Dowell
UTC
PLUG CEMENTING
Module CF10
CF10
1
Dowell
Cement Plugs
• The most overlooked cement job
■ design at last moment
■ little or no testing
■ no preparation
■ little or no evaluation
• As important as primary cementing
■ job objectives
■ well data gathering
■ slurry design
■ well preparation
■ job design, execution and evaluation
• in order to be successful the first time
CF10
2
Dowell
Cement Plugs Introduction
• Setting a cement plug in a well is a common oil-field operation.
• A cement plug involves a relatively small volume of cement
slurry.
• And is placed in the wellbore for various purposes:
■ To side track above a fish or to initiate directional drilling.
■ To plug back a zone or plug back a well.
■ To solve a lost-circulation problem during the drilling phase,
■ To provide an anchor for openhole tests.
CF10
3
Dowell
Side Track and Directional Drilling
Kick Off Point
CEMENT
PLUG
NEW
HOLE
CF10
4
Dowell
Plug Back and Depleted Zone
Cement
Plug
Depleted
Zon
e
CF10
5
Dowell
Lost Circulation
Drill Pipe
Open Hole
Drill Pipe
Thief Zone
CEMENT
CEMENT
PLUG
PLUG
CF10
6
Dowell
Abandonment
CEMENT PLUG
CEMENT PLUG
CEMENT PLUG
CF10
7
Dowell
Examples of Countries Having Drilling and Cementing Regulations
Country Agency
Abu Dhabi Ministry of Petroleum
Australia Department of Mines
Austria Oberste Bergbehorde
Canada Ontario-Dept of Mines and Northern affairs
Alberta-Oil & Gas Conservation Board
Saskatewan-Dept of Mineral Resources
Colombia Minister of Mines & Petroleum
France Direction Generale des Mnes
Germany Bureau of Mines
Ireland Offshore Operating Committee - London
Italy National Mining Bureau for Hydrocarbons
Japan Bureau of Mines
Libya Petroleum Mine Safety Regulations
Malaysia Petroleum Ministry
Mozambique Geology and Mines Dept
The Netherlands The Ministry of Mines
Norway Petroleum Directorate
Turkey Petroleum Admin
United Kingdom Dept of Energy
Venezuela Dept of Hydrocarbons
CF10
8
Dowell
Test Anchor
Test String
Zone to be Tested
CEMENT Weak
PLUG
Formation
CF10
9
Dowell
Plug Placement Techniques
There are three common techniques for placing cement plugs:
• Balanced plug
• Dump bailer
• Two-plug method
CF10
10
Dowell
Balanced Plug
Balancing
Displ.
Fluid
Spacer
Cement
Slurry
CF10
11
Dowell
Balanced Plug
Balancing Reversing
Displ.
Fluid
Spacer
Cement
Slurry
Plug
Length
CF10
12
Dowell
Dump Bailer Method
WIRELINE
DUMP BAILER
CEMENT SLURRY
ELECTRICAL/
MECHANICAL
DUMP RELEASE
BRIDGE PLUG
CASING
CF10
13
Dowell
Dump Bailer Method
Advantages:
• Depth of cement plug is easily controlled.
• Relatively cheap.
Disadvantages:
• Not easily adaptable to setting deep plugs.
• Quantity of cement limited to volume of dump bailer.
CF10
14
Dowell
Two Plug Method
1. Running In 4. Top Plug Landed
2. Bottom Plug Landed 5. Reverse Circulation
3. Cleaning of Aluminium Tail Pipe and Pulling Out
CF10
15
Dowell
Two-Plug Method: Tell-Tale Catcher Sub System
Advantages of this method are:
• Isolation ahead and behind the cement.
• Pipe cleaned down to the lower end of the tail pipe.
• Breakable tail pipe that can be abandoned if stuck.
CF10
16
Dowell
Job Design Considerations
• Why is the cement plug being set?
• At what depth will the plug be set?
• Across which formations is the plug going to be set?
• At what density should the slurry be mixed?
• What is the BHT?
• What volume should be pumped?
• What is the required thickening time?
