Problems on Cementing

Q1/Cementing of Conductor pipe:

Casing dimensions: OD=20-in, ID=18.73-in, 133 lb/ft. Hole size=26-in. Casing setting
depth=350 ft. Mud weight=65 lbm/ft3(8.7ppg).
Cement properties: Cement API Class G with 4% bentonite. Slurry weight=106 ft3/sack. Water
requirements=7.6 gal/sack. Pumping rate through drill pipe= 100 gal/min. and through
Casing=300 gal/min. Drill pipe(OD/ID= 5-in/4.276-in.,19.5 lbm/ft. Allow 15 min for the
release of plugs and assume casing to be cemented to surface. Calculate: 1- Quantities of
cement and bentonite required for a conventional cementing job. A shoe track of 80 ft is to be
used. Also allowable 100% excess cement in open hole. 2- Volume of mixing water. 3- Total
time for the job, assuming that the mixing rate is 100 sacks/min. 4- the forces developed when
a conventional cementing operation is used with a safety factor in Tension. Will the casing
float?
𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈
Solution: Safety factor = 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆

𝝅 𝟏
1 )Cann/ OH/CSD= 𝟒 (𝟐𝟔𝟐 − 𝟐𝟎𝟐 ) = 𝟐𝟏𝟔. 𝟕𝟕 𝒊𝒏𝟐 ∗ 𝟏𝟒𝟒 ∗ 𝟏𝒇𝒕 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟎𝟓𝟑 𝒇𝒕𝟑 /𝒇𝒕

Slurry volume = 1.5053*350= 527 ft3.

Total annular cement volume = 527+527(100% excess)=1054 ft3.
𝝅 (𝟏𝟖.𝟕𝟑)𝟐
Ccasing = 𝟒 ∗ 𝟏𝒇𝒕 = 𝟏. 𝟗𝟏𝟑𝟒 𝒇𝒕𝟑 /𝒇𝒕
𝟏𝟒𝟒

Cement volume in Shoe track= 1.9134 ft3/ft*80 ft = 153 ft3

So, Total required slurry volume= 1054 + 153 = 1207 ft3.
𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟕
Number of cement sacks= = 𝟖𝟎𝟓 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔.
𝟏.𝟓

Mass of bentonite required= 4%*total weight of cement.

Weight of cement= volume of cement*density = 1207*106 = 127942 lbm.
So, bentonite mass= 0.04*127942= 5227.7 lbm.
𝟓𝟏𝟏𝟕.𝟕
Number of sacks of bentonite= = 𝟓𝟒 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔
𝟗𝟒

2 ) Mix water volume = No. of sacks * water requirement/ sack= 805*7.6=6118 gal = 145.7
gal.
3 ) Total job time= mixing time + time for setting plugs + displacement time
𝟖𝟎𝟓 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈(𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌)
A ) cementing job time = 𝟏𝟎
+ 𝟏𝟓 + 𝒑𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆
 𝟏.𝟗𝟏𝟑𝟒∗(𝟑𝟓𝟎−𝟖𝟎)
= 80.5 +15+ 𝟏 = 𝟖𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏𝟓 + 𝟏𝟐. 𝟗 = 𝟏𝟎𝟖. 𝟗 𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟑𝟎𝟎∗𝟕.𝟒𝟖

B ) Job time for inner string job= 80.5 + displacement time

𝝅 (𝟒.𝟐𝟕𝟔)𝟐
Cdp = = 𝟒 ∗ 𝟏𝒇𝒕 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟗𝟗𝟕 𝒇𝒕𝟑 /𝒇𝒕
𝟏𝟒𝟒

Total internal volume= 0.0997*350=35 bbl

𝟑𝟓
The actual displacement time= 𝟏 = 𝟐. 𝟔 𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟏𝟎𝟎∗𝟕.𝟒𝟖

Thus, total job time = 80.5+ 2.6= 83.1 min.

4 ) For a conventional cementing job the worst conditions occur when the casing is entirely
full off the 106 lbm/ft3cement slurry. Also, the calculations will include a pumping pressure of
500 psi as a displacement force.
Differential force= forces down- forces up.
Forces down= weight of casing in air + weight of cement + force due to pumping pressure.
i ) weight of casing in air = 133*350 = 46 550 lbm.
ii ) cement weight inside casing= casing inside area *Hydrostatic pressure due to cement
𝝅 𝟏𝟎𝟔∗𝟑𝟓𝟎
column = 𝟒 (𝟏𝟖. 𝟕𝟑)𝟐 ∗ = 𝟕𝟎 𝟗𝟖𝟕 𝒍𝒃𝒎
𝟏𝟒𝟒
𝝅
iii) force due to pumping pressure = 500 * 𝟒 (𝟏𝟖. 𝟕𝟑)𝟐 = 𝟏𝟑𝟕 𝟕𝟔𝟒 𝒍𝒃𝒎

