SPE 69621
Productive Innovations for Cementing Liners in Deep Wells
C. Valles, and O. González/PDVSA
Copyright 2001, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum
Engineering Conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 25–28 March 2001.
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Abstract
The objective of this paper is to highlight the results and
experiences obtained by the Petroleum Company of Venezuela
(PDVSA) as a result of the changes applied to the
displacement systems in liners, for the cementing of
intermediate and production strings in the deep wells of the
North Monagas area, located in Eastern Venezuela.
In the year 1998, there was a 24% drop in the success rate of
liner cementing during the well construction process. This
resulted in the execution of 11 repair jobs having to be
performed to correct primary cement job failures, with an
associated cost of US $370,000. Based on an analysis of the
execution and evaluation of the said jobs, it was determined
that the most recurrent problems were flaws in the
displacement system with the different types of hangers used.
As a consequence, a more detailed analysis was done which
allowed the identification of the most common causes when
the failures occurred, such as: the piston effect between the
liner displacement plug and the seal bore, and inadequate
sealing during the latch-in of the plugs. As a result of the
optimization proposals and changes made to the designs in
liner hangers used for cementing 7 5/8 inch intermediate and 5
½ inch production strings, a 22% increase in the success rate
was achieved compared to 1998, thus reducing the percentage
of repairs to primary cement jobs due to failures in the liner
hanger to just one from a total of twenty seven (27) jobs
performed in the period 1999-2000. By these changes, a total
of US $1,500,000 in additional costs for repairs to primary
cement jobs was avoided.
Introduction
The assurance of zonal isolation subsequent to the cementing
of the liner in the deep wells in the North Monagas Area,
requires an effective planning and execution of the different
operations that pertain to: the running and centralization of the
casing string, hole conditioning, as well as the mixing,
pumping and displacing of the fluids in the required flow
regimes, based on hole configuration and the rheological
properties of the pre-flushes and the cement slurry.
This first critical aspect of the said effective execution is
heavily dependent on the adequate functional operation of the
liner hanger, which is lowered and set to hang-off the casing
string. Whether it is done mechanically or hydraulically
(according to the type of liner), the liner hanger must be set
without affecting the condition of the hole to be cemented or
the integrity of the seals of the tool.1
The other relevant aspect is the effectiveness of the
displacement process. Ensuring a strict control and follow up
of the drill pipe displacement with the aim of detecting the
shearing of the pins, which is indicative of the latch-in of the
drill pipe wiper plug to the liner plug; additionally the
monitoring of the displacement of the liner with the objective
of bumping the plug within the maximum predetermined
volume and pressure.2
In the cases where there was non compliance with the
before mentioned control parameters for the operations due to
some type of flaw during the displacement of the liner, there is
a notable increase in the probability of cement contamination
by the pre-flushes and the drilling fluid, for which zonal
isolation will not be achieved; resulting in the work of
cleaning additional cement inside the liner and / or remedial
cementing to ensure zonal isolation.
As a result in the failures of this important tool in 1998, a
joint discussion and analysis was held amongst representatives
from PDVSA, Cementing Companies and Suppliers of Liner
Hangers, with the objective of reviewing and analyzing the
failure statistics and operational procedures followed, which
coincided with the relationship between quality of the cement
jobs and the events that occurred during the liner displacement
process, failures such as: non-detection of pin shearing and /
or the failure to bump the liner plug, as well as leakage of the
drilling fluid in the area of the seals.
As a result of the studies performed, a series of
improvements was implemented to optimize the displacement
process for hydraulic liner hangers, which consisted of: an
increase in the housing area for the liner plug to avoid its
premature release, the installation of an additional nitrite seal
2 C. VALLES, O. GONZALEZ
at the internal base of the latch-in wiper plug to ensure an
effective seal, and the implementation of the use of higher
shear-resistance pins to prevent the re-establishment of
circulation before time; among other actions taken to reduce
the occurrence of liner hanger failures.
Characteristics of the area
The North Monagas field is located in the northern flank of the
Eastern Basin of Venezuela, actually forming part of the most
important petroleum reserves in the country, due to the
relevance of the results obtained from the development of the
Mulata, Pirital and Santa Bárbara fields.
The fields of the North Monagas area are characterized by
a complex geology due to faults and high drops of the stratum,