• How to insure the cement will not be contaminated by the
mud?
• Are pipe centralization and rotation necessary?
• Waiting on cement time?
CF10
17
Dowell
Slurry Properties
• Density - lighter for Lost Circulation
• Density - heavier for Sidetracking
• Density - homogeneous - batch mixing
• Rheology - higher for Lost Circulation
• Rheology - lower for placement with Coiled Tubing
• Compressive Strength - higher for Sidetracking
• Compressive Strength - less important for Lost Circulation
• Compressvie Strength - minimum 500 psi for drill out
• Thickening Time - enough for placement - 1.5 to 2 hours
CF10
18
Dowell
Slurry Thickening Time and Compressive Strength
API Class G Cement Mixed at 15.8 lb/gal
Conc D81R Depth BHCT BHST THICKENING TIME
gal/sk (ft) (oF) (oF) (hrs:min)
None 10,000 144 228 1:20
0.04 10,000 144 228 2:25
0.08 10,000 144 228 3:40
Conc D81R Depth BHST COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
gal/sk (ft) (oF) (psi)
8hrs 16hrs 24hrs
None 10,000 228 3050 3500 4100
0.04 10,000 228 2500 3000 3700
0.08 10,000 228 1200 2200 3800
CF10
19
Dowell
Mud Contamination vs Compressive Strength
Neat Class H Cement Effect of Mud
16.5 lb/gal Contamination*
Reduced
Mud Contamination Compressive Strength Mud Normal Water
(% by Volume) (psi at 170°F) Contamination Slurry Slurry**
(%) 15.6 lb/gal 17.5 lb/gal
8 hr 16 hr
0 4,647 5,862 0 4,082 psi 8,600 psi
5 3,512 5,300 10 2,950 psi 8,237 psi
10 2,619 4,538 40 2,426 psi 3,850 psi
20 2,378 2,331 60 593 psi 2,967 psi
50 245 471
* Compressive strength is 18hr at 230F
** Contains dispersant
CF10
20
Dowell
Reasons for Cement Plug Failures
• Lack of hardness (sidetracking).
• Poor isolation (plugback, abandonment).
• Wrong Depth (all plugs).
• Not in place due to sinking to the bottom (all plugs).
• Not in place due to loss to thief zone (lost circulation).
CF10
21
Dowell
Reasons for Failure Can be Traced to the Following
• Slurry not designed for enough compressive strength.
• Not enough WOC time.
• Inaccurate BHST.
• Cement contamination during displacement and POH.
• Slurry not designed for the specific problem (lost circulation).
• Not enough cement volume.
• Difference between cement and hole fluids' densities too high,
causing the plug to sink.
CF10
22
Dowell
Plug Cementing - Conclusions
• Place the plug in a competent formation (i.e., a hard formation).
• Use ample cement.
• Use a tailpipe through plugback intervals.
• Use centralizers on the tailpipe where the hole is not
excessively washed out.
• Use a drill pipe plug and a plug catcher.
• Condition the well before running the job, using low YP and PV
mud, but of sufficient weight to control the well.
• Ahead of the cement, run a high vis pill that is compatible with
the mud and will prevent the cement from sliding down the hole.
• Use spacers and washes to combat the effects of mud
contamination. Densified cements with a dispersant are also
useful.
• Allow ample time for the cement to set.
CF10
23
Dowell
Diverter Tool
8 holes phased at 450
Bull Plug
CF10
24
Dowell
Drill Pipe Centralization & Diverter Tool
DRILLPIPE
CENTRALIZED
9.0 lb/gal MUD
SPACER
DIVERTER TOOL
16.0 lb/gal CEMENT
9.1 lb/gal VISCOUS BENTONITE PILL
9.0 lb/gal MUD
CF10
25
Dowell
Bad Cement Placement Technique
9.0 lb/gal MUD
SPACE
R
13.8lb/gal
15.8 lb/gal
17.5 lb/gal
CEMENT
BENTONITE PILL
9.0 lb/gal MUD
CF10
26
Dowell
Reverse Circulating Excess Cement
CF10
27
Dowell