So, Forces down= 46 550 +70 987 + 137 764 = 255 301 lbm.
Forces up = buoyancy force* Hydrostatic pressure of mud in the annulus* outside area of the
𝟔𝟓∗𝟑𝟓𝟎 𝝅
casing = ∗ 𝟒 (𝟐𝟎)𝟐 = 𝟒𝟗 𝟔𝟑𝟑 𝒍𝒃𝒎
𝟏𝟒𝟒

Differential forces= force down – force up = 255 301 – 49 633 = 205 668 lbm.
Hence, the casing will stay in the hole during cementing. i.e. it will not float.
𝒀𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒑𝒊𝒑𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈
Safety factor in tension for the job = =
𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝒐𝒑 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕
𝟐𝟎𝟏 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟎 (𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝟕.𝟔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈)
= 𝟗. 𝟖
𝟐𝟎𝟓 𝟔𝟔𝟗

Q2/(Hydraulicing Casing)Casing size= 13 3/8-in. 54 lb /ft. Cement weight= 15.8 ppg. Mud
weight=8.8 ppg. Bouyancy factor= 0.8656. Well depth= 164 ft.. Check the casing if moved
upward or not by determining: 1- Pressure gradient difference between cement and the mud.
2- Differential pressure between the cement and the mud. 3- The Upward force, F. 4-
Difference in the force. 5- Pressure required to balance the forces. 6-New mud weight mud
weight 7- Check the forces for new mud weight.
Solution: 1- Difference in pressure gradient, psi/ft. = (15.8 – 8.8)*0.052= 0.364 psi/ft.
2- Differential pressure, psi = 0.364*164= 60 psi.
3- Area, sq.in.= 0.7654*(𝟏𝟑. 𝟑𝟕𝟓)𝟐 = 𝟏𝟒𝟎. 𝟓 𝒊𝒏𝟐
Upward Force, lbf = 140.5 *60 = 8430 lbf.
Down wad force, lbf = 54.5 *164*0.8656 = 7737 lbf.
4- Difference in force, lbf = F down – F up = 7737 – 8430 = - 693 lbf. Therefore, unless the
casing is tied down or stuck, it could hydraulic out (move upward).
5- Pressure required to balance the forces, so that the casing will not hydraulic out, psi=
𝟔𝟗𝟑
= 𝟒. 𝟗 𝒑𝒔𝒊
𝟏𝟒𝟎.𝟓
𝟒.𝟗
6- Mud weight increase to balance pressure, ppg = 𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟐∗𝟏𝟔𝟒 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟕 𝒑𝒑𝒈

New mud weight, ppg. = 0.57 + 8.8 = 9.37 = 9.4 ppg.

7- Checking the forces for new mud weight: a) psi/ft.= (15.8 – 9.4)*0.052 = 0.3328 psi/ft.
b) New pressure, difference in pressure gradient,psi/ft* casing length = 0.3328*164= 54.58 psi
c) Upward force, lbf = 54.58*140.5 = 7668 lbf
d) Difference in Force, lbf= F down – F up = 7737 – 7668 = +69 lbf , So, the casing is fixed
and donot moved upward.
Q3/It is required to balance 100 sacks of Class G cement in an 8.5-in. Open hole by using a
3.5-in OD/3.068-in ID, 8.9 lbm/ft tubing. Hole depth is 6000 ft and 10 bbl of water is to be
used as preflush a head of the cement slurry. Slurry weight 118.2 lbm/ft3 and a yield slurry
1.15 ft3/sack. Calculate: 1- Total slurry volume, Annular volume and Tubing volume. 2-
Height of balanced Plug. 3- Volume of water to be used as a spacer behind the cement. 4-
Volume of mud Chase) displacement volume) 5- Number of strokes required to displace
cement to just below the drill pipe shoe, assuming pump capacity is 0.1 bbl/stroke. 6- Volume
of cement and number of sacks required if the height of plug is 500 ft.
𝑰𝑫𝟐 𝟑.𝟎𝟔𝟖𝟐 𝒇𝒕𝟑
Solution: 1- Tubing capacity=𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 = = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟏𝟑𝟏 .
𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 𝒇𝒕

𝑫𝒉𝟐 − 𝑫𝒑𝟐 𝟖.𝟓𝟐 −𝟑.𝟓𝟐 𝒇𝒕𝟑

Annular capacity= = = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟐𝟕𝟏 .
𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 𝒇𝒕

Cement Volume (V)= No. of sacks* Yield = 100*1.15 = 115 ft3.