the reservoirs are located at depths ranging between 13000 and
22000 feet, with high pressures and temperatures above 10000
psi and 300°F respectively.
At the start of the field development, the wells were
completed by cementing a 7-inch and/or 4½-inch production
liner, to produce the wells in the form of a dual completion
(dual string). However, the massive use of the 5½ inch single
bore completions, in conjunction with the exploration strategy
directed at draining the sub-saturated petroleum zones;
requires that at the level of the productive zones a 7 5/8 inch
intermediate liner be cemented to isolate pressurized
formations around the top of the structure (zone of gas
condensate) and a 5 ½ inch production liner to isolate the
primary and secondary objectives of the well, overlapping the
intermediate liner. (Fig. 1)
In said phases characterized by a slim hole cementing
environment, seeing that the annular space is less than 0.75
inch, and the presence of pressurized hydrocarbon bearing
sands; the cementing is realized by means of the formulation
and design of a gas controlled, low fluid loss, controlled
setting time with a short transition, development of rapid gel
strength with the aim of reducing the effect of dehydration
across the permeable zones; as well as in some cases, designs
that have included latex type polymers that provide elasticity
and ductility.
It is important to note that the majority of the production
and injection wells in the North Monagas Area are future
candidates for stimulation by means of hydraulic fracturing,
which increases the demands upon the quality of the cement
jobs given the pressures that the cement seal should be able to
withstand between casing and formation across the length of
the zone of interest.
Technical aspects
The cementing conditions in the North Monagas Area has
been considered by experts as one of the most critical and
difficult around the world given its geological complexity,
extreme depths and high temperatures. 3
With the aim of improving zonal isolation after the
cementing of the production liner, the use of two spacer (2)
fluids was implemented in the year 1995, one being oil-based
and the other water-based, compatible with the drilling fluid
and the cement slurry. 4
SPE 69621
The use of two (2) spacers with different wettability
characteristics is a practice that has been converted into a
successful routine, in the presence of oil-based fluids or 100%
oil
The selection of the spacer volumes are based on contact
time (more than 10 minutes), guaranteeing a separation of
more than 1500 feet between the drilling fluid and the cement
slurry whilst passing across the annulus, or according to the
criteria of one or more open hole volumes.
It should be noted that in the process drilling fluid –
spacers – cement exists a tendency for mixing of the phases,
given the tendency of the fluid phases to intermingle. As a
consequence, investigations performed demonstrate that
significant differences between the density of displaced and
displacing fluids increases the tendency of inter-mixing
between fluids. 5
In addition to the previously described techniques, non-
conventional equipment has been utilized, such as spiral rigid
centralizers and stop collars with internal slips, which allowed
improvement of the centralization of the production liner in
the different diameters utilized.
The type of liner hanger selected for the primary
cementing of deep high pressure, high temperature wells,
requires the consideration of a series of critical aspects
primordial to the success of the operation, such as: the type of
well: vertical or directional; determination of optimal flow
areas, that minimize the restrictions in the annular space based
on well conditions and the rotation time / speed, in the case of
rotating liner hangers. 6
In the case of hydraulic hangers, the maximum setting
pressure for the hanger vs. the estimated circulation pressure
during hole conditioning should be determined in addition to
the previously mentioned aspects, such as the maximum
pressure to displace the ball seat in the sleeve of the landing
collar and expel the sphere to re-establish circulation. 6
Problems raised with the liner hangers
As a result of the application of the previously described
technical aspects for the cementing of deep liners, a 91%
success ratio was attained, which represented a 17%
improvement over the years 1995 and 1997, demonstrating its
effectiveness in improving the bonding between cement-
formation and cement - casing. 4
However, in the year 1998, from a total of 24 liner cement
job evaluations according to logs, in eight (8) cases the need to
realize squeeze cement jobs was merited to repair primary
cement jobs, which represented a 24% drop in the success
ratio with respect to the year 1997. The most common
incidents that contributed to the reduction of the success in the
assurance of zonal isolation in the liner cementing were:
ƒ Failures in the operational function of the hanger.
ƒ Loss Circulation prior to and/or during the cement job.
It should be noted that in both wells, circulation was lost
during the drilling of the respective phase due to the high-
pressure differential utilized to pass through the low-pressured
zones, in the presence of pressurized formations in the same
phase.
SPE 69621 PRODUCTIVE INNOVATIONS FOR CEMENTING LINERS IN DEEP WELLS 3

