James E. Griffith

Reverse Circulation of Primary Cementing Jobs-Evaluation and Case History

This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in a proposal submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling Contractors or Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or Society of Petroleum Engineers, their officers, or members. Papers presented at IADC/SPE meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the International Association of Drilling Contractors and Society of Petroleum Engineers. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written consent of the International Association of Drilling Contractors and Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to a proposal of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The proposal must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. Proposal Conventional means of primary cement placement pump the cementing fluids down the casing and well returns are taken from the annulus. This is the most common way of cement placement for the industry and has been used for more than 80 years. Much less commonly used by the industry, but recently gaining in use is the Reverse Circulation of Cement (RCC) technique. When using the RCC technique, the cementing fluids are pumped into the annulus of the well and returns are taken through the casing. The recent acceptance of the RCC technique is mainly driven by economics and state-of-the-art technology bringing an alternative technique. Benefits of the RCC technique can include lowering bottom-hole placement pressure, reducing cement retarder concentration, lowering the time for cement placement, and increasing location safety. The main drawback to the technique is determining when uncontaminated cement is at and around the casing shoe. This paper discusses the benefits and shortcomings of the RCC technique in relation to fluid friction, cement slurry design, location safety, and zonal isolation. The paper illustrates, through a case history, how RCC technique’s strengths are obtained while shortcomings are minimized. Field data from a recent job using the RCC technique on a 3100-m gas well in Alberta, Canada, as well as lessons learned from the job, are presented.

Plug Cementing: Horizontal to Vertical Conditions

This paper presents an in-depth study of cement plug placement that was conducted with large-scale models for the improvement of plug cementing practices and plug integrity. Common hole and workstring geometries were examined with various rheology and density ratios between the drilling fluid and cement. The critical conditions dictating the difference between success and failure for various wellbore angles and conditions were explored, and the mechanisms controlling slurry movement before and after placement are now better understood. An understanding of these mechanisms allows the engineer to better tailor a design to specific hole conditions. Controversial concepts regarding plug-setting practices have been examined and resolved. The cumulative effects of density, rheology, and hole angle are major factors affecting plug success. While the Boycott effect and an extrusion effect were observed to be predominant in inclined wellbores, a spiraling or roping effect controls slurry movement in vertical wellbores. Ultimate success of a cement plug can be obtained if allowances are made for these effects in the job design, provided all other previously published recommended placement practices are followed. Results ofthis work can be applied to many sidetracking and plug-to-abandon operations. Additionally, the understanding of the fluid movement (creep) mechanisms holds potential for use in primary and remedial cementing work, and in controlling the placement of noncementitious fluids in the wellbore.

Thickness Optimization of Drilling Fluid Filter Cakes for Cement Slurry Filtrate Control and Long-Term Zonal Isolation

In this paper, the long-term isolation characteristics of two typical filter-cake systems in a gas or water environment are investigated. The test models were designed to measure the sealing capability of a premium cement and filter-cake system used to prevent hydraulic communication at a permeable-nonpermeable boundary. The test models represented the area of a sand-stone/shale layer in an actual well. In a real well, sandstone is a water- or gas-bearing formation, and sealing the annulus at the shale formation would prevent hydraulic communication to an upper productive zone. To simulate these conditions, the test models remained in a gas or water environnement at either 80° or 150°F for periods of 3, 4, 30, and 90 days before the hydraulic isolation measurements were conducted. Models without filter cake, consisting of 100% cement, were tested for zonal isolation with the filter-cake models to provide reference points. Results show that at 80°F, all filter cakes tested provided adequate zonal isolation up to 90 days. However, at 150°F, the reduction in filter-cake thickness prevented communication at higher pressures. The two highest pressures recorded occurred when no filter cake wsas on a water-saturated core. The next three highest pressures were measured with no filter cake on a gas-saturated cored. These results show how critical filter-cake removal is to the long-term sealing of the cemented annulus. Results indicate that complete removal of the filter cake provides the greatest resistance to fluid communication in most of the cases studied.