Annular cement volume (C) = 0.3271*6000 = 1963 ft3.
Tubing volume (A) = 0.05131*6000 = 308 ft3.
𝑽 𝟏𝟏𝟓
2- Height of balanced Plug (H) = (𝑨+𝑪)𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 = = 𝟑𝟎𝟒 𝒇𝒕
(𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟏𝟑𝟐+𝟎.𝟑𝟐𝟕𝟏)
 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈
3- Water Volume (spacer) = 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 = 𝑻𝒖𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚

𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝑽
= , 𝑽 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟕 𝒃𝒃𝒍
𝟎.𝟑𝟐𝟕𝟏 𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟐𝟑𝟏

𝑨 𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟏𝟑𝟏
Or V= 𝑪 ∗ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 = ∗ 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟕 𝒃𝒃𝒍
𝟎.𝟑𝟐𝟕𝟏

𝟏.𝟓𝟕∗𝟓.𝟔𝟐
4- Height of water inside the tubing = = 𝟏𝟕𝟐 𝒇𝒕. (Hint 5.62 conversion factor to
𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟑𝟏
ft3from bbl)
Total height of cement and water inside Tubing= 304 +172 = 476 ft. and,
Mud height to fill remaining length of tubing= 6000 – 476 = 5524 ft.
Displacement volume of water = 5525 *0.05131= 283.44 ft3/ 5.62 ft3/bbl = 50.4 bbl.
𝟓𝟎.𝟒
5- Strokes Number to displace cement = = 𝟓𝟎𝟒 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆
𝟎.𝟏

𝟖.𝟓𝟐
6- Volume of cement = Plug height *Hole Capacity = 500 *𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 = 𝟏𝟗𝟕 𝒇𝒕𝟑
𝟏𝟗𝟕
No. of cement sacks = = 𝟏𝟕𝟏. 𝟑 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒌
𝟏.𝟏𝟓

Q4/It is required to set 13 3/8-in string (ID. 12.4-in) at 4000 ft, 20-in casing is set at 1000 ft
(ID. 18.5-in). Average diameter of open hole below 20-in casing, 18.5-in. The 13 3/8 string
should be cemented to the surface. Use 150% excess in open hole and 10% excess in the
annular space between casing strings. Neglect the amount of cement left below the float collar.
The yield of cement per sackis 3 ft3/sack. Find: 1- Numbers of sacks of cement G for the job.
2- The minimum thickening time if mixing, pumping and displacement were conducted at 7
bbls/ min. 3- If the float shoe and float collar failed to work what would the minimum surface
pressure into the casing? ( 𝝆𝒔𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒚=𝟏𝟐.𝟖 𝒑𝒑𝒈 & 𝝆𝒎𝒖𝒅 =𝟗.𝟎 𝒑𝒑𝒈 )
𝟏𝟖.𝟓𝟐 −𝟏𝟑.𝟑𝟕𝟓𝟐 𝒇𝒕𝟑
Solution: 1) C ann/OH = = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟗𝟎𝟗 .
𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 𝒇𝒕

𝟏𝟖.𝟓𝟐 −𝟏𝟑.𝟑𝟕𝟓𝟐 𝒇𝒕𝟑

Cann, between casing strings= = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟗𝟎𝟗 .
𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑 𝒇𝒕

𝟏𝟑.𝟑𝟕𝟓𝟐
Ccasing = = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟑𝟖𝟔 𝒇𝒕𝟑 /𝒇𝒕.
𝟏𝟖𝟑.𝟑

Cement volume in open hole= 0.8909*3000*2.5 = 6681.75 cu ft.

Cement volume between casing strings= 0.8909 *1000*1.1= 979.99 cu ft.
Total cement volume= 6681.75 + 979.99 = 7661.74 cu ft.
𝟕𝟔𝟔𝟏.𝟕𝟒
Total cement sacks= 𝟐
= 𝟑𝟖𝟑𝟎. 𝟖𝟕 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔
𝒄𝒖 𝒇𝒕 𝒄𝒖 𝒇𝒕
2) Pumping and displacing time= 7 bbl/min *5.615 = 𝟑𝟗. 𝟐𝟗𝟖
𝒃𝒃𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒏
 𝟕𝟔𝟔𝟏.𝟕𝟒
Minimum thickening time = 𝟑𝟗.𝟐𝟗𝟖∗𝟔𝟎 = 𝟑. 𝟐𝟓 𝒉𝒓𝒔.

3) Psurface + Pmud = Pcement

Thus, Psurface= 0.052*12.8*4000 – 0.052*9.0*4000= 790.4 psi