To minimize the problem of loss circulation prior to and/or Problem 1: Non detection of pin shearing and premature
during the cementing of the production liner, an intermediate bumping of the liner displacement plug
7 5/8 inch liner set on top of the Nar-3 formation was included Cause:
in the designs of deep well construction for the North Piston effect originated between the displacement plug and the
Monagas Area starting in the year 1999, with the objective of seal unit at the moment of raising the setting tool 4 to 5 feet in
isolating the pressurized Upper Naricual formation and order to verify the activation of the slip mechanism of the
continue the drilling of the production phase with a 6 ½ inch hanger. When the pressure build up between the two (2)
hole to pass across the primary and secondary objectives, devices is greater than the shearing pressure of the pins, a
assuring a minimum pressure differential. (Fig. 1) premature release of the displacement plug is caused. (Fig. 2)
From a total of ten jobs with problems in 1998, seven (7) Solution:
cases warranted repairs to the cement job, having to realize The high pressure accumulation was a consequence of the
eleven (11) squeeze jobs with a total associated cost of U.S.$ sleeve of the plug only has an orifice of 0.25 inch (Fig.3),
370,000. which was insufficient to release the said pressure; as a
Below is an illustration of the type of failures with most consequence, it was replaced by a design of eight (8) orifices
recurrence, in the jobs with problems with the functioning of of 0.4 inch, under the premise of not surpassing the equivalent
the liner hangers: area of the liner plug sleeve, to avoid the weakening of the
resistance of the mechanical device. (Fig. 4)
Types of faults associated with the functioning No. of
of the hanger cases Problem 2: Non-detection of pin shearing or bumping of the
- Did not observe shearing of pins nor bumping plug.
4
of plug Cause:
- Leaks at the level of the setting tool 3 Lack of integrity in the seal between the drill pipe wiper plug
- Unable to set liner hanger (left on bottom) 1 and the liner plug upon latch-in; creating leaks in the area of
- Observed shearing of pins, but did not bump the orifice in the sleeve of the displacement plug, which
1
plug prevents the ability to increase the pressure required to shear
the pins. Additionally, it causes the rubber fins to be washed.
Said failures in the displacement process during liner (Fig. 5, point A)
cementing, not only had repercussions on the additional costs Solution:
for the repair cement jobs performed, but also had a non- Better seal integrity is guaranteed with the installation of an
productive time associated with cementing problems, elastomer ring with a higher nitrite concentration on the
increasing to a value of 3.0% in 1998 compared to only 1.2% internal base of the sleeve of the liner plug where the wiper
in 1997. Below is a description of the cases with most impact plugs latches (Fig. 6, point B). Additionally, the area of the
on lost time, produced by cleaning and forcing of cement: sleeve of the wiper plug on the lower extreme was increased
and an elastomer ring with greater nitrite concentration on the
Liner Lost lower extreme; to seal the drainage orifices at the moment of
Well OD Time Observations latch-in (Fig. 7, point C)
(Days)
Leak at the level of the Problem 3: Leaking through the seal unit at the liner top:
setting tool. Cleaned Cause: (Operational Practices)
SBC-86 4½” 41.4 At the moment of latching and unlatching the setting tool,
cement inside the liner.
Realized squeezes. prior to releasing the sphere in the area of the landing collar
Leak at the level of the (float collar), a pressure which reacts directly upon the seal
setting tool. Cleaned units is generated, weakening its mechanical resistance and
MUC-81 5½” 33.6 sealing ability, thus creating a reduced annular space between
cement inside the liner.
Realized squeezes. the external o-rings and the internal walls where the seal unit
Did not shear pins nor latches. (Fig. 8)
SBC-82 5½” 9.7 bump plug. Realized The lifting of the setting tool above the length of the polished
two squeezes. bore, causes this device to come out of the seal unit, resulting
in the wearing and deterioration of the same (Fig. 9), at the
Analysis of the problems and solutions proposed moment the string is lowered scratching and metallic cuttings
Below is a description of each problem, the variable that get into the interior of the seal unit, weakening its integrity.
coincide in the appearance of failures, as well as the solutions Solution:
brought forward to resolve the different problems that were Increasing the length of the polished bore section by an
planted, including the modifications and proposed design additional five (5) feet compared to the conventional design,
