Introduction To Cement Evaluation

Internal Use Only

Why Cement?

Cement provides:
Hydraulic Bond
Zonal Isolation
Shear Bond
Mechanical Support

Casing

Internal Use Only

Objectives of Primary Cementing

Zonal Isolation
Cement
Oil
Zone

Prevents
Mixing of reservoir
fluids.
Fluids escaping to
surface.
Crossflow of fluids
between zones.

Casing

Water ZoneCasing Corrosion

Internal Use Only

Objectives Of Primary Cementing

Shear Bond
Provides:
Mechanical Support

Hydrostatic Pressure
Formation Pressure
Casing Weight
Completions Pressure
Cementing
Production Enhancement
Formation Fluids
H2S
Prevents Casing Collapse

Internal Use Only

Mechanical Properties
Of
Casing and Cementing

Internal Use Only

Casing, Attachments & Cementing

Casing Pipes are Steel

36 " hole
30 " casing

conductor Seamless Pipes

pipe
generally having Make
API threads on both
ends

26 " hole
20 " casing

surface
casing

17 1/2 " hole

13 3/8 " casing

Two Casing Pipes are

intermediate
connected by a collar
casing

11 1/2 " hole

7 5/8 " casing

These Pipes are

usually around 35 ft
long (but other sizes
are possible)

production
casing
A Casing that is not
Internal Use Only

connected up to
surface is called Liner.

Casing Properties
1. Outside Diameter (example 5 inch)
2. Drift Diameter (example 3. Casing weight per foot (example 17 ppf)
4. Type of Threads and coupling (example API 8
RPI)
5. Grade of material (example J-55)
A casing designers main job is to select the weight and grades of
casing that will be just strong enough to withstand the loading
conditions of the well. Since casing is made from steel pipe, cost
generally increases with weight, but tensile strength and grade change
also affect prices. When selecting casing sizes and final weights and
grades, consider availability also.
Past experience with the area
Geological factors
Abnormal pressure
Troublesome zones (such as salt) and sloughing
shale
Lost circulation zones
Internal Use Only

Preparing the Casing String for

Cementing
Float Shoe
Float Collar

Internal Use Only

Bow Spring Centralizers and Scratchers

Internal Use Only

TOP

Cementing Plugs and Plug

Container

BOTTOM
Internal Use Only

Cement
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has set
basic standards and classifications for oil and
gas well cements.

* Can be Accelerated or Retarded for most Well Conditions

Internal Use Only

Cement Additives
Specific Materials for
Optimum Cement
Performance

Internal Use Only

Displacement
Fluid
Top Plug
Accumulated
Mud
Casing
Cement
Bottom Plug

Pumping Cement
With Top &
Bottom Plugs
Preferred Method
Bottom Plug Wipes Mud
Sheath From Casing ID
Surface Indication When
Cement Placement Is
Complete
Maximum Cement/Mud
Separation

Drilling Mud

Internal Use Only

The Sequence of events

Displacement
Fluid
Top Plug
Accumulated
Mud
Casing
Cement
Bottom Plug

Drilling Mud

Internal Use Only

Displacement
=
Cement Bond

Internal Use Only

Mud Displacement Best

Practices
Bad

Good

Internal Use Only

5 Key Displacement
Factors

Mud Conditioning
Mechanical Aids
Centralization
Fluid Velocity
Spacers & Flushes

Internal Use Only

Mud Conditioning Best

Practices
LOW
MOBILITY
MUD

MOBILE
MUD

Hole Circulation
MINIMUM 2 Hole Volumes

FILTRATE

CEMENT

FILTRATE
FILTER
CAKE
FORMATION

CASING

Internal Use Only

Mechanical Aids Best

Practices

Pipe Movement

Rotation
Reciprocation

Casing Attachments

Scratchers
Centralizers
Specialized Float Equipment

Internal Use Only

Pipe Handling
Rotating the Pipe while
Pumping down cement
improves displacement
efficiency
Centering the Pipe in the
hole improves Displacement
efficiency

