids the risk of the cement setting in the casing prematurely.

PENG317 (2015–2016) 16 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Lightweight additives (Extenders)

PENG317 (2015–2016) 17 SORAN UNIVERSITY

 Sand – can give a 2 ppg increase in slurry density.

PENG317 (2015–2016) 18 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Fluid loss additives

▌ Fluid loss additives are used to prevent dehydration of the cement

slurry & premature setting.

▌ The most common additives are:

 Organic polymers 0.5 - 1.5%.

PENG317 (2015–2016) 19 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Friction reducing additives (Dispersants)

PENG317 (2015–2016) 20 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Cement foaming is one of the problems associated with cement slurry

pumps in the field.

PENG317 (2015–2016) 21 SORAN UNIVERSITY

PENG317 (2015–2016) 22 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ A guide shoe is run on the bottom of the first joint of casing.

▌ A float collar is positioned 1 or 2 joints

▌ It acts as a seat for the cement plugs

▌ At the end of the cement job  some

PENG317 (2015–2016) 24 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ The float collar contains a non-return valve  cement slurry cannot

It is essential that the non-return valves are effective in holding back

PENG317 (2015–2016) 25 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Centralisers are installed on the casing string as it is run.

PENG317 (2015–2016) 26 SORAN UNIVERSITY

PENG317 (2015–2016) 27 SORAN UNIVERSITY

 1 every joint on the bottom 3 joints

PENG317 (2015–2016) 28 SORAN UNIVERSITY

▌ Wipers/scratchers are devices run on the outside of the casing to

Bottom wiper plug

▌ It uses a thin membrane 

PENG317 (2015–2016) 30 SORAN UNIVERSITY

Top wiper plug

▌ Top plugs do not have a thin