changes to the displacement procedure for hydraulic liner in order to reduce the risk of the setting tool being able to
hangers: come out of the seal unit.
4 C. VALLES, O. GONZALEZ
Problem #4: Inability to set the Liner Hanger
Cause:
At the point of pressuring up to initiate the setting of the slips
in accordance with the pre-set calibration pressures, the ball
seat at the landing collar can be displaced by the sphere, thus
prematurely re-establishing circulation (Fig. 10). As a
consequence, the required shear pressure to necessary activate
the slips at the interval of the hanger is not achieved.
Solution:
The 0.25 inch shear pins in the seating sleeve of the landing
collar was substituted for pins of 0.375 inch, seeing that the
shear pressure of the 0.375 inch pin (450 psi) is greater than
that of the 0.25 inch pin (300 psi). Additionally, the ball seat at
the landing collar is calibrated to have the sleeve opened with
a pressure of 500 to 800 psi above the maximum setting
pressure of the liner hanger. In this manner, the risk of
opening the sleeve at the float collar prior to the activation of
the slip mechanisms of the hanger is avoided.
Results
As a result of the proposed optimizations and design changes
made to the hydraulic hangers used to cement 7 5/8 inch and
5½ inch production liners, a 22% increase in the success ration
has been achieved during 1999-2000 compared to 1998, thus
reducing the percentage of repairs to primary cement jobs due
to failures in the liner hanger to just one from a total of twenty
seven (27) jobs performed in the said period. By these
changes, a total of US $1,500,000.00 in additional costs for
repairs to primary cement jobs was avoided.
Additionally, downtime costs for problems associated to liner
hanger failures were significantly reduced to a value of less
than 1% in the period 1999-2000 compared to 3% in 1998.
Conclusions
1.- Due to the change in the diameter of the drainage orifice
from 0.25 inches to eight (8) 0.4-inch orifices, the piston effect
that caused the premature release of the plug without being
able to observe the shearing of the pins on surface was
minimized.
2.- The increase in the sealing capability of the seal by means
of the adding of elastomer rings to the internal base of the
liner plug sleeve and to the wiper plug, allowed an increase to
the effective sealing area, thus assuring sufficient pressure
accumulation as required for the shearing of the pins.
3.- The 0.25 to 0.375 inch change to pins with a larger
diameter in the ball seat at the landing collar has guaranteed
SPE 69621
the release prior to the setting of the hydraulic liner, thus
eliminating the risk of re-establishing circulation prior to the
setting of the hanger and as such the problem of not hanging
off the liner. Equally, the change from the brass and bronze
alloys to 100% bronze as per manufacturer specification
guarantees the attainment of the required shear pressures.
4.- Keeping the 0.75-inch pins, which have a higher shear
rating, in the liner plug holder compared to the 0.25-inch pins
in the sleeve of the hanger has avoided premature plug release
when the slips are activated to set the hydraulic liner hangers.
5.- The change from liner plugs made from natural elastomers
to high concentration nitrite elastomers able to support
temperatures in excess of 300°F guarantees a greater
probability of being able to bump the plug on the landing
collar without the risk of fluid inter-channeling during the
liner displacement.
6.- The use of the liner plug with fins has been more effective
in the displacement process, seeing that the fluid, which
attempts to bypass the fins, creates a constant push against the
rest of the fins in the direction of flow, thus guaranteeing a
complete seal against the landing collar.
Acknowledgments
We thank Angel Franco (UDO), N. Acosta of Smith Drilling
International for valuable discussions on the operational
procedures and liner hanger designs; Dexter Farray of Tucker
Energy for review of information contained.
References
1. Durham, Kenneth S.: “How to prevent deep well liner failure”.
World Oil, Nov. 1987.
2. Lindsay, H.E.: “How to run and cement Liner in ultra-deep wells”
World Oil, June 1966.
3. Farray, Dexter: “La Cementación de liner profundos en el Area
Norte de Monagas “(Problemas y Soluciones), (Tucker
Pumping), IV LAPEC, Trinidad, Abril 1996.
4. Valles, C, González, O.: “Aplicación de Técnicas no
convencionales en las cementaciones primarias de liner en el
Norte de Monagas” XI Jornadas Técnicas de Petróleo (SVIP),
Febrero 1997.
5. Valles, C., Cruz, J.: “Diseño y Aplicación de Preflujos para
Cementaciones Primarias”. II Seminario de Cementación de
Pozos, Corpoven, 1989.
6. Lindsay, J.E. and Durham, K. S.: “Fields Results of Liner
rotation during cementing”. SPE 13047, Houston, Texas,
September 1984
SPE 69621 PRODUCTIVE INNOVATIONS FOR CEMENTING LINER IN DEEP WELLS 5