Internal Use Only

Centralization Best Practices

70% Standoff

Standoff =
100%

Actual clearance
Concentric clearance

Clearance when
concentric

Casing

Internal Use Only

Hole

Actual clearance

Fluid Velocity Best

Practices
Pump As Fast As Possible
Direction of flow

LOCAL FLUID
VELOCITY

Plug Flow
Laminar Sub-Layer

Laminar flow
Central Un-Sheared
Core

Internal Use Only

Turbulent flow
Laminar Sub-Layer

Turbulent Flow
achieves the
maximum
Displacement
Efficiency
Mud
conditioning
prior to
Cementing
achieves good
results

Internal Use Only

Time is VERY
important
during a
Cementing Job.
Any failure
resulting in
loss of time or
the Fluid
remaining
Static can be

Spacers & Flushes Best

Practices
Used to:

Separate Incompatible Fluids

Aid in Mud Displacement
Leave All Downhole Surfaces Water-Wet

Volume Calculated By:

1000 ft Annular Fill

or
10 min Contact Time

WHICH EVER IS GREATER

Internal Use Only

Poor Displacement Conditions

Two conditions which effect cement bond and can be
measured by CBL
Channeling
Micronannulus

Internal Use Only

Reasons for Poor Primary Cementing

Apart from any
general
mechanical failure
during the
pumping, poor
Displacement
Efficiency can
happen when the
Cement Slurry
Channels
Channeling of the slurry (less than total cement coverage
around the outside
of the pipe over the target interval). This can be caused by:
- failure to centralize pipe
- failure to move pipe
- failure to circulate mud system and run a mud/cement spacer.
-inadequate pumping rate
- contamination of cement takes place

Internal Use Only

Micro Annulus
Definition: Is a gap a few thousandths of an inch wide between the
casing and cement often caused by shrinkage of casing after
cement sets
Often will provide hydraulic isolation. It will usually not pass any
substantial volume of liquid.
Casing can be pressured up while logging to expand the casing and
close the gap (typically 1000-2000 psi)
The 5 typical causes of a micro-annulus are:
Thermal Micro Annulus.
Produced Micro Annulus.
Induced Micro Annulus
Constraining Forces
Special Coatings on Casing

Internal Use Only

Review
1. What is Primary Cementing
2. Different popular Casing ODs
3. Why do we need to have Thicker and Thinner Casings
for the same O.D
4. What is Grade of Casing, name some popular grades
5. What is the function of Spacers
6. Why do we need high pressures to pump the cement
down
7. What is Plug Hit pressure
8. What all should be done to achieve max
Displacement Efficiency
9. What will happen if the Float Valve fails
10. What is Micro Annulus

Internal Use Only

Squeeze Cementing

Squeeze Cementing is the process of applying

hydraulic pressure to force or squeeze a cement
slurry into the desired perforations, fractures,
channels, or voids and force filtrate water from
the slurry to create a solid mass which will
harden to provide the desired seal.

Slurry enters the Void

the void

Internal Use Only

Slurry seals

High Pressure Squeeze

Surface Pressure
+
Displacement Fluid
Hydrostatic
+
Cement Slurry
Hydrostatic
=
Total Bottom Hole
Pressure
Greater Than
Formation Fracture
Pressure

Internal Use Only

Internal Use Only

Internal Use Only

Why do we do CBL ?

To verify zonal Isolation.

To find the top of cement
To determine quality of cement job.
To determine if remedial cementing is required.

Internal Use Only

WHAT ARE TYPICAL CAUSES

A POOR CEMENT JOB?
WASHOUTS
POOR CEMENT FLUID DESIGN
CASING DECENTRALIZATION
POOR MUDCAKE REMOVAL
GAS INFLUX
WATER INFLUX
POOR MUD PROPERTIES

Internal Use Only

CBL Log Applications

Client Needs
Cement
Oil
Zone

To Evaluate Cement
Job
Hydraulic Bond
Top Of Cement
Quality Of Cement Job
Is there any Channel ?
Is it necessary to Repair ?
Will it be possible to
Repair?

Water Zone

[ by performing a
SQUEEZE ]

Casing

Internal Use Only