Geological Column Former Design Actual Design

Pore Pressure
Mesa /Las
Piedras
4 20” 20” 20”
1
La Pica 0 6
0
0
13 3/8” 13 3/8” 13 3/8”
x 8
ft
Carapita
10

12

9 5/8” 9 5/8”
Nar-1 y Nar-2 14 9 5/8”
Nar-3, Nar-4 y Nar-5
7 5/8”
16 7”
Cretáceo
18 7”, 5 1/2”
4 1/2” 5 1/2”
ó 4 1/2”
8 17
ppg

Fig. 2: Strategraphic Column and Mechanical Well Design (Former and Actual)

1
Key

1: Seal Unit.

2 2: Latch in Logs of the Seal Unit.

4
3: Liner Plug Housing Sleeve.

4: Pressure increase caused by the

build up of trapped fluid (piston
effect) which acts upon the Seal
Units.
5
5: Piston effect is directed towards
the plug and surpasses the shear
pressure of the pins.

3 6: 0.25” drainage orifice that did not

allow pressue to be released

Fig. 2: Piston effect that causes premature liner plug release

6 C. VALLES, O. GONZALEZ SPE 69621

Fig. 3: Displacement plug with 0.25 inch drainage Fig. 4 New plug design with eight (8) 0.4 inch
orifice. drainage orifices that prevents the “Piston Effect”

Fig. 5: Point (A) : Only one elastomer ring that dos not Fig. 6: Point (B): Nitrite seal at the base of the plug
guarantee the integrity of the seal in the drainage orifice. assures better seal integrity upon latch-in by the dart
plug

Fig. 7: Point (C): Increase of the sleeve area of the wiper plug and the inclusion of a nitrite ring in the lower extreme to ensure the seal
integrity around the drainage orifices
SPE 69621 PRODUCTIVE INNOVATIONS FOR CEMENTING LINER IN DEEP WELLS 7

KEY

1: Seal unit housing

2: Seal unit logs

1
3: Polish bore Boretbe 4
3
4: Elastomer O-Ring
2
5: Accumulated
pressure which 5
directly impacts on
the seal unit

Fig. 8: Lifting up the setting tool without previously expelling the sphere together with the landing collar sleeve causes damage to the seal
unit

Separe of the elastomer

o-Rings by jetting or washing
action.

Seal unit housing

Elastomer 0-Ring

Seal Unit Eroded by the jetting or

washing action
Adjustment Washer

Latch-in logs

Fig. 9: Erosion of the seal unit caused by the release of the logs and the impact of the accumulated pressure at the moment the setting tool is
lifted.

Instant to shear pins and activate the liner Premature release of the housing seat in the float
hanger slips collar

Key
1

1: 0.25 inch liner hanger shear pins

2: sphere

3: 0.25 inch shear pins in the

sleeve of the float collar

2 4: Shearing of the pins in the 4

sleeve of the seat

Fig. 10: Premature release of the landing collar sleeve disallows the setting of the hydraulic liner hanger